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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
4238.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - 2:30 PM

Abstract #110605

California Latinas for Reproductive Justice: A new model for developing participatory, community-based policy advocacy to advance Latinas'/os' reproductive health and rights in California

Rocio L. Córdoba, JD, Co-Founder, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, Attorney at Law / Policy & Advocacy Consultant, P.O. Box 412225, Los Angeles, CA 90041, 213-925-6020, cordoba@gseis.ucla.edu

California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ), a new policy advocacy organization, was established to address the reproductive health needs of California's Latino community. CLRJ's mission is to advance reproductive health and rights within a social justice and human rights framework with a policy platform and advocacy strategies that are directly informed by California's Latinas/os. CLRJ relied extensively on community-based research addressing the needs, beliefs and attitudes of Latino adults and teens to inform its reproductive health policy priorities. It will also collaborate with strategically identified community-based organizations and leaders to ensure that its ongoing policy work is reflective of the state's diverse Latino/a communities. This session will review key findings of the research identifying the need for a statewide Latina/o policy voice in reproductive health advocacy. It will also present CLRJ's overarching policy goals: 1) To ensure that Latinas/os have access to comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased sexuality health and rights information and services that are culturally and linguistically appropriate to improve their quality of life and ensure healthy communities; 2) To ensure that Latina/o youth have access to comprehensive reproductive health information and services and educational and social supports in order to have healthy, productive and economically secure futures; and 3) To reframe reproductive and sexuality health and rights to reflect the health, cultural, social, economic, and environmental needs and priorities of Latino communities. Finally, the session will describe the collaborative process used in developing the organization and the steps taken to ensure structural soundness, fiscal viability, and accountability.

Learning Objectives:

  • At the conclusion of the session, the participants in this session will be able to

    Keywords: Latino Health, Reproductive Health

    Presenting author's disclosure statement:

    I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

    Latina Reproductive Health in the United States

    The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA