I just wanted to introduce a new project I am working on! As some of you may know, last semester was an eventful one! Last semester, I interned on the Hill, interned at Running Start (a non-profit that trains young women to run for office) and was elected as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. All of which was happening as I started researching gender dynamics in politics for a paper I am still working on. More than anything, I developed a passion for politics, particularly the politics of representation.
This includes thinking about who is being represented by our governing bodies, who is not, and what can be done to ensure that our democracy is as representative of “we the people” as possible. Studying and thinking about the politics of representation made me particularly interested in the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions that serve DC residents. Advisory Neighborhood Commissions are designed to help DC residents’ access public services and advise city officials and agencies on how to best serve their neighborhoods. The hyperlocal nature of these commissions make DC government more accountable to constituents and representative of them. In order to learn more about commissions, I suggest reading District Wire’s article: “Get to Know DC government: Advisory Neighborhood Commissions”.
Learning more about ANCs, paired well with my belief that women can and should hold elective office in order to advocate for their own needs, along with the needs of their respective communities. That is why, as part of my current project, I will continue to blog about the politics of representation, focusing on women of color in politics. In addition to this, I will be working with Running Start, to create a scholarship. Running Start is the only organization that trains young women to run for office. Through trainings such as the Young Women’s Political Leadership program, Running Start aims at teaching young women on how to run so that they will do so at a younger age, building a pipeline for more women to follow. My goal is to fundraise $1,800 in order to pay for a young woman of color, planning to run for an Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat to attend the Young Women’s Political Leadership program. ANC’s provide great platforms for change by allowing elected officials to work alongside their communities to improve the wellbeing of their neighborhoods. This scholarship would help train a young woman to run for office, and would allow for about a year between the training and the election next ANC election cycle. Not only would donating to this scholarship be an investment in the scholarship recipient, but and investment in her local community as well.
Thanks,
Regina
In order to donate to the scholarship fund, click here!
As the rate at which Latinas enroll in college increases, it becomes increasingly important to address the barriers that exist for Latinas who are able to access college educations. As a Latina who has had the privilege of talking to other Latinas about their experiences at their respective colleges and universities, I acknowledge that our experiences are incredibly varied and that not all Latinas experience these barriers. But needless to say, many of my Latina hermanas have shared similar stories, making these barriers relevant and important to discuss.
According to an American Association of University Women report, Latinas do indeed aspire to graduate from high school and complete post-secondary educations, but various factors play in to their ability to do so. Factors that affect high school graduation, college choice, matriculation, retention and college graduation are primarily cultural. Due to the fact that the dominant culture in most degree granting, post-secondary institutions is White (approximately 60% of students, according to a report by the Institute of Education Sciences), deep cultural differences may pose added challenges for Latinas who are learning to navigate an academic environment that may be more natural to their Caucasian counterparts.
When Latinas attend college, they are usually thrown into a dominant culture which is unlike their own- often times, the majority of professors, faculty members and students will not be Latino/as. Latino families prioritize culture as a factor in the evaluation of self-identification and worth. When away at college, Latinas are often faced with the challenge of negotiating their cultural identity against a more dominant, White, American culture. These decisions can be as serious as deciding whether to change an area of study because no Latin America Regional Concentration classes are taught by Latinos, or deciding whether to join a Latina sorority to show solidarity with your Latina sister vs. a traditional one for a more “normal” Greek experience. This process of cultural renegotiation may pit a Latina’s connectedness to her family against her desire to be independent and pursue her personal educational and career goals.
The very Latino emphasis on familismo (familism), a concept that emphasizes the importance of family ties, loyalty and interconnectedness, is crucial when discussing Latina success and failure. Familial support, and the social capital that is derived from the larger social networks that familismo encourages, may help Latinas get in to college and navigate it successfully. On the other hand, culturally, Latino distrust of those outside of the family may lead to family members discouraging Latinas from leaving home for college, or if Latinas do leave, they may face feelings of guilt for having done so. Familismo may also pose challenges for Latinas during the college selection process, during which their selection of school and career interests may be subject to discussion and determination by family members, including extended family members.
Even Latinas with the most supportive families may face issues adjusting to campus cultures in which there is little Latino representation. The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2011 that the ethnic and racial breakdowns of full-time college faculty are as follows: 79 percent White and 4 percent Hispanic. The numbers for full-time professors were 84 percent White and 3 percent Hispanic. The disparity between the ethnicities of faculty and professors may lead to a cultural disconnect between Latino students and professors that would prevent students and teachers from connecting or effectively communicating across their cultural paradigms.
In addition, lack of representation and immersion in a new culture pose additional challenges for some. In areas where Latino populations are minimal, Latinas might be faced with stereotyping and the contingencies that come with them. This includes dealing with slight microaggressions having to do with racial stereotypes that insinuate that all Latinas are feisty, sexy, like being called “mami”, speak like Sofia Vergara, and of course, are all “curvy latinas”. While some of these stereotypes may be true on an individual level, they can still be racial microaggressions that make Latinas hyperconscious of their status as women of color, and their ability to either play in to those stereotypes or prove them wrong.
Latinas face unique circumstances and issues when they decide to go to college, and especially when they move away from home. At a time when Latinas are enrolling more and more in colleges and universities, it is important to address the conflicts that they may encounter. At a time when blatant racism is outlawed (albeit still an issue), but cultural stereotypes, racial and sexist microaggressions ensue, it is important to start a conversation about the additional barriers Latinas are facing and overcoming every day in order to create a more inclusive educational environment.
As a Gender and Sexuality Studies major, I can’t help but to run with circles that praise Bell Hook’s book, Feminism is for Everybody. This summer, I have a little more time on my hands than I normally do, so I have decided to read it in order to further my personal, feminist education. The truth is, as a feminist Latina, I found it incredibly refreshing to read a book about feminism by a woman of color, a woman who took acknowledged and discussed the struggles some women face, within the movement. In my discussion of feminism with people of varying ages, education levels, and across the gender and political spectrum, I have often heard people who try to divorce classism, racism, and ability from issues of feminism. The more I have become personally entrenched in the movement, I have discovered that the truth is, as Audre Lorde puts it:
“There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”
The personal, is political. The contingencies I face due to my identity are no more or less important than those of others. Inequality is a universal issue, and in some form, structural violence affects us all. Privilege plays a role in determining how much or how little obstacles we face in different settings, and I really appreciated the discussion of classism and racism within the feminist movement because some of the other feminist writings I have read have come from women who were white and middle class and were fortunate enough to not become marginalized within the feminist movement (at least not because of class and race).
Feminism: Self Reflection is for Everybody
In the “Consciousness Raising” chapter, hooks reflected on the idea of internalized patriarchal forces as they pertain to women. One particular quote stuck out to me:
“Without confronting internalized sexism women who picked up the feminist banner often betrayed the cause in their interactions with other women.”
This quote to me, made me more critical of my own sexist views. When I started thinking about where this discomfort stemmed from, the first thing that I looked back at, was my childhood. I am Latina, my entire family always supported me in all that I did, however patriarchal values seemed ever-present in our family gatherings (the women did domestic work, men sat at the head of the table, as the eldest granddaughter I was/am expected to serve my Abuelo his dinner when we eat with our extended family on Sunday nights, etc.) Beyond that, I’ve grown up in the United States, which remains a patriarchal society and whose media reinforces the treatment of women as “different” and “lesser” than men by dehumanizing, sexualizing and perpetuating negative stereotypes about them. That is what made me start thinking about my own actions, and how I inadvertently perpetuate the patriarchy through my sexist behavior. After all, complicity within patriarchal systems is just as harmful as the perpetuation of it through direct action!
Self-Reflection
Here’s a list of things I do (which inadvertently reinforce oppressive social structures), and reflected on why I should not partake in these behaviors:
Tying my worth to what I eat.
At first, it seems obvious that we should not tie our value to what/how/when we eat, however way too often I’ve heard and have said I was “good” because I ate healthfully all day or “bad” because I indulged in junk food. Saying those things offhandedly is harmful however, it helps to internalize the idea that what and how we eat makes us better, or worse people; when in fact, what we really mean is that it makes us better/worse at conforming to very narrow, patriarchal views of beauty.
Forgetting to ask people for their preferred pronouns.
As a feminine, cisgender woman, the way I choose to look, act and dress is stereotypical of the gender roles women are expected to fulfill. The fact that people always correctly assume my preferred gender pronouns makes me privileged. I have never been made uncomfortable by having someone use incorrect pronouns when referring to me. This privilege makes it easy for me to forget to ask other people for their pronouns, instead of assuming them. In order to become a better feminist, I must make the spaces I inhabit safe and welcoming to people of all gender identities- after all, gender equality is the goal!
Taking the gender binary for granted.
Working under the assumption that a gender binary exists, gender is discussed in terms of either male or female, which is limiting. Most writings or conversations work under this assumption by default, however the concept of the gender binary discounts people who are intersex, transgender, androgynous, gender fluid or of other identities that do not fall within the binary. The fact that this might feel like the “default”, to me and others, is a result of power dynamics and privilege that favor people who identify as either male or female. However, in order to become a better feminist, I must do a better job of acknowledging the privileged and oppressive nature of taking this binary for granted and challenge myself to think, speak and discuss gender as a fluid spectrum (with infinite, possibilities) rather than a binary (with a mere two options.)
Getting particularly jealous of other women.
One of the most anti-feminist things I’ve ever done is compare myself to other women, or vie for the attention of men and consider other women as competitors for their attention. The fact is, that jealousy might be human, however only competing against other women for promotions, dates, compliments etc. undermines any sisterhood that may have developed between myself and the other women I interact with. This jealousy also works under the assumption that I do not or cannot compete with men or anyone who identifies as anything other than male or female. The truth is, instead of becoming jealous for the accomplishments of another woman, whether personal, professional or otherwise, I should do the feminist sisterhood justice by being happy for her and considering her accomplishment as one for all women.
In what ways do you inadvertently perpetuate sexism? How can you become a better feminist and activist? Let me know!
At this point, many know about the murder of 6 innocent people at the University of California Santa Barbara. In fact, at this point, many people have watched the UCSB shooter’s “Retribution” video about the reasoning behind the actions he took. However, not enough people are discussing the inappropriate ways in which people are reacting to this incident. There is a false sense that this incident was an isolated one, however as is explained in “Elliot Rodger and Illusions of Nuance” misogyny and victim blaming are nothing new. People may be shocked by the incident, but how could they be considering the way it’s being discussed is all too familiar… people are victim blaming and using misogynist language just as has been done as a reaction to other instances of violence against women.
The following are comments made on the YouTube video in which the UCSB shooter explains the reasoning for his actions:
Some people actually blamed women, and the fact that they didn’t have sex with him:
Apparently, although 6 people died, it is still humorous to tell women that if they don’t “give themselves” or sexually appease men, they will be in danger. Essentially, this “joke” is “jokingly” placing the blame on the women who have been killed.
Although this individual expressed some disdain for the UCSB shooter’s actions, he also works under the assumption that if the UCSB shooter had had sex, he would not have killed 6 people and injured another 13. This messaging is incredibly harmful, it validates the extremely hyper-masculine idea that if he had had a sexual release of sorts, he would not need to become physically violent- which is NOT true.
Just another example of male entitlement, the same type of entitlement that propagates violence such as the one exhibited by the UCSB shooter and the same sense of entitlement that propagates rape culture. We’re supposed to think this is funny though… right? No.
Then there was the one that blamed feminism… an entire movement of people (not just women), who strive for gender equality and the prevention of gendered violence (among a host of other human rights) for his actions. Not only does this post blame women for the murder and injuries inflicted on the people of Isla Vista, it also paints the UCSB shooter as a victim.
Some people insulted Elliot Rodger- by attempting to emasculate him…
What’s interesting about this comment is that in order to insult a misogynist who planned and executed a mission to kill women because he felt rejected, he called him a “magnificent little girl”. This is interesting because, apparently, the best insult Fabricio Luiz Braga could come up with, for a man who killed, and disrespected women was “little girl”. His comment in, and of, itself is misogynistic; he puts a man down for hurting people, by insulting the very people whom were hurt.
Some people only showed concern for Elliot Rodger and shifted the blame away from him:
It may be true that “America is a lonely place”, however, since when is loneliness an excuse for killing and injuring innocent people. The actions that took place were premeditated and calculated. It is important to understand where people come from before judging their actions, however, is it really appropriate to go a step farther and applaud honesty and justify such violent actions?
This post altogether circumvents the fact that he harmed people and instead proceeds to explain how “sad” it is that people are having sex, and that the UCSB shooter looked “hurt” and “sad”. Then, more explicitly, he says that if his parents had paid a little more attention to him, he “wouldn’t be needing love”. The blame here is placed on a culture in which sex is very important and the parents of the UCSB shooter- however, it is not the fault of those who refused to have sex with Elliot Rodger or his parents, that he chose to harm so many people. In fact, women are not to blame for not loving, being in a relationship with or having sex with the UCSB shooter. Additionally, the UCSB shooter’s parents tried to take steps to correct his behavior and protect others by calling the police to check on their son’s “wellness”- I can imagine this is not an easy thing to do to your own son, however they did take steps to prevent such a catastrophe.
Then were those who collectively did all of the above:
In this thread, RedPanther9 attempted to shift the blame off of Elliot Rodger, and wrote that he had done “a good job”- he congratulated the individual for killing 6 people and injuring another 13. Woodzy responded by insulting RedPanther9, although it is good that the inappropriate nature of RedPanther9’s comment was noted, the way in which it was inappropriate. Using the word “retarded” is hate speech- to find out more about why the R-word is hurtful, check out R-Word: Spread the Word, to End the Word. Also, by using the words “cunt” and “pussy” as derogatory terms, he is insulting a misogynist, murderer by emasculating him- by calling him variations of demeaning terms used to describe vaginas. Why would a body part be inherently insulting? Or is it the fact that vaginas are closely related to being a woman, and being feminine is the insult? Then, Shepot95 tops of the insulting comment by saying “stop being such a beta and find yourself a girl” as if finding a girl could stop any of the offensive behavior exhibited by the other people who commented and the UCSB shooter.
Have any ideas or reflections on how the conversation revolving this incident are reflective of the negative aspects of our society? Please let me know!
These pictures were taken at American University. They are of a rally organized by the AU No More Silence Coalition. The goal of this rally was to put pressure on the school’s administration to act on behalf of sexual assault survivors. As a coalition, we demand justice for survivors, and we demand mandatory sexual assault bystander-prevention programs for faculty and students alike. If you would like to find out more about the group’s demands, check out the petition that was made on Change.org
So grateful to be able to speak at the #NoMoreSilenceRally and work with so many fabulous activists!
Transformative Activism at American University
I could not have imagined a better way to wind down my freshman year. I have spent the last couple of days organizing with some of the most passionate, hardworking activists and people I have ever met. I have seen the passion for social justice give people a sense of purpose, a sense of community, the feeling of belonging. I have seen people be transformed through exposure to community organizing and collective, direct action. I have felt myself be transformed. I came to American University in order to grow, in order to be surrounded with peers who have my same passion for social justice and the desire to create positive change. AU is one of the best places to be mentored and taught how to organize. I have had wonderful professors push me to challenge the status quo and I have had upperclassmen go out of their way to mentor me.
The No More Silence Coalition
Recently, documents that contain screenshots of text messages and a Google listserv that contain misogynistic, homophobic, racist comments along with commentary that suggests the premeditated sexual assault of women, were leaked. In response, a self-identified coalition which calls itself AU’s No More Silence was formed. This group was created and able to mobilize a group of about 30-50 people to speak out and rally. The coalition was formed and was able to execute this rally in less than a week. The group was aimed at garnering attention and placing pressure on the administration to take action in light of the emails that were recently leaked by an anonymous source. The emails and the rape culture they are symptomatic of prove that the school is NOT doing enough to prevent sexual assault on campus. This group has been able to reach out to social media, obtain 1500+ people to sign a petition which lists a call to action and list of demands and even organize a rally and march. American University prides itself for having a politically engaged student body, and for having a student body that finds strength in diversity. Thing group asked that AU make it’s students and alumni proud by responding to the demands and following through with the “change” that was promised to now-alumnus but have not yet been realized.
Grateful for Solidarity
I was lucky enough to be a part of this group, to learn from the members of this group and act in solidarity with this coalition. Personally, this experience of coalition building, planning and mobilizing was a growing experience. I am so grateful for all of the upperclassmen, alumni and faculty supporters who helped a group predominantly made up of freshman take leadership roles and learn hands-on how to organize. I am grateful for the Public Safety officers who marched with us to ensure our safety. I am grateful for the opportunity to be heard and to make topics that have gone undisclosed for way too long.One of American University’s greatest assets is the active student body.
I Marched Because:
I want safety to be prioritized over PR
I want a campus culture that rejects rape culture, homophobia, racism and aggression.
I care about American University, and I want it to make me proud.
Recently, at American University, a series of emails with triggering content about sexual assault, along with homophobic, misogynistic, racist language were leaked. These emails were linked to an unsanctioned, unaffiliated group of former and current AU students that self identify as “EI”. This group has been known to steal, be violent and is even considered a gang in Maryland. Above is a petition that was created by a group of American University students who are urging the school administration to learn from what has been exposed in the emails, and take a more proactive approach when it comes to preventing sexual assault on campus.
I would like to start off by stating that when I am vocal about racism, sexism, and other problematic language; I am NOT to be dismissed as just another “feisty Latina”.
As a Latina feminist, living and going to college in DC, I live in a place predominantly surrounded by liberal individuals who understand the dangers and evils of prejudice. This complicates the way in which power dynamics are viewed, discussed and how their role in my life, and the life of the individuals with whom I interact, is interpreted. In a predominantly white, higher-to-upper middle class, social-justice-oriented institution, it is sometimes hard for me to explain my experience of the subtle, insidious effects of sexist and/or racially-charged microaggressions.
The word “microaggression” (Click Here to Learn More About Microaggressions) was coined by Chester M. Pierce in the 1970s, and several psychologists have since worked with the term. More recently, Derald Wing Sue defined microaggressions as: “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people.” Microaggressions are usually said without negative intentions, by people who have the privilege of not being aware of how or why their words are hurtful. Peggy McIntosh expanded the conception of privilege- the exploration of how groups can either be systemically advantaged or disadvantaged from gendered discussions to racial discussions. In her working paper, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack’(1989), McIntosh acknowledges her own discovery of her privilege when she writes: “As a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something which puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege, which puts me at an advantage.” A particular sore spot is the mentioning of white privilege (see “White Privilege the Invisible Backpack” for more information) and extensions of it, which come in the form of offhanded, offensive language. Microaggressions are usually casually brought up, with no intention of being insulting- they are, however, offensive, even if they are unintentionally so.
As McIntosh mentions, it is hard for people to recognize their own privilege. This leads to people perpetuating racism or sexism in ever-so-insidious ways, even if they do not intend on being offensive. The fact that microaggressions are not intentionally offensive makes it hard for those who are less privileged, or who are triggered or insulted by them to explain how or why they feel their identities being belittled, challenged or otherwise insulted. At this point in history, it is increasingly rare for people to say blatantly racist, sexist or homophobic slurs without natural social sanctions serving as consequences for those statements. However, the mainstreaming and generally privileged nature of “whiteness” in American society still allows for the perpetuation of racial and/or sexist stigma through the use of microaggressions- most of which come from the oversimplification of or the same ignorance of the complex nature and connection of race and identity in communities of color, that fuel racism.Personally, as a Latina, my experience of being a minority is new, and has been limited due to the fact that I was brought up in Miami, FL. In Miami, I was surrounded, mostly, by Hispanic people like myself. At the time, I did not recognize the privileges that came from being a member of the demographic that was a local majority.
In an environment in which I am new to being a minority, and some people are not used to minorities, or Latinas, it is difficult for me to pinpoint and express the ways in which I’ve been affected by microaggressions. Recently however, a friend who actively tries to understand me and my culture offhandedly called me a“feisty Latina”. I laughed at this, because I am proud of my reputation of speaking up for what I value, and I am proud of my heritage. I was not directly hurt by the statement- but it did make me more conscious (and self-conscious) of my identity contingencies. Identity contingencies, as described by Claude Steele in his book Whistling Vivaldi, are “the things you have to deal with in a situation because you have a given social identity”. Steele argues that identity contingencies affect us when they are compounded by stereotype threats, which are instances in which you are aware of a stereotype about one of your identities and refrain from doing things that would affirm those stereotypes. This played out, in my personal life, later that night.
Alex, his friend John and I went out for a late-night dessert was when I discovered just how insidious the effects of microaggressions can be. At the shop, my friend Alex and I were looking at books together while John was browsing in a nearby section. Then, some man came up to us, looked at me from head-to-toe, pointed at me, and told Alex he had a “hot friend” (me). The way the stranger looked at me, with a perverted look in his eyes, and then didn’t acknowledge me infuriated me. I could not believe how he could simultaneously pour over my body so intently and act as if I don’t exist; it felt like objectification at its most revolting. I wanted to coolly tell him that it was not acceptable to be disrespectful. I wanted to yell at him that he was being a misogynistic ass. I wanted to say something- but I didn’t. The first thought that raced through my mind was to make sure I wasn’t overreacting or just being feisty. That identity contingency, which I usually ignore, rendered me unable to respond to this strange man’s disrespectful behavior. THAT is the threat that microaggressions pose- they are so subtle that they go unnoticed, but ultimately lead to self-policing behaviors. Racism is not as overt as it once was, but it is pervasive. Racism has become so ingrained in our society that although we may know there is more genetic difference between people of the same “race” or “ethnicity” than between people of different “races” or “ethnicities” we still divide people along those arbitrary lines. We still assume that the “feisty Latina” and “angry black woman” stereotypes have some validity. Racism looks differently now, it is systemic, ingrained in our thought and is usually a result of self-policing which results from the fear of validating negative stigma about one’s own race/ethnicity.
What I learned from it all:
I was NOT being a feisty Latina. I was being a human, who was angered by racist and sexist language.
References
Sue, Derald Wing; Capodilupo, Christina M.; Torino, Gina C.; Bucceri, Jennifer M.; Holder, Aisha M. B.; Nadal, Kevin L.; Esquilin, Marta. Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Implications for Clinical Practice. American Psychologist, v62 n4 p271-286 May-Jun 2007.
From left to right: Natalie Camastra, Cathy Schneider, Dilcia Molina, Regina Monge (me!)
On April 3rd, as part of the Community Action and Social Justice Coalition‘s “Rush Week” Activities, American University’s AU Students for Choice (follow them on twitter at @aus4c) and AU American Dream co-hosted a panel on Reproductive Justice in Immigrant Communities.
I had the pleasure of moderating the panel, which included panelists Natalie Camastra and Dilcia Molina and a translator, Kathy Schneider.
Natalie D. Camastra:
She serves as a Policy Analyst at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, where she focuses prominently on federal legislation and strategies to advance reproductive health and justice for immigrant Latinas, their families, and communities.
Outside of work, she volunteers with Fem*Ex, where she facilitates a women’s empowerment and sexual health course at YouthBuild in Columbia Heights.
Dilcia Molina:
She is a project coordinator at La Clinica Del Pueblo, a non-profit health center that serves the Latino and immigrant populations of the Washington, DC metro area.
She also does research on Latino/a immigrants who engage in commercial sex work in metropolitan Washington
Additionally, she devotes time to helping other immigrants who are seeking legal residence in the U.S. by referring them to pro bono attorneys.
The discussion commenced with a contextualization of the intersection of reproductive justice and immigrant communities and policies that have disproportionately impacted female immigrants. The following topics were discussed:
Page Act- The first of many laws aimed at limiting the immigration of “undesirable” immigrants (this law primary excluded women of Asian descent).
Sterilization- The forced sterilization of Latina women, which was introduced in the 1930s and occurred into the late 1970s. Women of color, predominantly low-income, latina women, were coerced and intimidated into being sterilized because they were considered “undesirable”. (Click here for an article on the forced sterilization of women)
Anchor babies- “Anchor babies” are pejorative terms for the children of immigrant women, the discussion surrounding anchor babies is usually anti-immigrant, and grounded in erroneous arguments.
The need for a path to citizenship.
The Affordable Care Act’s exclusion of immigrant families and the added barriers it introduces to immigrant women seeking reproductive health care (for more info, click here).
After Natalie Camastra set a foundation upon which to discuss the work currently being done, Dilcia gave personal testimony about her activism advocating for immigrant women and their rights to reproductive health care. Dilcia began by explaining her personal connection to this cause. Dilcia immigrated legally, seeking asylum in the United States because of threats to her life that resulted from openly identifying as lesbian and her activist work within/for the LGBT community. Upon moving to the United States, Dilcia joked that she vowed to never get involved with activism again, because of where it got her, between chuckles however, she explained that it didn’t take long before she got involved in it again. After having lived in the United States a little over three months, Dilcia discovered a lump in one of her breasts. She knew she had to see a doctor. Due to the fact that there were no accommodations for people like Dilcia who did not yet have any proficiency in English at he medical centers near her and the fact that she could not get federal assistance to pay for her treatment since her immigration status was being processed, possibilities of being screened and treated were dismal. In most cases, especially in the cases of illegal immigrants, the only services available are emergency room visits- which do not service the reproductive health needs of women immigrants. Upon trying to navigate the health care system herself, Dilcia concluded that systemic barriers impeded the access of immigrant women like herself, to basic health care and even more so to reproductive health services. Dilcia, an activist and champion for equality, was thus drawn to the kind of work she still does- promoting reproductive justice in immigrant communities.
Dilcia currently works as a Project Manager at La Clinica del Pueblo, a Women’s Comprehensive Health center which services immigrant women. The center not only provides basic women’s health medical procedures for little-to-know cost to the women, it also hosts meetings for Latina Immigrants to discuss their relationship/ sexual health needs through their Entre Amigas program, and even has an empowerment-focused program for the children of immigrant women called “¡Empodérate! Youth Center. In addition to her work at La Clinica del Pueblo, Dilcia also refers women who need it, to lawyers who work on pro bono immigration and domestic violence cases.
Natalie Camastras and Dilcia Molina both drew attention, through our panel discussion, to the disparate barriers that immigrant women face when trying to seek out reproductive health care services. If you would like to read more about the above mentioned issues, here are some articles you might find interesting and informative:
‘
Regina A. Monge 