Welcome to Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice

Sisters in Action for Issues of Reproductive Empowerment (SAFIRE)

Trick or Vote on Halloween Night, October 31st. Join youth and allies all around the country talking to our communities about the importance of voting and the issues that we care about. Interested in dressing up and making change? For more information click here. Contact Amanda - amanda [at] reproductivejustice [dot] org - to get involved.

We are on the radio! The SAFIRE girls share our analysis and stories about Prop 4 on a radio show produced by The National Radio Project. Click here to listen and find out more about what parental notification means to us.

The Youth + Power = Change Youth Organizing Conference: HUGE SUCCESS
If you were anywhere near Preservation Park in downtown Oakland last Saturday, October 4, you probably felt and heard the incredible energy and excitement of youth who are learning about and taking action for reproductive justice. Check out our SAFIRE API Youth Institute video A Brief History of Voting in the United States from the conference.

Over 150 high school students from all over Oakland and the Bay Area came together for Youth + Power = Change, a youth-led conference organized by ACRJ's youth organizing program, SAFIRE (Sisters in Action for Issues of Reproductive Empowerment). The focus of the conference was on three California ballot initiatives that directly impact youth and reproductive justice:

*Proposition 4, a constitutional amendment that would ban abortions for minors until 48 hours after a doctor notifies the parents
*Proposition 6, which increases policing and criminalization of youth, low-income communities and immigrants
*Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that would ban same sex marriage

Youth participants, who are mostly Asian and are members of local progressive and social justice organizations, learned about the propositions, how they would be affected if they passed, and the importance of youth involvement in the elections. SAFIRE members organized and emceed the conference, facilitated workshops, and took the lead in making the whole event come to life, while local artists led interactive workshops to deepen the participants' learning through hip hop, spoken word, popular theatre and visual art. So not only was it a great space for youth to raise their consciousness and be politically active, it was a lot of fun too!

Although most of the youth at the conference aren't old enough to vote, they all realized that they have the power to make their voices heard about what matters most to them. Youth are ready and excited to take action to educate people in their communities about the issues that affect them and mobilize people to get out the vote. Just like the title of the conference says: YOUTH + POWER = CHANGE!!!

Wish you were there? Click here to check out our live blog in partnership with SMASHCAST and catch the recap of the conference.

Want to get involved? To find out how to join ACRJ's efforts to defeat Propositions 4, 6 & 8, visit ACRJ's No on Prop 4 page!

What is SAFIRE?

The SAFIRE high school youth organizing program annually trains 30 - 40 young Asian women aged 14 - 18 from low-income, immigrant and refugee families as leaders and organizers for reproductive justice. SAFIRE operates year-round, including a summer session, and welcomes new participants at different times throughout the year. SAFIRE’s Core Power curriculum is designed to encourage young Asian women to develop their self-awareness and claim their inherent power to stand up for themselves, their families, and their communities for the long term. Participants research, develop and lead reproductive justice campaign activities, engage in political education, conduct electoral and legislative advocacy, as well as participate in physical activities such as martial arts, yoga and meditation. By organizing and mobilizing to educate and pressure critical leaders and institutions to develop policies and make decisions that protect and advance reproductive health and rights in our communities, SAFIRE youth leaders achieve specific and measurable gains. The SAFIRE program works to:

* Implement social change at community and systemic levels to promote and protect women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights; and

* Build capacity and leadership of young Asian women in the Reproductive Justice and Social Justice Movements.



	SAFIRE Sisters in Action for Issues of Reproductive Empowerment (SAFIRE) Trick or Vote on Halloween Night, October 31st. Join youth and allies all around the country talking to our communities about the importance of voting and the issues that we care about. Interested in dressing up and making change? For more information click here. Contact Amanda - amanda [at] reproductivejustice [dot] org - to get involved. We are on the radio! The SAFIRE girls share our analysis and stories about Prop 4 on a radio show produced by The National Radio Project. Click here to listen and find out more about what parental notification means to us. The Youth + Power = Change Youth Organizing Conference: HUGE SUCCESS If you were anywhere near Preservation Park in downtown Oakland last Saturday, October 4, you probably felt and heard the incredible energy and excitement of youth who are learning about and taking action for reproductive justice. Check out our SAFIRE API Youth Institute video A Brief History of Voting in the United States from the conference. Over 150 high school students from all over Oakland and the Bay Area came together for Youth + Power = Change, a youth-led conference organized by ACRJ's youth organizing program, SAFIRE (Sisters in Action for Issues of Reproductive Empowerment). The focus of the conference was on three California ballot initiatives that directly impact youth and reproductive justice: *Proposition 4, a constitutional amendment that would ban abortions for minors until 48 hours after a doctor notifies the parents *Proposition 6, which increases policing and criminalization of youth, low-income communities and immigrants *Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment that would ban same sex marriage Youth participants, who are mostly Asian and are members of local progressive and social justice organizations, learned about the propositions, how they would be affected if they passed, and the importance of youth involvement in the elections. SAFIRE members organized and emceed the conference, facilitated workshops, and took the lead in making the whole event come to life, while local artists led interactive workshops to deepen the participants' learning through hip hop, spoken word, popular theatre and visual art. So not only was it a great space for youth to raise their consciousness and be politically active, it was a lot of fun too! Although most of the youth at the conference aren't old enough to vote, they all realized that they have the power to make their voices heard about what matters most to them. Youth are ready and excited to take action to educate people in their communities about the issues that affect them and mobilize people to get out the vote. Just like the title of the conference says: YOUTH + POWER = CHANGE!!! *Wish you were there?* Click here to check out our live blog in partnership with SMASHCAST and catch the recap of the conference. *Want to get involved?* To find out how to join ACRJ's efforts to defeat Propositions 4, 6 & 8, visit ACRJ's No on Prop 4 page! What is SAFIRE? The SAFIRE high school youth organizing program annually trains 30 - 40 young Asian women aged 14 - 18 from low-income, immigrant and refugee families as leaders and organizers for reproductive justice. SAFIRE operates year-round, including a summer session, and welcomes new participants at different times throughout the year. SAFIRE’s Core Power curriculum is designed to encourage young Asian women to develop their self-awareness and claim their inherent power to stand up for themselves, their families, and their communities for the long term. Participants research, develop and lead reproductive justice campaign activities, engage in political education, conduct electoral and legislative advocacy, as well as participate in physical activities such as martial arts, yoga and meditation. By organizing and mobilizing to educate and pressure critical leaders and institutions to develop policies and make decisions that protect and advance reproductive health and rights in our communities, SAFIRE youth leaders achieve specific and measurable gains. The SAFIRE program works to: * Implement social change at community and systemic levels to promote and protect women’s and girls’ reproductive health and rights; and * Build capacity and leadership of young Asian women in the Reproductive Justice and Social Justice Movements.
1440 Broadway, Suite 301, Oakland, CA 94612 T: 510.663.8300 F: 510.663.8301