Announcing Our Newest Grant Partners
The Abortion Conversation Projects is a volunteer led group that funds small grassroots projects that challenge the stigma of abortion. “With 62 funded projects and many other projects offered advice and resources, ACP is constantly looking at the ‘how’ of shifting attitudes,” said Peg Johnston, co-chair of ACP. “Our four most recent grant partners offer four distinct approaches to community-based social change.”
The Louisiana Abortion Stories Project is archiving the stories of women who have had an abortion, collected by the Louisiana Abortion Fund. Powerful storytelling is an important strategy in addressing stigma and the group will access a local radio show to share stories. “Part of how stigma works is by internalizing negative attitudes and telling your story breaks the silence and shame,” comments Terry Sallas Merritt, co-chair of ACP.
The Sister Network in Sweden is focusing its efforts on Polish doctors and providers whose prejudices against abortion, even for fetal anomalies, cause women to seek services in other countries and sometimes less effective methods available on the internet. “Fighting Reproductive Stigma among Polish Healthcare Providers” will expose the medical community in Poland, where abortion is legal but inaccessible, to a more supportive, non-judgmental patient centered model.
“Outfitting Our Troops: Reproaction Visibility at Actions” has a simple approach: brightly colored t-shirts to brand Reproaction at its innovative demonstrations. “T-shirts are a remarkable conversation starter,” commented Merritt.
Lena Hann has spent years exploring how and whether clinics show fetal tissue to their patients. “ACP has taken an interest in this topic, and Lena has advanced people’s comfort levels with the conversations about fetal tissue. Confronting the reality of abortion in an open and honest way is a powerful way to challenge stigma,” explains Johnston. ACP is funding the printing and distribution of Hann’s “Fetal Tissue Viewing Guide” for clinic staff.
These four new Grant Partners bring the total number of ACP-funded projects to sixty-two. This cycle awarded nearly $7000; ACP fundraises each year to pay for seed grants and expenses. Started in 2012, ACP’s seed grant program has recently supported the distribution of Shout Your Abortion’s coffee table book of stories and images and bringing the Southern Justice Birth Doulas’ training to black, brown, and other marginalized groups in South Florida.
