"As the largest employer in the world, our federal government cannot afford to have leaders that all look and think the same. I support the Pledge for Diversity campaign because our nation was founded on the principle of unity, not despite our varying backgrounds, but specifically because of it."

— Leon Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense and White House Chief of Staff

"I've experienced a number of times where I found myself thinking, 'Oh I never thought of it that way' or I recognized that someone else's experience opened me up to a new way of seeing that topic. I found myself seeing something for the first time."

— Conversation Participant

We started in 2008 because Black women in Texas were getting HIV at very high rates. They needed help. Over time, we grew to help with many kinds of health problems.

What is Reproductive Justice?

Reproductive Justice means you get to make your own choices about your body and your family. You can decide if you want to have kids or not. You can decide when to have them. You can raise your kids in a safe place.

Black women created this idea in 1994. They knew that health care connects to other problems like racism and poverty.

Health problems that hurt Black women most:

• Black women often go to hospitals that give worse care

• Racism affects Black women's bodies and makes pregnancy more dangerous

• Texas laws make it hard to get abortion care when women need it

• Many people judge women with HIV, so they don't get help

• Not enough doctors understand what Black women go through