An update on sexual and reproductive justice advocacy, news, and scholarship from the SRJ Hub at CUNY SPH.
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Advocacy -- a critical tool
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As we move forward in our collective fight for sexual and reproductive justice, advocacy remains a critical tools for change. This month, the SRJ Hub spotlights the power of informed activism—whether through policy engagement, thought leadership, or combating misinformation that threatens our rights. From amplifying expert voices to equipping communities with evidence-based resources, we remain steadfast in our mission to drive meaningful progress. Read on for the latest updates and insights from the Hub.
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SRJ Hub faculty and students actively leverage their expertise to provide evidence-backed arguments in support of policies that advance sexual and reproductive justice.
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Granting “personhood” to fetuses and embryos isn’t just a legal debate—it’s a direct threat to reproductive rights, maternal health, and even access to IVF. In this compelling op-ed in the British Medical Journal, Senior Associate Dean Terry McGovern, adjunct professor and doctoral candidate Ira Memaj, and Lourdes Rivera, president of Pregnancy Justice, break down the real-world consequences of these laws and why they must be challenged.
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In an op-ed in the New York Daily News, Senior Associate Dean Terry McGovern and CUNY SPH student Katherine Hartley warn of the danger RFK Jr.’s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services poses to reproductive health.
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In a blog post for the BMJ, Harkness Fellow Sabrina Das lays out a modern vision for an approach to self-managed abortion that respects traditional knowledge and cultural safety, incorporates current evidence-based practices for safe abortion care, and calls for a decolonization approach.
"Globally, the legal status of abortion self-care varies, with self-management often criminalised even in countries like the UK, where abortion access is assumed. Indigenous practices of abortion, rooted in autonomy and community, stand in stark contrast to these state-imposed controls."
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Students engage in Planned Parenthood's Day of Action in Albany
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CUNY SPH student and SRJ Hub staff Katherine Hartley joined fellow advocates from across New York State at Planned Parenthood’s Day of Action in Albany on February 27. Following remarks from Gov. Kathy Hochul, advocates met with legislators to garner support for investments in sexual and reproductive health, expanded funding for the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program, and the elimination of mandatory abortion reporting.
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Working to make SRJ a legislative priority
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Danielle Greene, Executive Director of State and Local Public Health Initiatives, Deborah Levine, Director of Community Outreach, and Frieda Foster, Chair of the CUNY SPH Dean's Advisory Council attended the annual legislative conference of the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislators where they met with elected officials to discuss sexual and reproductive rights and justice priorities in upcoming legislation.
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Pictured from left: Deborah Levine, Frieda Foster, Danielle Greene
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Can we realize global bodily autonomy?
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The SRJ Hub launched its new speaker series last month, SRJ Voices, with an engaging discussion on global bodily autonomy with Dr. Sabrina Das.
Dr. Das is a member of the board for Medecins Sans Frontieres (UK) and worked in Yemen in 2021 in a women’s hospital. She shared stories of how bodily autonomy plays out in childbirth and abortion care in low and high income settings, focusing on the crucial role of healthcare providers.
Stay tuned for info on our next speaker!
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WHAT'S BUZZING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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In this blizzard of #executiveorders, it can be overwhelming to understand their impact on #publichealth and #SRJ - we're here to help.
Let's talk about #ExecutiveOrder 14168 - Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
Swipe through to learn about:
📝 What this executive order says
✍️ What is changing
⚖️ How it's being justified
❌ Impact on sexual & reproductive justice
Follow us for more #executiveorders explained and their cumulative effects on #SRJ and #publichealth
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Please note a correction to our previous issue: SRJ Hub faculty and Associate Dean of Students Lynn Roberts was the keynote speaker at the international symposium (In)reproductive justice: reproductive rights through the prism of social relations of gender, race and class in Paris.
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By supporting CUNY SPH's Byllye Avery Endowed Professorship in Sexual and Reproductive Justice, you will help establish programming, research, scholarship, and advocacy training in sexual and reproductive justice to empower and develop the next generation of public health leaders.
Learn more about this exciting new professorship.
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COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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