Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute

November 29, 2011

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Download the application (pdf)

The Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative at the Center for American Progress is seeking a diverse group of faith-based leaders to lend their voice, commitment, and leadership to the reproductive health, rights, and justice movement. Our goal is to help build a new generation of emerging and seasoned leaders, especially from communities of color: women and men committed to reproductive health, rights, and justice as part of their faith, conscience, and moral code.

The Faith and Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute will take place during 2012 and include two convenings in Washington, DC, as well as frequent communications and activities in the interim. Each convening will last two days. One will be held in the spring and one in the fall. During the convenings we will provide:

• Timely briefings on reproductive health policies
• Roundtable exchanges on best practices and challenges facing faith-based reproductive rights advocates
• Communications and media training, including new models for communicating with people of faith on reproductive health, rights, and justice
• Opportunities to strengthen alliances with each other and with progressive allies
• Application of skills and resources to leaders’ ongoing and new work

Leader Profile

We are looking for highly motivated participants seeking to expand their skills, perspectives, and networks in order to achieve faith-based social change. Applicants might be clergy, seminary students, faith-based advocates, or those working in sexual health or reproductive rights and justice with experience in and a commitment to working with faith communities. Participants agree to:

• Help shape and deliver effective messages concerning conscience, faith, and morality regarding women’s reproductive health in order to help fill the “moral vacuum” in public discourse on these issues
• Bring a commitment to and understanding of racial justice, especially as it affects reproductive health and rights issues
• Be able to connect reproductive health and rights to broader issues of social justice
• Serve as a public spokesperson for these issues

We encourage younger people and people of color to apply. Currently employed applicants should secure written support from a supervisor affirming their participation in the program’s activities.

Why a Leadership Institute?

Since last year’s mid-term elections, more than 900 legislative measures have been introduced at the state and federal level to restrict women’s access to reproductive health care, including family planning services, PAP smears, abortion, and more. More than 64 bills have been passed. Although voters recently defeated the Personhood Amendment in Mississippi, its promoters say they will introduce the amendment in several new states in the coming year. Other serious setbacks to reproductive health include restrictive measures to roll back comprehensive sexuality education and a concerted demonization of reproductive health providers, organizations, and users.

Conservative religious and political leaders are leading these efforts, claiming that they are the sole champions of moral values, religious truth, and the public good. However, their impact has been dangerous for women, who already bear the brunt of health disparities and pay more for health care than men. Furthermore, low-income women face increasing rates of unintended pregnancy, while policy makers add more restrictions to reproductive health care. Women of color endure even more burdens. An African American or Latina woman is more likely to live in poverty, incur higher rates of disease, have less access to health care, and experience a higher risk of unintended pregnancy than her white counterpart.

In order to stop these assaults on women’s reproductive health and gain ground on reproductive rights and justice, we need to support and amplify the good work that faith-based groups are doing; strengthen faith-based leadership, messages, and messengers on reproductive health, rights, and justice; and incorporate into our work spiritual and moral values that resonate with the public and recognize individual conscience and human complexity.

Selected participants agree to:

• Participate in a spring and fall convening
• Read materials prior to meetings and review research polling, project reports, and other written materials in a timely manner
• Incorporate knowledge and training in volunteer efforts or work, where appropriate. This may include:
  • Briefing colleagues, organizations, and/or personal networks o Incorporating message frames into ongoing and new communications
  • Providing feedback on effectiveness of these message frames
  • Participating as media spokesperson and public speaker

Application process and deadline

• Resume & Personal Statement: no more than two pages indicating the reason(s) you are applying to the program, what you hope to gain from it, your background in faith-based work and reproductive health, and your goals for changing the public discourse on reproductive health, rights, and justice issues.
• One current recommendation letter: Letter should speak to your relevant background and skills.
• There is no monetary compensation or stipend associated with the program, but agreed upon travel costs and lodging will be provided. Participants must be able to attend both convenings and will be bound by Center for American Progress’ rules and restrictions.
• Deadline for applications: January 15, 2012. Please send applications to Eleni Towns at etowns@americanprogress.org or Center for American Progress, 1333 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Download the application (pdf)