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SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective

Founded in 1996 by 16 organizations run by women of color, SisterSong was established to empower women and their reproductive choices. It has expanded to be a compilation of over 80 organizations and 500 individuals. Though the organization prides itself on inclusively and intersectionality, the four main minority groups that it focuses on are Native American/Indigenus, Black/African American, Latina/Puerto Rican and Asian/Pacific Islander.

SisterSong is also interested in giving autonomy to women of color within the pro-choice movement. They see the current mainstream reproductive movement as a place that has marginalized minority groups. Founded with the premise of intersectionality, SisterSong hopes to be an organization that allows all woman to feel comfortable in their reproductive choices as well as provide a platform that allows for ownership of women's reproductive voices.

"Sistersong’s mission is to strengthen and amplify the collective voices of indigenous women and women of color to achieve reproductive justice by eradicating reproductive oppression and securing human rights."

Goals of Organization

SisterSong's mission is imbedded with the notion that access to a voice is a human right for indigenous women and women of color. Hoping to empower women who have been marginalized in the fight for access to reproductive healthcare.

The three objectives of SisterSong are:

• support
• mentorship
• advocacy

The goal is to provide autonomy for women of color by collaborating with multiple organizations and voices, in order to create healthier communities of color within the United States while also allowing women to take control of this by implementing means of self-help and support.

National Women of Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights Conference 2003

The phrase "Reproductive Justice" was the focal point of the 2003 SisterSong National Women of Color Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights Conference in Atlanta, GA. This conference was pivotal in starting up SisterSong as an organization and banding together international experiences of reproductive health and sexual rights.

The conference began on November 13th, 2003 with more than 800 activists, as well as white women and male allies, in attendance. Marking it as the largest gathering of women of color for reproductive rights since 1989. It lasted for four days, and allowed the attendants to celebrate past activists accomplishments as well as lay the groundwork for the future.

Loretta Ross

Loretta Ross co-founded SisterSong in 1997, then served as the National Coordinator from 2005-2012. She co-authored both Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice and Reproductive Justice: An Introduction.