A Deeply Personal Decision

This is the session in which Taylor Austin of the Women’s Centers attended our Feminist Brunch to facilitate conversation about Reproductive Health. Her primary message was about the need for abortion access and for confidential and compassionate abortion care. 

There will always be pregnant women seeking abortions, even at great personal risk. Enacting restrictive policies and laws increases the likelihood that women will suffer great consequences. And, typically minority and poor communities are disproportionately affected. Abortion is a critical aspect of healthcare and must be accessible and safe for all who need it. 

thewomenscenters.com

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

The session in which we talk to Jamila Harris-Morrison and Harold Barrow. Jamila is the Executive Director of ACHIEVEability, a nonprofit organization working to permanently break the generational cycle of poverty for low income, single parent, homeless families. Harold started as a client of the organization, motivated by the need to care alone for his newborn baby girl, and now works as ACHIEVEability’s Senior Self-Sufficiency Coach having earned his Master’s degree in Social Services. 

ACHIEVEability.org

Less Funerals, More Graduations

As a North Philly girl who eventually made it through grad school but saw many of her friends and community members die on the streets, Tierra Jones is determined to make a difference in the lives of underserved youth. In this session we sit down with Tierra to talk about what motivates her to get up everyday – A.T.T.R.A.C.T. Philly – the non-profit organization she founded to empower youth while promoting the importance of education.

A.T.T.R.A.C.T = A Team Taking Responsive Actions with Conscious Thoughts

attractphilly.org

Causes They Care About

The session in which we talk to Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow about the power of words and her work with Mighty Writers. Her mission there is to empower young people to use words to describe their experience and the causes they care about. 

MightyWriters.org

Jamilah is a passionate educator, anti-racism activist, wife, and mother of two. She is a 2016 MuslimARC Muslim Anti-Racism–AMEL Fellow. Her first children’s book, Mommy’s Khimar, is in its third printing.

Wrong Place Wrong Time

The session in which we talk to Allison Gibbs, LCSW, about the effects of racism and police brutality on the black community, and other marginalized people and communities. Allison established the Therapy Concierge, LLC to help meet the need for accessible and quality mental health services for individuals unable to meet in a traditional setting. 

TherapyConciergeLLC.com

A Different Kind of Mother

We found this poem and printed it out in the hopes that Jeanae would read it – and she did!

Jeanae Hopgood-Jones has other poems as well as many insightful and touching blogs about being a Black Angel Mom. Visit her site and see if you agree. 

BlackAngelMom.com

Permission to Grieve

The session in which we meet with Jeanae Hopgood-Jones to talk about Black Angel Moms – her online support network for moms who have lost a baby preterm. Through her training in Marriage and Family Therapy as well as Human Sexuality Education, Jeanae works to help people become the best versions of themselves. She is an angel mom to twin girls born too soon due to pPROM (Pre-term premature rupture of membranes). Her goal with BAM (Black Angel Moms) is to give voice to the experience of black moms who have suffered perinatal loss.    

BlackAngelMoms.com

In the Middle of Nowhere

The session in which we speak with Rebecca Ergas, Ph.D., who has conducted psychological evaluations of people seeking asylum in the U.S. since 2009. Born in Chile, Dr. Ergas works in both English and Spanish as a clinical psychologist. She has a special place in her heart and her work for immigrants and refugees.

Rebecca.Ergas@gmail.com 

Invisibilized Labor

The session in which we chat with Nicole Kligerman, Director of the Pennsylvania Domestic Worker’s Alliance (PDWA), an advocacy group examining labor standard for domestic workers and crafting a Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights. Nicole works to promote respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protection for domestic workers, including nannies, housecleaners, and caregivers. 

www.padomesticworkers.org

 

Deportation Defense Work

The session in which we speak with Miguel Andrade, Communications Manager at Juntos – a nonprofit organization working for the rights of the Latinx-immigrant community. Miguel was born in Columbia and is one of Philadelphia’s leading young voices for immigrant rights, education equity, and human rights. 

www.vamosjuntos.org