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LAW STUDENTS FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE NEWSLETTER

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Spring 2010                                                                                     Volume 7, Issue 1

In This Issue
Writing Prize
Sietstra Award
Regional Conferences
Featured Chapter
Leadership Institute
RepoRepro
New Faces

Keep up on LSRJ's latest ventures and victories 

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National Board
of Directors

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We greatly appreciate our outgoing 2009/10 Board Members whose leadership has been an enormous boon to the entire organization.


Their endeavors have been many; their feats have been magnificent. 


President Ashley Gorski, J.D. - Harvard


Secretary Jina Dhillon, J.D. - UNC-Chapel Hill


C. Caleb Arring, J.D., L.L.M. - Golden Gate Univ.


Professor Kimberly Shayo Buchanan - Univ, of Southern California


Thank you!  
* Foster the Future*

* Realize Reproductive Justice*

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Dear LSRJ activists, alumni, allies, and amici:

They say Spring is a time of new beginnings, and that has certainly been the case for LSRJ this season.  We have welcomed hundreds of new members, a new class of alums, two new staff members, a new group of Regional Coordinators, a groundbreaking new fellowship program, and - as of June 1 - a new office!


Please read on to learn more, and join the effort to
foster future legal experts for the RJ movement.       
Congratulations to the 2010 Sarah Weddington Writing Prize Winners

Please join us in congratulating the winners of the Sarah Weddington Writing Prize for New Scholarship in 2010:

FIRST PLACE: Hilary P. Hammell, J.D. Candidate (University of Washington School of Law, Class of 2012) for "Is the Right to Health a Necessary Precondition for Gender Equality?" (PDF)

� SECOND PLACE: Sara Wilkinson, J.D. Candidate (University of Minnesota Law School, Class of 201o) for "Redefining 'Life' in the Mexican Abortion Debate" (PDF)

� THIRD PLACE: Heidi Bramson, J.D. and MPH Candidate (Rutgers School of Law, Class of 2011) for "Gender-Rating in the United States Health Insurance Industry: A Human Rights Violation" (PDF)

This year, LSRJ worked with the Center for Reproductive Rights Law School Initiative to decide on the theme of "Reproductive Rights as Human Rights." This collaboration enabled us to reflect on the merging of the human rights framework with the reproductive justice movement.

The first place submission will be published in the Fall 2010 symposium issue on reproductive justice in NYU's Review of Law and Social Change. In addition, first-, second-, and third-place authors have won $750, $500, and $250 prizes respectively.


A big, heartfelt thank you to the Center, RLSC, and the writing prize judges for helping give student scholarship a voice!
New Course Campaign Victories
 
LSRJ members across the country have been busy advocating for opportunities to study reproductive rights law and justice formally as part of their law schools' curriculum:
 
-- The University of the District of Columbia chapter secured approval for a Reproductive Rights Law & Justice seminar, to be taught for the first time during the Summer 2010 terms by the National Women's Law Center's Jill Morrison.
 
-- The University of Texas-Austin chapter is also celebrating a new reproductive justice seminar, which will be taught by Professor Zipporah Wiseman during the 2010-11 school year.
 
-- The University of Washington chapter is celebrating not one, but two, victories this spring, having recently secured approval for a Reproductive Rights and Justice course, as well as a Feminist Jurisprudence course.
 
-- LSRJ members at University of California-Berkeley are celebrating the return of Professor Kristin Luker's course, The Future of Reproductive Rights: Doctrine and Discourse, last taught in 2005!
 
LSRJ is proud to celebrate these recent victories and to continue supporting new course advocacy through the LSRJ Course Campaign Working Group!  For more details about the CCWG, contact Curriculum & Training Coordinator Mariko Miki ([email protected]).
Cari Sietstra Award for Excellence in Organizing
 
LSRJ is pleased to honor Joe Austen, Vice President of the University of Iowa LSRJ chapter, with this year's Cari Sietstra Award for Excellence in Organizing.  Throughout his involvement with LSRJ -- from a new 1L member, to Vice-President, to Regional Coordinator -- Joe has worked hard to grow and strengthen the University of Iowa chapter.  His nominator described extensively how Joe has been "instrumental, as a friendly, informed, passionate pro-RJ voice, in [the] recruitment of 30 new members."  In addition to finding creative ways to advance reproductive justice within the law school community and find common cause with other student groups advocating for human and civil rights, Joe has also worked to make change beyond the law school doors, taking action against a local Crisis Pregnancy Center and organizing a student contingent to travel to South Dakota in 2008 to help defeat the proposed abortion ban.
 
Joe's colleagues at the University of Iowa describe him as "the first to volunteer to do any task, the first to reach out to our members, to host LSRJ social events at his house, and just in general to foster a real sense of family between our active membership."

Congratulations, Joe!  Thank you for your ongoing commitment to ensuring reproductive justice for all people.

Regional Conferences a Success!
 
Thanks to the creation of the new South Region, this winter and spring saw an unprecedented *five* Regional Conferences!  The West Region kicked us off with a day-long conference on Reproductive Justice and LGBT Rights at UCLA School of Law on January 31st.  Over 30 Northeast chapter members spent their Presidents' Day weekend in New York City for a jam-packed event, The New War on Reproductive Justice:  The Changing Tactics of the Anti-Choice Movement at New York Law School on February 13th.  Southern activists gathered at Georgia State University School of Law on February 27th for a riveting day of programming, At the Intersection of Immigrant Rights & Reproductive Justice, which ended with a celebration of the new South Region!
 
LSRJ members in the Mid-Atlantic Region who gathered on March 20th for Exploring the Reproductive Justice Dimensions of Health Care had the unexpected benefit of hearing from RJ experts in real-time about the health care legislation that passed the very next day!  And finally, our Midwest members rounded out the regional conference season with the fascinating Underrepresented Voices:  Ensuring Reproductive Justice For All on March 27th at the University of Iowa College of Law.
 
LSRJ congratulates our new Regional Coordinators, who will be responsible for planning next year's regional conferences in all five regions: 
 
WEST:   Rachel Metelits (2L, University of Arizona) and Sarah Clarke (1L, Thomas Jefferson School of Law)

NORTHEAST:  Jessica Wilkerson (1L, Vermont Law School) and Stephanie Young (2L, Harvard Law School)

SOUTH:  Kristen Young (2L, University of Houston) and Jena Jolissaint (1L, Georgia State)

MID-ATLANTIC: 
Lauren Wallace (2L, Univeristy of the District of Colubmia)

MIDWEST: Laura Buchs (2L, University of Wisconsin)
 
Once again, we thank our outgoing Regional Coordinators for bringing us thought-provoking, engaging, and inspiring RJ programming at this year's regional conferences -- and we look forward to seeing what's in store for 2011!
Featured Chapter - University of Wisconsin

Wisconsin LSRJ Chapter Leadership

Please join us in celebrating the work of the University of Wisconsin LSRJ chapter! Several chapter leaders are pictured above during the Pro-Faith, Pro-choice, Proclaim! Easy-Event-in-an-Envelope created by the LSRJ national office in partnership with Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom (SYRF), front row: Jayme Durkee, Laura Buchs; back row: Susan Lund, Kristy Watson, & Chris Holoyda with guests. This year, UWLSRJ has doubled its membership, increased its presence on campus, and successfully fostered new partnerships with Wisconsin-area RJ organizations.

Under the leadership of President Laura Buchs, UWLSRJ is now a member of the Dane County Coalition for Women's Health, an executive board member of the Wisconsin Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice, works with Dane County's NOW Chapter, and is an official sponsor of the Healthy Youth Act. In addition, they still find time to send out a weekly newsletter to their members, keeping them informed on national LSRJ events and local RJ-related issues.

UWLSRJ was named the winner of the National Institute for Reproductive Health's (through NARAL Pro-Choice New York) "Back Up Your Birth Control," a national campaign to expand access to emergency contraception through education.  The chapter will be featured on the campaign's website!
Reproductive Rights Law & Justice Trainings
& Networking Lunch Series

This June, LSRJ is hosting summer intern trainings on Reproductive Rights Law & Justice in New York, San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington D.C. 

Any law student with an interest in reproductive rights and justice is welcome. You don't have to be a member of LSRJ or an intern at a reproductive health/rights/justice organization to join the fun. So spread the word far and wide!

These day-long intensive trainings presents a unique opportunity to 1) get the scoop on cutting-edge issues in reproductive justice; 2) meet other RJ-loving law students interning in the Bay this summer; and 3) network with leading reproductive rights and justice advocates. The trainings will feature interactive workshops and panel discussions on a range of reproductive justice issues such as health care reform, assisted reproductive technology, campus organizing, rights of pregnant women, and recent state bills restricting abortion access. And, it's completely FREE!

NYC:
(co-sponsored with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project)
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Included: Lunch and happy hour drinks
Register Here

SF Bay Area:
Monday, June 7, 2010
Included: Breakfast, lunch and happy hour drinks
Register Here

Washington D.C.:
(co-sponsored with the National Women's Law Center)
Friday, June 11, 2010
Included: Breakfast, lunch and happy hour drinks
Register Here

2010 Summer Networking Lunch Series:


Chow down with other RJ-loving interns while you learn about cutting-edge reproductive justices issue from an advocate on the front lines!

LSRJ is organizing the Summer Networking Lunch Series, where we connect summer interns and speakers from the leading reproductive rights and justice organizations.  The lunches will take place from mid-June through the beginning of August in the SF Bay Area, New York City, and Washington D.C.  Please stay tuned for the schedule of guest speakers and participating organizations!
2010 Leadership Institute
REGISTER TODAY
Because Justice Doesn't Just Happen
 
The third annual Leadership Institute is scheduled for July 30-August 1  in Washington, D.C. at George Washington University Law School.  The Leadership Institute (LI) is LSRJ's major annual gathering of members from across the U.S. and Canada for two jam-packed days of leadership training, skills-building workshops, and presentations by leading RJ experts.  It's a valuable opportunity to meet and network with LSRJ members from all over, to gather exciting ideas for your chapter, and to build community -- not to mention have a blast with fellow advocates and activists in the nation's capitol!
 
 Click here to register for the LI!
Repo(ssess) Repro(ductive Justice): 
Bringing Rights within Reach

Did you know that our chapter leaders and allies in the movement blog on a regular basis? Check out some of the latest posts!

My Body, My Bedroom: A Peek at the Privacy Doctrine from Contraception to Sex Toys, a write-up of the very well attended event put on by the University of San Diego LSRJ.

CLPP Conference Report Back: Getting Reconnected to the Movement, an engaging summary of the CLPP (Civil Liberties and Public Policy) conference entitled "From Abortion to Rights to Social Justice:  Building the Movement for Reproductive Freedom."

Happy 1st Birthday TJSL Chapter of Law Students for Reproductive Justice!, a look back at the first year of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law's brand-new LSRJ chapter.

We are always looking for new resident bloggers! Email Sabrina if you are interested.
New Faces in the National Office
LSRJ National Office Staff
(Pictured L to R:  Jill Adams, Sabrina Andrus, Liz Kukura, Mariko Miki)

Please join us in welcoming two LSRJ alumnae and new staff members to the Oakland office!

Sabrina Andrus (Seattle University School of Law '08) is the Membership & Mobilization Coordinator and will focus her work on supporting and training LSRJ chapters and leaders, engaging LSRJ alums, and coordinating the annual Leadership Institute and Regional Conferences.  Both Mariko and Sabrina were heavily involved with LSRJ as law students and they are thrilled to be back working with such an incredibly passionate group of advocates for reproductive justice!

Mariko Miki (Harvard Law School '06) is the Curriculum & Training Coordinator and will be providing vision, direction, and evaluation for multi-faceted projects in the areas of curriculum enrichment and professional training.  She will also be recruiting, training, and supervising interns and the Legal Fellow.

Mariko can be reached at [email protected] and 510.622.8136, and Sabrina can be reached at [email protected] and 510.622.8134. 
* Foster the Future*
* Realize Reproductive Justice*
* Support LSRJ Today *

With sincerity and in solidarity,

Law Students for Reproductive Justice