  
Reach out.
Tune in.
Link up.
"Join" our Facebook Group
Page to learn about intern & job opp's, webinars, CLEs, and exciting
events in your area.
"Like"
LSRJ on Facebook to stay up to date with current events in the movement. |
Featured Chapter: University of the District of Columbia
UDC chapter leaders have been hard at work bringing their activism to the classroom. They successfully
campaigned for a Reproductive Law & Justice course taught by Jill Morrison (National Women's Law Center) during the 2010 summer.
UDC chapter members were out in full force this summer - eight of them took the RRL&J
course, and several of them attended the intern training, networking
lunch series, and the Leadership Institute!
Congratulations, UDC!
Keep up the great work.
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Interview with LSRJ at the Equal Justice Works Career Fair
LSRJ is searching for its next Legal Fellow and summer Legal Interns.
LSRJ is coming to EJW
2010 Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair will be held at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center on Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23.
Check out the EJW site more information and to sign up for an interview with LSRJ.
Registration opens August 30, 2010.
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Dear LSRJ activists, alumni, allies, and amici:
School's back in session after what can only be deemed a sensational summer at LSRJ. The awards have been flying almost as fast as the ideas. Read on to learn who's done what, who's won what, where we've been, where we're going, and how you can jump on and enjoy the ride. We look forward to seeing many of you during upcoming campus visits and hearing even more of you during Webinar Wednesdays in October.
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***** AWARDS *****
LSRJ Executive Director Named
2010 Gerbode Professional Development Fellow
LSRJ is proud to announce that our Executive Director, Jill Adams, has received the prestigious Gerbode Professional Development Fellowship. Jill is one of the youngest fellows in the program's history and one of five nonprofit executives whose outstanding achievements were recognized by their peers and honored at an award reception in May. The 21-year old fellowship program is designed to celebrate the contributions of accomplished executives and support their continued professional development with cash grants. The program is
operated by the School of Social Welfare at the University of California Berkeley with support from the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation.
New Mentorship Award Named after Inaugural Recipient, Louise Melling
On June 25 at an intimate reception in New York City, Ashley Gorski (2009/10 Board President) and Lauren Mendonsa (2010/11 Board Secretary) presented Louise Melling with LSRJ's inaugural Award for Distinction in Mentorship for her outstanding work as role model, adviser, and champion of law students. Louise has served on the Board of Directors of LSRJ for
six years, and during this time her unwavering commitment has helped the organization grow, adapt, and thrive. She is an outstanding model for aspiring legal
professionals, and she is a source of guidance and inspiration for those
beginning their careers in reproductive rights advocacy. The award, which will hereinafter carry her name, will be presented annually.
Jeryl Hayes Wins
CCRF Sheila Kuehl Legal Internship Award
On August 9, Parker Dockray, Executive Director of California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom (CCRF), presented LSRJ Summer Intern, Jeryl Hayes
(3L at Washington University in St. Louis), with the Sheila Kuehl
Legal Internship Award and $1000 prize. The Sheila Kuehl Award is
given each year to an outstanding LSRJ intern who made significant contributions
to the summer program and whose work and life experiences demonstrate
a passionate commitment to advancing reproductive justice. Upon learning of the award, Jeryl said, "My summer internship at LSRJ has inspired me to pursue a career
as an advocate for reproductive justice and to become involved in politics at
the state and national level. In learning about former Sen. Kuehl's
accomplishments and passion in pursuing legislation important to her
communities, I hope that I have begun a similar journey. Being recognized
with this award reaffirms that I am headed down the right path."
Please join us in congratulating all three award recipients!
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Webinar Wednesdays in October
To all LSRJ alums and members:
Trying to get the RJ message out to your classmates & colleagues?
Need help
showing how RJ intersects with other issues & causes?
Then we have just what you need. Read on.
LSRJ is thrilled to partner with the National Women's Law Center for Webinar Wednesdays - a weekly series for LSRJ members, leaders, allies, and alums to learn more
about the intersection of reproductive justice and other pressing
issues. Take an hour to learn and discuss how Intimate Partner Violence,
Racial Discrimination, Educational Equity, and Environmental Justice are intertwined with reproductive oppression. Visit our Events page for more information about the webinars and detailed fact sheets that will be featured. The LSRJ chapter that recruits the largest number of attendees to the webinars will receive $500.00 to throw a party for all its progressive allies and identity-based student groups who attended the series. Alums will count toward that total, so help your alma mater win!
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Leadership Institute a Smashing Success!
Chapter leaders from University of New Mexico, Thurgood Marshall, University of Pennsylvania, Southern University, and University of Wisconsin
For one exciting, enriching, and educational weekend, LSRJ welcomed over 70 chapter leaders from nearly 60 campuses across the country to the third annual Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., Justice Doesn't Just Happen. Chapter leaders were invited to strengthen
their campus activism skills, challenge themselves, network with other
leaders and RJ advocates, and enjoy the nation's capital. They left invigorated, inspired, and ready to spread the RJ message back on their campuses. Here's what a few participants had to say in their evaluations: "I love being in a room with 80+ people passionate
about RJ like I am!"
"The career panel made me feel courageous and dedicated to doing social justice work my way."
"I love the energy!"
"I feel like every time RJ is explained to me it gives me a new tool or way I can explain it to others and better embrace the concept myself."
Check out our blog, RepoRepro, to see what they are saying about their experience and join in on the conversation. Take a look at pictures from the weekend on our Facebook page.  Attendees from Boston College, Columbia, University of Texas, Stanford, and University of Houston taking a quick break from the Reproductive Justice Bingo Icebreaker Thank
you to our generous cosponsors: ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, Center for Reproductive Rights, National Asian Pacific American
Women's Forum, and Ipas! |
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Intrepid Interns Make Countless Contributions
Legal Interns Lara Chelian (Wayne State), Jeryl Hayes (Washington Univ.), and Sara Taylor (Univ. of Michigan) successfully completed their 10-week internship and are now heading back to their schools to carry on the LSRJ mission as leaders of their campus chapters. These three rising stars strengthened several core programs by updating fact sheets, revising Easy-Events-in-an-Envelope, blogging for Repo Repro, and presenting at the Leadership Institute. The interns also provided allied organizations with legal research on topics ranging from surrogacy contracts to Title X provisions in tribal clinics to compensation for egg donation. About her internship experience, Sara said: "I had an enriching and challenging summer...met and worked with some absolutely incredible and inspiring women." Lara commented that "to
be able to intern with an organization focused solely on reproductive
justice issues for the whole summer is such an awesome and unique
opportunity and I feel so fortunate that I was able to have it!"
Thank you, Lara, Jeryl, and Sara, for your invaluable contributions to LSRJ this summer! We'll miss you. 2010 LSRJ Summer Interns L to R: Lara Chelian, Sara Taylor and Jeryl Hayes |
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Reproductive Rights Law & Justice Trainings
LSRJ members from coast to coast kicked off the summer with tri-city Reproductive Rights Law & Justice Summer Intern Trainings in New York City (co-sponsored with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project), SF Bay Area, and Washington D.C. (co-sponsored by the National Women's Law Center). The trainings drew 100 summer interns--the highest number of participants to date--and covered a wide array of topics such as the effect of health care reform on reproductive health services; sex and race selection abortion bans; VBAC (vaginal birth after cesareans) restrictions; lobbying on the Hill; religious hospital mergers; crisis pregnancy centers; assisted reproductive technologies and discrimination faced by same-sex couples in family formation; and child exclusions policies in welfare benefits.
The day-long trainings mixed panel discussions with interactive workshops and breakout sessions, followed by a happy hour where interns mingled with advocates and attorneys. The trainings received rave reviews from the participants, who praised them for providing "exposure to different approaches to advancing reproductive rights." As another intern commented, the training was "a great way to get a sense of the broader movement beyond just my organization."
Thank you to the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project and the National Women's Law Center for co-coordinating and hosting!
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Summer Networking Lunch Series
The 2010 LSRJ Summer Networking Lunch Series drew over 150 attendees to 18 lunches held in New York City, SF Bay Area, and Washington D.C. The lunch events were hosted by local, allied organizations and ranged from a clinic visit (Women's Community Clinic in San Francisco) to a Values Clarification Workshop (National Abortion Federation). These lunches provide a unique opportunity for public interest interns to come together, network, and learn about cutting edge reproductive justice issues directly from the leading advocates in movement. The informal nature of the lunches also give interns a chance to ask questions about the advocates' personal experiences and career trajectories. Participating individuals and organizations included: A dvocates for Informed Choice, Big Push for Midwives, Center for Reproductive Rights, Drug Policy Alliance, Generations Ahead, Global Justice Center, Dr. Fred Hopkins, Justice Now, NARAL Pro-Choice America, National Abortion Federation, National Advocates for Pregnant Women, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, National Partnership for Women and Families, National Women's Law Center, Partners in Advocacy, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (DC & NY), and the Women's Community Clinic.Thank you again to all of the interns who participated and to the advocates and organizations who made these lunches possible! SF Bay Area Summer Networking Lunch with LSRJ Alumna Aliya Karmali from Justice Now
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Apply Now for 2011/12
Reproductive Justice Fellowship Program
LSRJ is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 fellowship year of the Reproductive Justice Fellowship Program. Six recent law school graduates will be selected and placed at six host organizations in Washington D.C. Each RJ Fellow will be paid $50,000 plus benefits and take part in an intensive training, mentoring and networking program. The application deadline is November 1, 2010. Please download the new Fellow and Placement Organization applications because some of the required materials have changed. 2011-2012 RJ Fellow Application2011-2012 RJ Placement Organization ApplicationFor more information about the 2010-2011 selected Reproductive Justice Fellows and Host Organizations, please visit LSRJ Internship & Fellowships. |
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With sincerity and in solidarity,
Law Students for Reproductive Justice
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