FD Meeting, Voter Registration, Austin's Women's Resource Fair, Shangri La, and Rush Limbaugh

Financial Directors Meeting over Drinks

Shelley, me, Rima, and Bhargav

3 weeks ago, after the Financial Directors finished our final round of Appropriations for the year, we decided we would have our next meeting over drinks. Only 4 of us showed up, but it was still tons of fun. We gossiped about Senate (because really, who else wants to do that than people who are in Senate) and talked about what we were going to be doing in the future. It was nice chatting in an informal setting.

Voter Registration at People's Community Clinic with Tasha

On Saturday morning, my peer Tasha, invited me to register people to vote at People's Community Clinic. It turns out they aren't as busy on Saturdays as they are during the week. We only registered one person, but it's better than none! Part of the problem is the implementation of registration cards pre-printed with a county tax office. That means we can only register people who live in Travis County. One woman wanted to register, but lived in neighboring Williamson county, so we couldn't. It's very apparent to me that preprinted registration cards are a barrier to registering as many people as possible to vote.

The good news is I got to chat with Tasha for a few hours. It feels good to make new friends!

Women's Resource Fair

After People's Community Clinic I went straight to the Austin's Women's Resource Fair.

Sylvia and me

This fair was fantastic. Low-income and homeless women could receive free hair cuts, massage therapy, legal advice, and health care advice among other things.

Planned Parenthood was giving away free literature, condoms, pens, and COUPONS FOR FREE WELL WOMAN EXAMS. So awesome. I am proud to be a volunteer for Planned Parenthood- a non-profit that is helping keep women healthy instead of shaming them and punishing them for being naturally sexual.

The other great thing that happened is I think I found someone who will donate female condoms and dental dams for Social Work Council's Empowerment Week! If you read this post, you will know how terrible I feel only giving away male condoms on a campus that is obviously more sexually diverse than that.

Lastly, I networked with a few Social Workers for my Needs Assessment projects. Nice!

Shangri La

Feminist girlfriends over drinks is my new favorite thing to do. I went out with Liz and Haley, and we bumped into Drucilla and Brent! It was a fun night talking about lobbying on Tuesday for the Women's Health Program, and the War on Women Rally April 28 at the capital.

Liz, me, and Haley

I Have a Say- My Video

Did you check out my I Have a Say video? More importantly, have you made yours yet?!

Rush Limbaugh

Hear what Rush Limbaugh had to say on his channel about Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student that was denied a turn to speak at a congressional hearing on birth control and religious freedom.

Sign the petition to get this misogynist off the air!

Additional Links From This Week

Please "Like" the Voices for Reproductive Justice Facebook page.

Tell Governor Perry: Don't Mess with Texas Women. Sign the petition!

Check out Seeing Red Rally on March 6 on The Drag (12pm-2pm)

Planned Parenthood's Don't Mess with Texas Women bus tour March 6 on The Drag (3:30pm-4:30pm).

Senator Turner protects men's health.

Rick Santorum on abortion in cases of rape or incest.

Why we shouldn't be calling transvaginal ultrasounds rape.

Funny or Die's Women's Health "Experts" video.

Follow me on twitter!

IBP, Nicholas Kristof, Valentine's Day, and UT Planned Parenthood Rally

Sunday- Volunteering at Inside Books Project

I saw this van about a year ago at my friend Cullen's apartment. Something made me look this place up, and I had been eager to check it out in person.

Inside Books Project is an all volunteer, non-profit org that sends free books and educational materials to people in prison in the state of Texas. It is the only org in Texas offering this resource. 

Social Work Council needed a service project, and a few people were interested in going with me.

Volunteering at IBP consists of reading letters, finding books to meet prisoners' requests, writing letters back to prisoners, and packaging up books.

Social Work Council in front of the library.

The letters we were filling were all the way from September. This place needs more volunteers! Here is one of my letters.

IBP said they've never filled so many requests on a Sunday! They invited us to come back, and I'm sure we will be.

I want to mention how great this experience made me feel. Reading letters from prisoners... some are brief but some explain why they are in jail or how much of their sentence they've served and have left. Picking out books that will hopefully in someway rehabilitate this person... it just feels good. Let's go back together!

Monday- Nicholas Kristof Lecture

Nicholas Kristof spoke at the LBJ Library and Museum on Monday night. 

It was a little disappointing only because he spoke about stories from his book Half the Sky which I've already read. Additionally, the questions the audience asked were a let down (but who am I to complain since I didn't stand in line to ask one). 

At least I got good seats thanks to my lovely friends Lynde, Gwen, and Barbara!

Taking questions

Tuesday- Condom Distribution/ Meetings with Senate Candidates

Tuesday, Valentine's Day, was the first time I've gotten to do condom distribution with the Healthy Sexuality Peer Educators!

In the UHS Health Hut, with condoms and buttons lining the table.

I didn't stay in the hut the whole time, I also handed them out in the middle of West Mall. Some of the responses I got were interesting. I tried to ask everyone who walked by if they wanted free condoms. I saw a mom, a dad, and a toddler and I still asked them. The mom pointed to her toddler and said, "We don't need condoms." I kind of felt like an asshole, but I was trying not to judge who does and does not need condoms. Later though, she came by the Health Hut and picked up a few condoms. (I think taking condoms out of someone's hands is more intimidating than picking it up off the table). The other response I got was from my friend Ginger. When I asked her she said, "Nope, still a lesbian." (Also felt like an asshole. Can't we hand out dental dams?! [Haha]).

Liz and Megan tabling for VRJ! Check out that sweet new banner!

VRJ also tabled on the West Mall for Valentine's Day, passing out the Planned Parenthood bags we all made together. I didn't get to table with them since I was tabling with HSPEs, but they handed out all of their loot before I got off my HSPE shift anyway! (HSPE and VRJ are in NO WAY affiliated).

On Tuesday I also met with three of the candidates for Senate Exec Board: Kendra Loftice, Hannah Tucker, and Bala Varadhan. All were great conversations, but especially with Bala! Our conversation kind of drifted off topic... we started talking about private and public sector work, how we see our futures, and he also shared some of his stories of traveling to India with me. He ended up sending me 3 presentations from one of his classes about Health and Education. Unfortunately, due to studying, I haven't had a chance to review them, but still appreciated!  Thanks, Bala!

Friday- Austin Housing Authority/Planned Parenthood Rally

Before the rally, I had an interview with Louise Sawaki from the Austin Housing Authority. It started off a little rough when she was uncomfortable with a question I asked. The question was, "what do you think causes low-income single mothers?" Her response was along the lines of, "You want me to tell you why poverty exists in our county? Did you write that question? That question doesn't even make sense. Who is to say that without a mother and a father that the child lives in a broken home? What about anonymous sperm donors or surrogate mothers?" Well, we ended up discussing institutionalized and systemic poverty, but whoa! I think that question needs to be rephrased at least. (I guess I was expecting something like: lack of access to birth control and irresponsible fathers, but I suppose that's a little close minded as well). 

Then I was off to the Planned Parenthood rally!

Dru Tigner is the Planned Parenthood Community Outreach Specialist who miraculously put this thing together.

Megan and I helped with voter registration.

We also passed out these awesome chocolate birth controls. (You can't really see it, but they even have the days under each of the "pills").

This is on the back of the chocolates. 

Megan

Sawyer

Me

 

Dude with awesome sign/some of the crowd

Some pro lifers joined us as well. There were about a dozen of them.

Dyana Limon-Mercado is Planned Parenthood's Statewide Public Affairs Coordinator. She is who I am volunteering under!

Dru asked me to do two interviews for the rally. 

(Photo Courtesy of UT University Democrats)

The first one was awful. I was so nervous my legs were shaking under me and that's all I could think about. The second one was way better, but I can't find it! Here is my five seconds of fame. KVUE News Clip and Article About UT PP Rally

This is a more comprehensive review of the rally that I suggest over the KVUE clip: Texas Tribune Video about UT PP Rally. It includes some of the rally speeches, but also protester opinions. Can I make clear that birth control prevents the fertilized egg from implanting? They are not abortifacients (and neither is Plan B). Also, NO ONE WANTS TO HAVE AN ABORTION!!! People do not have sex to have an abortion. Birth control helps prevent that need. And you are able to become pregnant after you stop using contraceptives.

Oh yeah, one last thing.

#IUseBirthControl

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Voter Registration, Being a Healthy Sexuality Peer Educator, and Speaking at City Hall

Monday:

At our first Social Work Council meeting of the semester, I received a great response when I proposed to do a voter registration at our next meeting (this Monday, January 30). So I had a reason to go down to the County Tax Office to pick up my first batch of voter registration cards!

You can see here that I also picked up some walk away cards, so if you can't attend the meeting you can still register.

At this meeting we talked about the need for more Service Projects. I contacted Inside Books Project, and I am inviting people to volunteer Sunday, February 5th from 8pm-11pm with me. Please think about volunteering 3 measly hours of your time for a great cause!

One last SWC pitch... we will start t-shirt sales Monday-Thursday from 9am-11am. They are $12 each, payable by cash or check. The shirts are burnt orange and say "Texas Social Work" on the front and have a large Longhorn on the back. HELP OUT SWC and buy a shirt!

Wednesday:

I taught my firstMethods of Contraception class. Only two girls came, but it was still an interesting experience. Ladies have to take this class in order to be prescribed birth control at the University Health Clinic (males are still welcome). One of the girls was on her phone the whole time, and did not accept the free condom packs we hand out at the end. It was such a novel experience for me, this whole not being excited about free condoms. After spending a whole semester with peer educators thrilled about sex it was just really interesting. There is a stigma in America that carrying condoms makes you a whore instead of an educated, prepared young adult. (Really, I can't speak for why she wasn't interested. I'm just saying, she was in an MOC; I presume she is sexually active if she wants birth control from our clinic.) Here are some of the posters we use. I hope next time I teach one I can get a picture of all the cool models of vaginas and contraceptives we get to use.

Thursday:

I was the final signature for getting the UT Student Organization "Voices for Reproductive Justice" off the ground. My new friend from voter registration, Liz, who started the VRJ idea, asked me if I was going to Austin City Council to speak out against Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

I had been getting tons of e-mails ALL week from Planned Parenthood and NARAL about coming to City Council to speak out against CPCs. The community outreach coordinator from PP, Dru, sent me a personal e-mail asking. I HATE public speaking as many people do. I sent back an e-mail with something along the lines of, "I've never done this it's scary are they going to talk back to me waaaaahhhhh." She assured me that I would only have to speak for a few minutes and that would be that. I didn't respond.

Instead, I waited until I got home to call my mom. I told her I don't agree with CPCs, but that I was scared to speak! She inquired about what the issue with CPCs is and as I told her I felt more confident. I mean really CPCs are a big waste of public money, funding a fear mongering ideology. After this my mom's response was the best and I will never forget it. She said, "If you believe in what you're saying, you're going to fucking blow them away." THANKS MOM!

But then I didn't want to go again. It's easier to SAY you're going to do something, but actually doing it is quite a bit different. Then Liz asked me on the spot on Thursday... I said I wasn't sure. She called me again and said I should come. So I did!

I wrote out a speech in my car and drove my ass down to Austin City Hall.

When I got there, I saw Dru. The first thing she said was, "We have enough speakers, but still sign in." I said, "Whoa you asked me to speak and now I want to!" (Surprising to me that I felt that way.)

The video isn't on YouTube so I can't upload it here, but here is the link. 

http://austintx.swagit.com/play/01262012-501/#11

I think the whole dialogue is really interesting, but I start speaking at 26:48 if you don't have an hour.

There is a nervous laugh, and maybe not the strongest use of pauses, but it was my first time speaking politically! I did it! Woo! Thanks Dru, Liz, and especially to my beautiful mother. I got a lot of compliments just getting back to my seat. Afterwords, Dru and the rep from Jane's Due Process congratulated me, and that felt awesome.

These are the girls from VRJ, Megan and Liz from left to right. Look at me, smiling like a goofball.

All in all it was a great experience, and I expect myself to do it again. 

Before You Leave: 

I want to direct you to my friend's son's first activism project. Check out the link for more information about how you can help people in Haiti, and encourage this caring young kid's advocacy. 

Sullivan's Adventure Project

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