Aboriginal Reproductive Justice and Mobilizing Youth

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Aboriginal Reproductive Justice and Mobilizing
Youth

• Presenter Jessica Yee

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Outline of session

• What? Why? Who?
• Current analysis
• Game
• Reproductive Rights
• Revision roundtables
• Actions and solutions

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• The term justice is treating everybody equally
  and be respectful or be just and thats a very
  strong term.
• Inuit Elder

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What are we talking about?

• Reproductive justice
• Mobilizing
• RIGHTS!

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Why talk about this?

• Lack of awareness of youth about what their
  sexual rights are
• Trying to walk in both worlds
• Breakdown of family unit and traditional value
  system
• Fear of the unknown
• Empowering youth with not only education but
  sustainable tools to make the right decision
• Interrelatedness of other social issues
• Time to restructure and redefine

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Who are we talking about?

• Focus is on YOUTH
• Family learned behaviour
• Elders - tradition
• Services and providers
• Educators, schools, convening places
• Role models

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• THE HEART OF A NATION IS ITS WOMEN
• BUT THE NATION IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THE
  WELL-BEING OF ITS COMMUNITY

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To get to where we are going, we have to know
where weve come from.

• Matriarchal societygtltbalanced society
• Gender roles
• Women had a voice
• Family unit raising children
• Community wellness
• Different systems to deal with various issues
• Traditional practices medicines and midwifery

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Self-worth and confidence

• Oppression, racism, and loss of
  culture
• Isolation
• Pressure
• Decision-making skills

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Current analysis for youth

• Speed of change leaves much difficulty to find
  healthy roles
• Identity confusion
• Lack of unity among sexes sisterhood and
  brotherhood
• Mechanisms of modernization
• Disconnectedness from the collective
• Issues of confidentiality and rumours
• Sexualization and shame
• Race and understanding
• Unwillingness in the community to talk about the
  issues
• Reactionary measures

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• ABORIGINAL REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
• ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

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• RESIST RECLAIM
• Who I am not. Where have I
• come from?
• ACT CONSTRUCT
• What are my Where am I
• responsibilities? going?

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Solutions

• Recognition of the strength of culture and
  tradition
• Holistic outreach and incorporating Elders
• Needs assessment and asking youth
• Intersectionality and bringing issues together
• Giving parents and/org guardians tools to foster
  healthy sexuality
• Acceptance!!!

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Strategies

• Engage and create paid opportunities for youth
  and MINIMIZE BARRIERS
• Cultural awareness workshops/training on all
  levels
• Social support including accessible childcare
• Cultural messaging
• Acknowledging success and role models!

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Actions

• Health promotion star of the month
• Rewards for follow-up
• Day of action and celebration
• Contests
• Website creation

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• Everybody has a responsibility to the youth.
  Whether you are a grandmother, sister, friend,
  auntie or a youth yourself. Everybody has a
  responsibility to the youth.
• Jessica Yee
• jessica_j_yee_at_hotmail.com
• 416-908-8826