Trusting Black Women

The National Attack on Black Women and Chicago’s Response to the Billboard Campaign by LifeAlways and Heroic Media

© 2010 Black Women for /Trust Black Women Planning the Campaign to Target Black Women • 2009 secret meeting between Georgia Right to Life and Georgia Republican Party on St. Simon’s Island to craft strategy for nationwide, multi-prong attack on women of color with Black women as primary targets • Billboard campaigns to divide Black communities across country • Anti-abortion legislative strategy targeting women of color through “race and sex-selection” anti-abortion legislation • Race strategy used to target bodies of Black women and to divide Black community on issues of abortion • Sex-selection strategy used to wage xenophobic attack on Asian American women and communities further building upon anti- immigration attitudes Shock Tactics with Billboards In February, 2010, Georgia Right to Life and the Radiance Foundation erected 65 of these billboards in predominantly Black neighborhoods throughout Atlanta, GA.

The phrase “endangered species” is a term used to refer to animals in danger of becoming extinct. Race & Sex-Selection Legislation

Georgia anti-choice legislators put forth HB 1155 and SB 529 which would have criminalized provided to women of color allegedly because of the “race or sex” of the fetus.

Strategy behind the bills:

Race to organize the Black community against abortion rights and to split support for abortion rights in Black community and build support for conservative issues.

Xenophobia to attack Asian American communities, further building upon anti-immigration attitudes.

Atlanta Black Women & Allies Organize To Defeat Bills SisterSong forms coalition with SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW!, Feminist Women's Health Center, SisterLove, of the Southeast Region, and Raksha. Strategy formulated grounded in the reproductive justice framework that intersected race and gender as the smartest way to counter this intersectional attack on a woman’s human right to make reproductive decisions. SisterSong begins outreach to Black women nationally around possibility of billboards in other states. A Multi-Pronged Assault on Black Women Priests for Life and  21 video produced by Mark Co-opting civil rights Crutcher of Life Legacy with So-Called Dynamics, targeting “pro-life freedom HBCUs and Black rides” faith community Billboards go up in L.E.A.R.N. and other states BlackGenocide.org

Black Children Are Unwanted

The same billboard but with a different message that says “Black children are unwanted.” A Black Women’s Reproductive Decision Is Anti-Black Child

The message in this billboard is that Black women’s reproductive decisions are detrimental to Black children. Heroic Media Targets Black Women

In December, 2010, Heroic Media started to run ads on Black Entertainment Television (BET) with the message, “The Most Dangerous Place For An African American Is In The Womb.”

The message here is that Black a woman cannot protect her baby and that a Black woman’s womb is not a safe space. Heroic Media -- From BET to Billboards

St. Louis, Missouri – March, 2011 LifeAlways

Soho – NYC, Febrary, 2010 LifeAlways Who is Heroic Media?

Founder Brian Follett -- Was a major financial supporter of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who tried to discredit former Presidential candidate John Kerry’s record in Vietnam Has been sponsoring fundraisers with former Vice Presidential Candidate, Sarah Palin and former Presidential Candidate, Mike Huckabee Targeted Florida, Chicago, D.C., Houston, Connecticut, and Los Angeles Strategy also includes Latin America. Recently hired branch presidents in Ecuador to target Latina women in Mexico and Central and Southern America. Identified Chicago and D.C. as areas where he would like to open crisis pregnancy centers. Responsible for three websites: ppabortsaa.org, Thatsabortion.com, and LifeAlways.

Groups With Deep Pockets

Priest for Life, the Radiance Foundation, and Heroic Media alone have a combined annual budget of almost $20 million dollars.

Priest for Life -- $10M The Radiance Foundation -- $1M+ Heroic Media -- $5M

Heroic Media gets it money from family wealth as the previous owner of Anchor Foods, a manufacturer and suppliers of frozen food appetizers headquartered in Wisconsin. In 2000, Anchor Foods was sold to McCain Foods and H.J. Heinz Company with a reported $503 million in sales. The Folletts created their own charity called Mercy Works Foundation. Funded through family tithing, Mercy Works reported $29 million in assets in 2008. Black Women Accused Of Killing Next Black Leader

On March 29, 2011, billboards were erected in Chicago on 58th & State by LifeAlways . The message in this billboard accuses Black women of killing potential Black leaders by having abortions. Chicago Strategy against Billboard Campaign  Black Women for Reproductive Justice initiated strategy call for Black women and allies to collaborate around strategy  Solidarity sign-on on statements from Black men, faith- based community, Black women in academia  Legislative letter of support  Sign-on Petition on Change.org to take billboards down (currently 2 petitions from allies)  Planning four speak-out events for Black women to share stories what real issues are confronting them. Partnering with Chicago Commission Advisory Council on Women  Outreach to aldermen to assist in contacting business owners and community to get billboards down  Billboard company is Lake Outdoor Advertising. Hasn’t paid rent on some of the spaces. Trust Black Women Partnership

• Formed in July 2010 of 8 Black Women’s Organizations coordinated by SisterSong for long-term response to Black anti-abortion movement • Developed Advisory Board of individual Black women and supporters – open to all • First fundraiser – For Colored Girls advance premieres • Produced 5-part documentary film Abortion Conspiracy debuted on GritTV • Organizes against billboards and race-specific anti-abortion legislation around the country such as Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Houston, New York, etc. TBW Working Groups

• Communications • Opinion Research on African American Community • Social Media and Website • Message Development • Law and Policy • Fights legislation at federal and state levels • Educates Black elected officials • Works with Civil Rights organizations • Opposition Research • Investigates Black anti-abortion movement • Works with faith leaders • Mobilization and Outreach • Activates Black women nationally to respond to billboards • Works with celebrities and key figures to speak up to defend Black Women

Allies Defending Black Women

• Stand up against injustice and racial profiling of women of color wherever you are • Support the leadership of women of color by helping to build capacity and share resources and power • Use messages developed by Black women and other women of color • Standing up does not mean standing out front – help women of color be visible spokespeople against the campaign • Talk to funders and donors about supporting the work of women of color reproductive justice groups • Don’t apologize for standing up for abortion rights or flinch when race is twinned with abortion – defend women’s human rights!