Less than a week after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as settled law giving people the right to their own reproductive freedom—Justice + Joy channeled rage into action by launching The Reproductive Freedom Fund (RFF). We are particularly alarmed by the potential harmful impact the overturn of Roe v. Wade may have on young people in foster care, involved with the youth legal system, and who are detained as unaccompanied minors.
Justice + Joy unapologetically stands firm with the right for every person to access high-quality, gender-affirming sexual and reproductive health services. Reproductive autonomy is imperative. As such, the RFF has two goals:
- Ensure that staff, board members, youth/young adult and consultant partners in the Crittenton community in 37 states have the financial resources and support needed to access reproductive gender affirming healthcare.
- Advance collaborative strategies and networks of support that enables young people in foster care, involved with the youth legal system, and who are detained as unaccompanied minors across the country to access reproductive gender affirming healthcare.
Ensuring Access for the Crittenton Community
RFF ensures that current and future national staff and board members, staff of agencies who are part of the Crittenton family of agencies, youth/young adult partners in 25 states, and consultant partners continue to have access to reproductive gender affirming health care, including safe abortions. We realize that this is an evolving situation so if restrictions for receiving any and all forms of reproductive health care at the state level narrow, our support will broaden to provide access. This fund will provide critical resources and advocacy for those seeking reproductive care, including navigating or removing logistical, financial, caregiving, administrative, policy, and other barriers to accessing care.
To ensure that this fund is grounded in the expertise and lived experiences of young people at this moment, we will be hosting conversations with impacted young people of color across the country to learn more about the consequences of this decision on them–including their needs and ideas.
