(Pittsburgh, PA) – Monday was the first official day of Women of Color HERStory Month® 2016 (WOCHM®) presented by New Voices for Reproductive Justice. This month of celebration is taking place from February 15 to March 15 in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Philadelphia. WOCHM® celebrates the power, legacy and achievements of women of color with arts & culture, political and educational events that honor their contributions to the community, the nation & the world.
WOCHM® 2016 tells the stories of women of color who inspire the work of New Voices and our mission to build a social change movement dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women and girls through leadership development, Human Rights and Reproductive Justice. New Voices invites women of color to celebrate themselves and each other. “New Voices created this groundbreaking month because there was few to no celebrations of Black women during Black History Month or no celebrations of women of color during Women’s History Month in Pittsburgh. Women of Color HERStory Month is our creative response and it will become a national celebration,” says La’Tasha D. Mayes, Founder and Executive Director of New Voices.
Women of Color HERStory Month® is the largest community engagement effort of New Voices and all are invited to celebrate the Black women and women of color who inspire us each day. Below is our event listing for the entire month in all site cities.
Pittsburgh Site Events
February 12, 5-8pm
One Billion BEEN Rising Youth Open Mic
Most Wanted Fine Art, 5015 Penn Avenue, Garfield
In Partnership with Power(ed) by Grace: The Sankofa Series by Njaimeh Njie
February 16, 10am
City of Pittsburgh Proclamation
City-County Building, 5th Floor, 414 Grant Street, Downtown
Presented by Pittsburgh City Council Member R. Daniel LaVelle
February 17, 6-9pm
Sister to Sister Salon Conversation
Private Residence (Call for Location), Stanton Heights
In Partnership with the national Higher Heights Education Fund and co-hosted by Wilkinsburg Council Vice President Marita Garrett
February 25, 7pm
No Más Bebés Film Premiere
KST’s Alloy Studios, 5530 Penn Avenue, Garfield
$5 Donation
Includes Q&A with filmmakers Renee Tajima-Peña and Virginia Espino
March 1, 8-9pm
Women of Color Day Twitter Chat
Online with Hashtags: #LivingHERStory #HERStoryMakers #WOCResilience #ReproJustice
In Partnership with BLACK and Echoing Ida
March 3, 6-10pm
Women of Color Social Network™ Wine Tasting
ACE Hotel, 120 S. Whitfield Street, East Liberty
$25 – General Admission; $35 – VIP
March 9, 6:30-8:30pm
Latinas Connect
LCLAA, 60 Boulevard of the Allies, Downtown
March 11, 12-2pm
Women of Color Political Lunch™
Jeron X. Grayson Center, 1852 Enoch Street, Hill District
$25 – Members; $35 – Early Bird (through March 7); $40 – General Admission (after March 7/At-the-Door)
Scholarships are available.
National speakers include Jessica L. Byrd, Three Point Strategies, Co-Founder of WOCHM® and The Root 100 2015 honoree, Glynda Carr, Higher Heights Education Fund and Jessica González-Rojas, Executive Director of National Latina Institute of Reproductive Health; PA State Representative Patty Kim of the 103rd Legislative District and Chrissie Castro, social justice consultant focused on electing Native American women to public office have been invited
March 15, 12-2pm
Latinas in Pittsburgh Twitter Chat
Hashtags: #LatinasPgh
In Partnership with @Latinoburgh and Cafe Con Leche Pittsburgh
March 26, 2pm & 8pm
You Wouldn’t Expect Play
August Wilson Center, 981 Liberty Avenue, Downtown
$20 – Show; $30 – Dinner & Show
Presented by demaskus Theater Collective in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Cleveland Site Events
March 1, 8-9pm
Women of Color Day Twitter Chat
Online with Hashtags: #LivingHERStory #HERStoryMakers #WOCResilience #ReproJustice
In Partnership with BLACK and Echoing Ida
March 10, 6-9pm
BAR•J Cleveland
C’est La Vie Restaurant and Lounge, 1801 E. 9th Street
In partnership with Cleveland Young Professional Minority Women Network
March 22, 6-8pm
Sister to Sister Salon Conversation
Christopher Amira Salon, 13109 Shaker Square
In Partnership with the national Higher Heights Education Fund and co-hosted by Ohio State Representative Stephanie D. Howse
Philadelphia Site Events
March 1, 8-9pm
Women of Color Day Twitter Chat
Online with Hashtags: #LivingHERStory #HERStoryMakers #WOCResilience #ReproJustice
In Partnership with BLACK and Echoing Ida
March 12, 6:30pm
No Más Bebés Film Premiere
Lotus of Compassion, 1211 N. 2nd Street
$5 Donation
Includes Q&A with filmmakers Renee Tajima-Peña and Virginia Espino
More details about each event and tickets are available at www.womenofcolorherstory.org, www.newvoicespittsburgh.org/herstory16, Facebook.com/WOCHERStory, @WOCHERStory and herstory@newvoicespittsburgh.org. The WOCHM® All Access Pass is available for $100 for the Pittsburgh site events.
Women of Color HERStory Month® 2016 would not be possible without the New Voices Staff, Ashley Chan, Program & Outreach Coordinator, Carmen Alexander, Senior Operations Manager and Jasmine Burnett, Director of Community Organizer, our WOCHM® 2016 Host Committee – listed below, our generous Sponsors and creative Partners.
Women of Color HERStory Month® 2016 Host Committee
Demeatria Bocella, FashionAFRICANA
Katie Le, PNC Bank
Jessica D. Lewis, New Voices Cleveland and Cleveland Community Activist Network
Michelle McMurray, The Pittsburgh Foundation
Darcel Madkins, African American Leadership Association
La’Tasha D. Mayes, New Voices for Reproductive Justice
Maritza Mosquera, Independent Artist
Renee Piechocki, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Allyce Pinchback, Pittsburgh Public Schools
LaTrenda Leonard Sherrill, City of Pittsburgh
janera solomon, Kelly-Strayhorn Theater
Dr. Vonda Wright, Women’s Health Conversations and UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex
About New Voices for Reproductive Justice
New Voices for Reproductive Justice is the premier Reproductive Justice and Human Rights organization across Pennsylvania and Ohio with a mission to build a social change movement dedicated to the health and well-being of Black women and girls, the leadership of women of color and the Human Rights of all people. For the last 12 years, New Voices has served 50,000+ women of color through leadership development, community organizing, policy advocacy and culture change. We define Reproductive Justice as the Human Right of all women/people to control all choices about our bodies, sexuality, gender, work and reproduction. To learn more about New Voices, visit newvoicespittsburgh.org and @NewVoices4RJ.