WHO WE ARE

Surge is a Reproductive Justice (RJ) organization. RJ is an approach to health equity and reproductive health that uses a holistic lens to look at the whole person, their family, and their community for empowerment opportunities. The RJ approach brings together diverse communities and perspectives to reach solutions that are led by the communities most affected by reproductive oppression and racial injustice.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to mobilize communities to build a world where all people can make powerful, self-determined choices for their bodies and the future of their families and communities. Our work centers Black women, femmes, and Black queer and trans people for a movement that rises from the bottom up. Currently, we are working on Black perinatal health, Medicaid access for doulas, and decriminalizing sex work in the state of Washington.

WHAT WE DO

At Surge, we are committed to building a reproductive justice movement by: Building a shared analysis, developing leadership and deep relationships in our community, and making policy and systems change as a collective. 

RESOURCE MOBILIZING PROGRAM

With the vision to create presents and futures where our communities live free, self-determined, and dignified lives, we are aligning our practice of redistributing resources with reproductive justice values of access, engagement, and centering the voices, experiences, and leadership of people at the crosshairs of structural oppression. We acknowledge the abundance present within our communities and how this wealth in many ways has been taken and over-extracted via colonialism, chattel slavery, and racialized capitalism to name a few. It might take a long time to get to a place of justice, but we keep going together, deepening relationships and shifting power and resources to the communities most impacted.

Launched in November 2021, the Resource Mobilizing Program aims to build a shared intersectional analysis through political education and leadership development opportunities paired with redistribution of resources. We invite our contributors to engage in the reproductive justice (RJ) conversation as active participants in our struggle to end oppression. The focus of this experimental space is to deepen our connections as we practice mobilizing resources and building community together.

P.S.: You might’ve noticed (or not) that we changed the program name from Resource Mobilizer to Resource Mobilizing as an intentional way to focus on our practice, making space for reflection, flexibility, and adjustment as needed.

RESOURCE MOBILIZING PROGRAM PATHWAYS

Since we started the Resource Mobilizing Program in November 2019, we could not have imagined how this journey would unfold. It’s been a gratifying one! Right now, we have two pathways for all who want to support our work as ambassadors and mobilizers for Reproductive Justice in WA state. You can be a part of our ongoing political education training cycle, or you can host a Sustainers’ Circle event and have us come to you and your community to share more about our work and commitment. 

In the Cohort Pathway, you are invited to attend six different sessions in which we share some of our analysis, create space for discussion and organize together. 

The Sustainers’ Circle is generally a 3-hour event (in-person or hybrid) in which we share an overview of Reproductive Justice and Resource Mobilizing with your family, chosen family, friends, and community over delicious food and beverages. There's not a set fundraising goal for this event, but we invite you to let folks know there'll be an ask for future engagement. If you are interested in hosting a circle, please email Débora at debora@surgenw.org and/or select the Sustainer's Circle option below.

PROGRAM COHORT INVITATION & EXPECTATIONS

We invite you to commit to a 4-month process of learning with us (approx 5h/month).

Our work at SRJ reflects anti-racist organizing principles and reproductive justice values, we invite you to get familiar with these principles and values.

We are looking to form a cohort of 10-12 people interested in growing their analysis together and practicing holding space for complexity and respectful disagreement.

This cohort will go through the leadership development trainings paired with check-in sessions in hopes of deepening involvement and resourcing the movement for Reproductive Justice locally via collective action and a fund-shifting plan.

The training rate is a meaningful gift ranging from $10-$250 per training. However, everyone is welcome to join and no one is turned away for lack of funds.

Check this survey to help you decide how much to give!

After our trainings and debrief session, we will come together to build a resourcing plan toward the collective pledge of raising resources for sustaining SRJ's campaigns and work in the upcoming year.

Afterward, we will have a celebration together to honor this journey! 

We sincerely believe our collective liberation is made possible by building deeper relationships with one another. Our intention and dream for this program are for us all to be even more involved in the transformative work of our communities towards the vision of a world where all communities are free from reproductive oppression, racism, and violence.

PROGRAM COHORT FLOW 

We invite you to:

• Commit to the program;

• Schedule a 30-minute check-in with Débora here;

• Attend online leadership development trainings;

• Join us in building a resourcing + redistribution plan; 

• Organize 3+ people in their community to attend the next cohort.

2024 Leadership Development trainings (Wednesdays and Fridays):

- Reproductive Justice 101 on March 13th (5pm - 8pm) or March 27th (5pm - 8pm)

- Resource Mobilizing 101 (TBD)

- Resourcing The Movement (TBD)

- Black 'N' Advocacy (May 2024)

- Debrief Session (TBD)

- Check-ins: On a rolling basis

- Celebration at the end! of year 🎊 

SUSTAINERS' CIRCLE INVITATION

Contact Débora at debora@surgenw.org to get the planning started!

FINAL INVITATION

If you read all of this, I ask you to pause and take a breath. Drop back in your body. What is present? Did all of this resonate with how you want to show up for our collective at this time?

If yes is the answer, please send me a “Hi I’m interested in getting involved!” at debora@surgenw.org and/or fill out this quick form below! 

Obrigada for your interest in mobilizing with us!