In order to show our policy makers that we’re paying attention and we’re holding them accountable for making policy decisions that allow us to lead liberatory lives, we ask that you join us for the 5th Annual Legislate THIS! on February 21st and 22nd – Two Days of Action & Power! Our theme this year is “Women of Color & The Politics of Body Ownership” and what better person to speak power to it than fierce scholar and author of the acclaimed “Killing the Black Body“, Dorothy Roberts.

Head over to www.legislatethis.org to Register NOW for the 5th Annual Legislate THIS! and read up a bit on Dorothy Roberts!

We know that 2011 has been one incredible year – filled with many obstacles along with some amazing victories demonstrating the exciting potential for the justice we need. Throughout all of these amazing events, there has been one constant . . . YOU!

So we invite you to take time out for yourself to renew your spirit and commitment to reproductive justice and reflect on what makes our movement resilient and how we can be even stronger in 2012!

We know that there are many great organizations to give to this year, and we ask that you to make a generous donation or become a monthly sustainer to support the necessary work for reproductive justice for all communities in Georgia and the South. Your contributions have already supported some of our most important work, such as:

1. In February 2011, the Speak Justice Take Action Program published “Giving Birth Behind Bars: A Guide to Achieving Reproductive Justice for Incarcerated Women”, a powerful analysis of gender and the prison industrial complex that evaluates each Georgia county’s restraint practices, provides popular education tools and resources that can be replicated in other campaigns and states, and finally brings the voices and experiences of medical providers and formerly incarcerated women together to demand an end to this practice;
2. On April 14, 2011, our anti-shackling bill, HB 653, was introduced and will be reviewed during the 2012 legislative session. This is the first pro reproductive justice bill introduced in Georgia in 4 years;
3. Throughout the year, youth involved in our Fierce Youth Reclaiming & Empowering Program have organized seven community film screenings and facilitation trainings throughout Atlanta bringing in 75 new youth members and have developed informative curriculum to distribute with our three short films discussing bullying and harassment, coming out, sex addiction, and navigating intimate relationships. The complete package – films and curriculum – will be available in January 2012;
4. In July 2011, we expanded our work into highlighting the health disparities in trans* and gender non-conforming communities and co-sponsored a member-led project with the ACLU of Georgia to develop a Legal Name Change Guide for trans* people and hosted 2 community name change clinics; and
5. From December 16th to 19th, we held our 2nd Annual Media Camp, IGNITE, which was expanded to include participants from the Southern region traveling to Atlanta from Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. These amazing, fierce queer and trans youth of color created some stunning portraits and photos focused around the subject of intimacy. We can’t wait to share them with you in 2012!

We’re dedicated to seeing this work out until the end and thank you for your time, your spirit, your effort, and above all else . . your commitment to our vision!

Refreshments will be provided.

Location: 2048 Hosea L. Williams Drive, Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30317
Time: 6:30PM – 8:30PM

If you have any questions, please email cortez@sparkrj.org.

Please follow the links below to complete our Strategic Directions Survey or consider making a generous donation by clicking the “Donate Now” button on your right to support the power and vision of LGBTQ youth of color.

Stay tuned for future updates about IGNITE and the FYRE program!

The deadline for completing our Strategic Directions Survey is November 29th. Please share far and wide!

Click Here to complete our Strategic Directions Survey!

This evening would not have been possible without our fierce presenters, performers, honorees, staff & board, and the community support that brought it all together. Your generous contributions will be used to further empower us to build and sustain a powerful reproductive justice movement in Georgia and throughout the South!

Thank you for spending this time with us, and we look forward to bringing you many amazing events over the next few months.

And don’t forget to check out the first set of photos from our flirty photo booth snapped by the amazing Angela Hill by clicking here.

And the second set can be viewed by clicking here.

Until next time!

The Amazingly Fierce

Miss Lawrence

We have all enjoyed this show stopper on the hit reality television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Get ready to be entranced, fully engaged, and have your senses teased with the marvelous Miss Lawrence at this year’s Sex Wine & Chocolate. This guarantees to be a Carnival you won’t forget!

As such, SPARK also believes strongly in building a culture of organizing and movement wherein we can all be, and there is room for, our whole selves. We are building a world that appreciates our multiple facets and holds our contradictions without judgment. For us, this is liberation. We bring this politic to our work with mothers in prison in our Speak Justice Take Action program. We bring it to our work with LGBTQ youth of color in our FYRE program. And we bring it to you every year with our annual fundraiser, Sex Wine & Chocolate.

Sex Wine & Chocolate (SWC) is an exploration of the boundaries of sex and sexuality. Through SWC, SPARK works to challenge mainstream conversations around the role of sex and sexuality in liberation. It provides space to hold and address contradictions: it is a sex-positive space, and a space in which safety and self-determination are central; it challenges objectification, while appreciating those who perform sexuality. SWC is a space in which all genders, sexualities, and bodies are embraced and uplifted. We are all encouraged to love and embrace ourselves and each other, not as singular characteristics, but as whole people. Sex Wine & Chocolate offers us an opportunity to make our movements just as sexy as we are.

Click Here to Purchase Your Tickets Today!