Our Birth Equity Manager, Hailey Steele, is a reproductive justice advocate who is deeply involved in the movement outside our organization. With the Chicago Abortion Fund, Hailey is a Volunteer Case Manager, and a part of their Movement Building Cohort. She has recently received Abortion Doula training from Repro TLC and is involved with Reproductive Transparency Now. For Black Maternal Health Week, we wanted to get her perspective on resilience, joy, and what the movement is working towards. Below, you can read her interview with our Communications Manager, Jordyn Hester.
Jordyn Hester: Being involved in reproductive justice work, especially in this political climate, can be heavy. What keeps you involved? How do you think you’ve expressed resilience?
Hailey Steele: It is very heavy! It can be difficult to stay optimistic when the work itself can oftentimes be so heartbreaking. I think what keeps me involved is focusing on the possibility of small, direct impacts on individual lives. I know I can’t wave a magic wand and make reproductive justice actualized today, but providing someone with a connection to a mental health resource, postpartum education, or covering the costs of their abortion care is one more barrier I was able to break down for that individual and their community. When things feel too overwhelming, I start small by asking, “What needs can be met right now?” and go from there. Meeting people’s direct needs is one of the most immediate and impactful forms of resilience.
Jordyn Hester: What hope do you have for Black birthing people in the future?
Hailey Steele: I envision a future where Black birthing people can make decisions about their own health without fear of coercion, violence, or harm. This would look like universal healthcare, access to culturally responsive providers, community support, access to quality food, education, transportation, and everything else necessary to living the life they want on their own terms without any barriers.
Jordyn Hester: What does the Black Maternal Health Week theme, “Rooted in Justice & Joy”, mean to you as someone who advocates for Black birthing people?
Hailey Steele: I believe that joy is the most radical form of resistance, because it defies all odds. Those that are perpetuating harm aim to instill hopelessness, confusion, and fear, and unfortunately, are really good at doing so. Even still, all the work of those within the birthing justice space have made, and continues to make, an impact. We all know the disparate statistics, but there are also Black birthing people having healthy and happy births, supported by their communities, and thriving because of the work of RJ advocates. We deserve to honor the amazing work of organizations, birthworkers, doulas, midwives, clinical providers, community members, and every reproductive justice advocate as a celebration of the lives that continue to thrive in spite of all the systems that work tirelessly to do the opposite.
Giving ourselves space to celebrate this work maintains our hope and strengthens the connections between us. Joy, both as a practice and a discipline, keeps us connected to our humanity, and is one thing that cannot be taken from us. With justice and joy in the foundation of our work, we will always have a North Star to work towards.