An intimate curation of bookshelves lined with banned books, themes of reproductive justice, intersectional feminism, and women’s experiences — stepping into The Every Body Library leaves you with the itch to go do something. Hosted in collaboration with The Every Body Campaign, SEEN Library, and 60+ brands supporting reproductive justice for all, the pop-up library was open to the public on the weekend of February 23rd from 11 to 5pm at 251 Elizabeth St. in NYC. 100% of the proceeds from book sales go directly to supporting The SisterSong Collective, the largest multi-ethnic collective in the nation working to protect the reproductive lives of marginalized communities.
I had the delightful chance to attend the discussion with Allie Phillips, abortion advocate and candidate for TN State House 75 in Montgomery County, TN. Allie’s story was one example, of many, of the lives affected since the overturn of Roe. Denied a life-saving abortion in Tennessee, Allie traveled to New York almost a year ago today to receive the medically necessary care that all women, trans-men, and non-binary people deserve. The discussion was centered around amplifying your story to enact change, a lesson I feel can be harder said than done at times. But with the discussion being guided and led by Allie, a woman who never expected to go into politics, the lesson felt more actionable.
Those of us who were in attendance were asked to share about our passion and purpose, why is it unique to us, and why should others care/take part. The usual wave of silence occurred when personal questions like that are asked, but soon enough the room was filled with answers surrounding community development, affordable housing, defunding the police system, and joining local community boards to amplify our voices. “Sometimes what you think will be your purpose, isn’t. But you have to get there to figure it out”, stated Allie.
The powerful stories shared continue beyond the doors of the event and can find a place in the realities of the political landscape we live under. I left the event with a book I picked up under the Intersectional Feminist shelf, a bag of goodies from the brands supporting The Every Body Campaign, and a text blast reminding my friends to vote in the upcoming elections. Consider supporting the campaign by donating to SisterSong, voting in the upcoming elections, and continuing the conversation with your communities.
