In 2007, ACT for Women and Girls and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte joined forces to develop an alliance in the Central Valley among like minded advocates. For activists working in geographically rural areas we know all too well the frustration of working in “silos,” often struggling to get our voices and those of our constituents heard among the more organized and allied groups in both the northern and southern areas of the state.
The goal of the CV Alliance is to break out of these silos by establishing a connectedness among like-minded activists and advocates working in the Valley. The CV Alliance provides an avenue to collectively work together to raise awareness about social justice issues through collaboration, policy development, advocacy, education and connect to broader movements. The CV Alliance has worked to reach individuals and groups in the Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern County regions to build our base.
Reproductive justice does not happen in a vacuum for women and their families and our area environmental and economic justice issues are in the forefront with our immigrant sisters. They face pesticide exposure and having access to only low wage jobs. They face gender, race, class, age and sexuality discrimination and because of their immigration status or rural isolation often have no place to turn for help. The CV Alliance was created for this very reason – to bring together all the social justice causes within a human rights framework and openly discuss these intersections. Some of our primary goals include: Building a bridge for rural women to link up to other activist groups and actively challenge racism, sexism, homophobia and class privilege; Playing a role as a conduit for a diverse group of local women to take these issues to the next level and affect social change while keeping it “real” at the rural, grassroots level; And providing training and skill building to local emerging leaders.
The CV Alliance is a growing network of individuals and organizations-- nearly 500 individuals are included in the CV Alliance database and half of those individuals participate at some level. It is our intent to address issues that are affecting the people in our communities.
Organizations such as the Dolores Huerta Foundation, California Prison Moratorium Project, Center on Race Poverty and the Environment, Community Water Center, American Friends Service Committee, Planned parenthood Mar Monte, Equality California, ACLU of Northern California and many others, come together to build the base.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 October 2012 17:59
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