Abortion Conversation Projects Choose Five New Projects — Abortion Conversation Projects
Abortion Conversation Projects (ACP) has selected 5 new projects that are experimenting with strategies to address the stigma surrounding abortion. “We want to invest in innovative grassroots projects that engage people in the conversation about abortion,” said Peg Johnston, ACP Chair. The organization has now funded 67 Projects and offers support and expertise to both Grant Partners and applicants.
“Space Submarine Commander” is a short musical comedy video that tells the story, through allegory, of the difficulty of abortion. Alanna Stewart, the filmmaker, lives and works in Tennessee and knows how state regulations place barriers for women seeking abortions. According to Stewart, “We wanted to create a space for the viewer to imagine a world where a woman taking control of her destiny is heroic rather than shameful.” In the film, the heroine presents her abortion as normal, even though the circumstances are not, as well as an act of self-love in the final ballad. (Photo above: Alanna Stewart, Director and Katherine Dohan, Music Director, in plaid)
“Contá Conmigo,” a storytelling project, aims to change how the country of Uruguay thinks about women who have abortions. Lucía Berro Pizzarossa, a lawyer who researched the debate on the legalization of abortion and found that the images presented by members of parliament were based on harmful stereotypes rather than on women’s experiences. The project encourages women to tell their abortion stories on their own terms. Pizzarossa said, “Contá Conmigo has a double meaning: in Spanish, the word ‘contar’ means to tell (a story) and also rely on someone so in this project women will tell stories and also support each other .
“Mommie is Pro-Abortion” will explore how abortion care workers can talk about their work with their children. Jen Groves, a NJ provider, says, “We unintentionally stigmatize our own life’s work.” The project will bring front line staff together to discuss what supports would help. ACP is offering seed funding to create a needs assessment that will help us understand next steps for parents working in abortion care.
The WIN Fund started a book club to bring together pro-choice people in North Dakota, creating a space for nuanced discussion. The WIN Book Club will reach new audiences and help evaluate the strategy of conversations about books as a stigma reducer in a red state.
“You Are Not Alone” (YANA) received ACP funding to start a safe space for people to discuss abortion experiences using a peer support model. Stephanie Pineira worked with Peer Support Space, which runs 20 support groups on diverse topics in Florida.
Abortion Conversation Projects is committed to eliminating the stigma of abortion by supporting individuals and small groups engaged in innovative community-based projects that create new ways and opportunities to talk about abortion honestly and publicly. It has awarded 67 Grant Partnerships since the program began in 2012. ACP raises funds of approximately $12,000 per year to cover seed grants and expenses. The ACP Board also offers consultations to people working on abortion stigma as well as webinars, trainings, and workshops. For more information and to join the mailing list, consult ACP’s website at AbortionConversationProject.org or at Facebook page.
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