100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day Statement and Invitation

Honoring the 100^th Anniversary of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2010

On the 100^th Anniversary of International Women’s day, the O'ahu women of 3^rd Path for Reproductive Justice commemorate and honor the collective cultural survival and wisdom of our female ancestors and she-roes.  We know our her-story is a key resource which guides us in our work to secure reproductive justice for ourselves, families, and daughters, aunties, mothers, and grandmothers of Ka Pae `Aina Hawai`i.

On this special day, we continue to stand and hold a vision of reproductive justice:   the complete physical, mental, spiritual, political, economic, and social well being of women and girls. And we call you to join us in working towards securing the economic, social, and political power and resources to support women and girls in making healthy decisions about their bodies,their sexuality, and their lives.

Please join us in celebration!

When:   March 8, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm  

Where:  Ho`oulu `Aina, Kalihi Valley Nature Park, 3659 Kalihi Street, 

Honolulu, HI 96819

What:   Move the Movement with Adela Chu,  Poetry with Darlene, Melanie, Keisha and Angela, and circle time for connection and sisterhood!  Come in comfortable, warm clothes!

WHO WE ARE:

As indigenous, immigrant, and local women living in Ka Pae`Aina Hawai`i, we are united in supporting women’s ability to exercise their self determination.  In supporting this inalienable human right, we share in Kanaka Maoli’s pursuit of being able to freely determine the political status of the lahui, while simultaneously, acknowledging the ancestral places where Hawai`i residents come from, the places they now live and honoring the historical migrations that bond us all together.

When we began, we started as women working primarily in the field of domestic violence. At that time, we first organized under the Hawaii State Coalition for Domestic Violence as the Women of Color Caucus. In 2009, we recognized the need to also address the violence directed at our communities through marginalization, lack of language access, and unspoken forms of exclusion and exclusivity. We also saw the need to draw critical connections between land and the freedom of women’s bodies--something way beyond the scope that the current DV movement in Hawaii could not address.

Today we have reorganized as the 3^rd Path for Reproductive Justice to expand our coalition and fully address the web of our concerns.  We are doulas, child and family advocates, workers in the domestic violence and sexual violence field, students, lawyers, social workers, parents, caregivers to elders, demilitarization activists, marriage equity advocates, artists, mentors, and youth. We welcome you in sisterhood, while sharing and collectively organizing for the above concerns.