Guatemalan immigrant and Las Vegas resident Raquel Cruz-Juárez has devoted her life to uplifting the Latinx neighborhood. As Deliberate Parenthood’s director of Latinx Campaigns and Raíz, the non-profit’s Latinx-run program aimed toward breaking down obstacles in accessing well being care in Latinx communities, Cruz-Juárez makes use of her ardour for advocacy and organizing to offer outreach for sexual well being and wellness in Latinx communities throughout the nation. Right here, in her personal phrases, her story and what a submit-Roe world may imply for the Latinx neighborhood.
I used to be in Washington D.C. for a staff retreat and when the [Supreme Court opinion] leak occurred. I felt frozen. I felt lifeless inside if I am being trustworthy, as a result of I felt like as soon as once more, this nation has instructed me that I do not matter. I do not matter as an immigrant lady or an individual that has a uterus, and I do not matter as an individual that’s pro-abortion. When Roe v. Wade was [ultimately] overturned, I used to be in shock. We have been ready — we had all the things like paperwork, toolkits, activation, emails, etcetera — however we weren’t ready. I had not ready my physique for the way in which that it was going to really feel. The very first thing that I wished to do was be in neighborhood. I did my greatest at that second to ship my emails and do all the things that I wanted to do, after which I headed into my neighborhood and I noticed the work that was being achieved. Folks did not need to be alone.
I [received] a whole lot of textual content messages and calls from relations that stay in Guatemala, as a result of they knew what this meant. They have been residing that actuality for years. As an immigrant coming from Guatemala, a rustic the place abortion is nonetheless very a lot restricted, I’ve seen ladies — particularly low-income ladies, indigenous ladies, and younger kids — be criminalized in my nation. My mother is actually one of many the reason why I started my journey organizing. I feel again on the second that she shared her abortion story with me for the very first time. She was in a really violent relationship that she did not need to be in anymore. She did not need to have a household with this individual, and she or he decided for herself. I let you know this story as a result of that is precisely how I might discuss abortion to my neighborhood or my suegros [in-laws] who’re nonetheless on the borderline of understanding my work: It isn’t black and white. It is about humanizing the problem. Sadly, it’s political, as a result of that is how this nation has made it. Nevertheless it’s not for lots of us — it is a very private choice.
As an immigrant and as a Latina, Deliberate Parenthood sadly wasn’t a family identify for me [growing up.] I graduated faculty in 2014 [and] interned with the Progressive Management Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) which organizes for social and environmental justice within the state in 2012 [while in school]. They taught me all the things about organizing. One of many very first issues that I needed to do was to get to know [other local organizing groups], and one in all them was Deliberate Parenthood. I realized rather a lot about what sexual reproductive well being care and autonomy over my physique meant, and the remaining is historical past.
I began as a Raíz organizer in 2015, and now I function the director. At present, we’re [operating] in 20 states. [My team] is aware of the communities as a result of we really belong to them. We create [educational] instrument kits and provides organizers assets so the Raíz program may be an genuine area to have these discussions about sexual reproductive well being care, however extra particularly about abortion. I am very happy with the truth that we’re not scared to say the phrase aborto. We all know that it may be very tough generally as a neighborhood to debate it.
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