Join Washington Women’s Foundation’s Member Engagement Committee (MEC) on Monday May 15th to discuss two films exploring Reproductive Justice & Maternal Health. The Janes tells the story of a pre-roe world, in 1972, where a group of committed friends and neighbors provided abortions to all who were in need. Aftershock tells the story of two families recently processing the devastating effects of the maternal mortality epidemic, highlighting how black mothers are four times more likely to die during childbirth.

The Member Events Committee (MEC)  invites attendees to screen one or both films at home and then join us for this in-person conversation. The Janes is available on HBO and Aftershock is available on Hulu. Join us for wine and popcorn to discuss these vital films, with special guest Judith Arcana, one of the Janes featured in the film. This conversation will be moderated by Chris Charbonneau, WaWF Board Member and former CEO of Planned Parenthood.

Born and raised in the Great Lakes region, living now in the Pacific Northwest, Judith Arcana is a writer of stories, poems, essays and books – and a Jane, a member of the underground service that first found and then provided safe illegal abortions in Chicago before the Roe decision in January of 1973. Judith worked in the service for two years, and soon afterward taught classes about health and sexuality for the Chicago Women’s Liberation School, Columbia College, and local high schools. In the mid-1970s she was part of a small group that traveled downstate to offer Health&Bodies classes at the Illinois State Reformatory for Women. She continues doing reproductive justice work in her writing/publication + public speaking/performance. What if your mother, published in 2005, offers poems and monologues focused on abortion and other motherhood themes.  Hello. This is Jane. – her story collection about abortion and tattooing – came out in 2020.  Keesha and Joanie and JANE  is a prose fiction zine about post-Roe cross-generational organizing.  Visit her website’s JANE page for useful/relevant links:  juditharcana

Chris Charbonneau became a member of the WaWF in 2005. She was the longest serving CEO of a Planned Parenthood Affiliate, at 29 years. The Affiliate that she led works in 6 States. During her tenure, she worked to change laws and health policy. She co-founded Planned Parenthood Online, which serves 16 million users a month. For 12 years Chris chaired Afaxys, a pharmaceutical company created to make supplies of contraceptives available to low-income women. It is now the largest supplier of these products to the social sector in the United States. Chris also serves on the Board of Planned Protection Insurance Company, providing insurance to Planned Parenthood Affiliates. A graduate of the University of Washington, Chris joined the WaWF transformation to collaborate with visionary women to improve our communities and change lives.

Register for the 2023 Film Discussion! 

This event is open to the entire community. Please email programs@wawomensfdn.org with questions.