Strike Back! The Fight for Reproductive Justice

Amidst stunning attacks on reproductive rights and appaling sexism, homophobia and transphobia emanating from the white house, a new struggle is rising for women's liberation. In solidarity with the call for a global women's strike on International Women's Day on March 8 (https://www.womenstrikeus.org/), we are holding a panel discussion about the fight for reproductive justice and how it fits in with a broader vision for women's liberation.

Speakers:
- Elayne Wylie, Director of Development and Operations, Gender Justice League
- Kris Melroe, pre-Roe abortion activist and former co-director, Lesbian Resource Center
- Leela Yellesetty, International Socialist Organization
- Michelle Farber, Seattle Clinic Defense

Speaker Bios:

Elayne Wylie is Gender Justice League’s first Board Chair, currently serving as the Director of operations and development at GJL. She is a long time Seattle trans civil & human rights activist and trans community fixture. She is also a professionally trained and seasoned film producer. Previously, she served on the board’s of both Ingersoll Gender Center and Seattle Out and Proud and is a 2011 graduate of Out in Front LGBT Leadership program. Currently at work with the SAFE Alliance campaign.

Kris Melroe had an illegal abortion in 1970 and from that experience started working on abortion counseling in 1971. She set up a Women’s clinic in Minneapolis and worked on the Wounded Knee Trials. She later helped Women of All Red Nations translate "Our Bodies Ourselves" into Lakota. She moved to Seattle in 1976 and continued to do work on Fishing Rights, the Leonard Pelitier trials, and the Yvonne Wanrow Case. She also worked on the Domingo/Vierness case for 10 years. Her regular job has been a special education teacher and trainer, mostly with Native students/teachers on various reservations (Pine Ridge, Northern Cheyenne, OK, & Hawaii).

Leela Yellesetty is an activist with the International Socialist Organization and has been involved with the anti-war movement, the fight for reproductive justice, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Michelle Farber is a registered nurse midwife and an activist in Seattle Clinic Defense. She previously worked as an abortion provider and has written about her experiences both inside and outside of clinics for Socialist Worker newspaper.