We are Asian Americans who support Reproductive Justice for all in Virginia.

What is Reproductive Justice?

Reproductive Justice, a term coined by Black women in 1994 to center the perspectives of women and trans people of color in the movement, is a human rights framework used to address and dismantle the many systemic barriers that affect people’s ability to make decisions regarding their bodies, families, and communities. It is an individual’s right to:

  1. have a child, and decide the conditions in which to give birth;
  2. not have a child, including access to all options for ending or preventing pregnancy while being treated with dignity;
  3. and parent the children they have in safe, supportive communities free from violence and oppression.

What is the context in Virginia?

In the past years, our rights to abortion and contraception, as well as reproductive, sexual, and gender-inclusive education, have been jeopardized. Now, Virginia is the last state in the South to still allow abortions up to 26 weeks (or the third trimester). As patients and providers encounter more and more restrictions, it is imperative that we push for solutions to protect our right to make reproductive and sexual health decisions for ourselves.

What stake do Asian Americans have in this issue?

Reproductive justice recognizes that the identities that we hold – and how they intersect with each other – uniquely impact our social, economic, and healthcare needs. Coupled with conservative values that some of our communities have internalized, many Asian Americans face other everyday systemic barriers (e.g. economic hardship, language inaccessibility, immigration/legal challenges) which negatively impact access to quality reproductive care and education. This is especially true for our most marginalized community members – working-class people, non-citizens, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, survivors of gender-based violence, and more.

Thus, reproductive justice is intertwined with the work Hamkae Center is already doing: advocating for affordable healthcare, immigrant rights, language access, economic opportunity, and inclusive education for all. Reproductive justice issues are Asian American issues.

We, as Asian Americans, want to be informed, engaged, and empowered to push back against the stigma and stereotypes that prevent us from talking about our bodies, sex, and reproductive needs and concerns. 76% of Asian Americans – the highest of any racial group – support legal access to abortion. We speak up for reproductive justice – not just to policymakers but also within our communities, in our own languages, alongside other communities. Together, we’re building the economic, social, and political power to make decisions about our bodies, our families, and our communities. We’ll push for reproductive health and justice because it is our fundamental right, regardless of who we are or where we come from.

Take Action!

SIGN BY 10/8: Urge Prince William County to add HJ 1, the Constitutional Amendment for Reproductive Freedom, to their 2026 Legislative Agenda!

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House Joint Resolution 1 (HJ 1) is a proposed constitutional amendment that guarantees every individual in Virginia the fundamental right to reproductive freedom. This enshrines into our state constitution the power to make reproductive and sexual health decisions for ourselves, free from government interference or criminalization. It also protects those who support someone in exercising their right.

State lawmakers will vote on HJ 1 next year, and they’ll look to their local counterparts to know what their constituents want. Right now, the Prince William County Legislative Committee, chaired by Supervisor Margaret Franklin, is deciding what issues to push in 2026. When local jurisdictions like Prince William County put HJ1 on their legislative agenda, it’s a reflection of our communities’ strong support for reproductive justice!

Virginia is the last state in the South with 26-week (third trimester) abortion access. It’s our responsibility to protect access to abortion and other reproductive care for all, especially for those who are forced to pay the greatest price when crucial healthcare access is restricted- including working class families, immigrants, communities of color, and those who must travel to our state to get the care they need.

Reproductive justice is about non-negotiable bodily autonomy, healthcare, dignity, and survival for ourselves, our families, and our communities— not political parties or corporate interests. Now, more than ever, we need to secure reproductive freedom for all in Virginia— and we can do so by showing community power locally in support of HJ 1.

JOIN US BY 10/8: Add your name to our petition, and collect 20 more signatures from your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers— anyone you know who lives in Prince William County! On October 8, we will collect all signatures and deliver them to Supervisor Franklin to show the PWC Board of Supervisors that their constituents want reproductive freedom!