GATHERING Zine: Abortions, Shame + Community Care

GATHERING

ABORTIONS, SHAME & COMMUNITY CARE

HELLO HELLO

Welcome to GATHERING. This is a Zine created for Welcome to GATHERING. This is a Zine created for Jamaican people who are pro-abortion. This is a Jamaican people who are pro-abortion. This is a resource, a collection and a meeting place. resource, a collection and a meeting place. Pinpointing the hopefulness that comes from the Pinpointing the hopefulness that comes from the people in our communities who platform, care for people in our communities who platform, care for and organize around our reproductive rights, and organize around our reproductive rights, GATHERING carves space for us to share in the GATHERING carves space for us to share in the relentless idealism needed to imagine our futures. relentless idealism needed to imagine our futures.

Futures where people who can get pregnant are

Futures where people who can get pregnant are supported in the fullness of our experiences and supported in the fullness of our experiences and our biggest reproductive health concerns are our biggest reproductive health concerns are which healthcare providers can offer the best which healthcare providers can offer the best service. service.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE HOW DO YOU DEFINE COMMUNITY? COMMUNITY?

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY?

If society is a giant, our If society is a giant, our communities are the communities are the moving parts, we are the moving parts, we are the cells that live, renew, and cells that live, renew, and work together to keep its work together to keep its systemsgoing. systemsgoing.

community care

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IDENTIFYING YOUR COMMUNITIES: A PRACTICAL TOOL

QUICKNOTE: QUICKNOTE:

For many people, discomfort with trust and vulnerability can act as barriers to sharing in community

For many people, discomfort trust and vulnerability can as barriers to sharing in with others. Vulnerability is sometimes the bitter acknowledgement that not everyone can offer you with others. Vulnerability is sometimes the bitter acknowledgement that not everyone can offer you safety. It is also making the room for people who do, so you can support each other in the safety. It is also making the room for people who do, so you can support each other in the impossibilities of your shared existence. of your shared existence.

Try a quick self check first. Read the prompts then ask yourself: Try a quick self check first. Read the prompts then ask yourself:

1. Do I feel comfortable enough to be open to this exercise? If not, take a moment to breathe,

1. Do I feel comfortable enough to be open to this exercise? If not, take a moment to stretch, leave, anything that allows you to feel safe in your own exploration. It will be here when stretch, leave, anything that you to feel safe in own exploration. It will be here when you are ready. you are ready.

2. Do I have difficulty trusting others? Many of us do. Try to focus on people who have consistently

Do I have trusting others? Many of to focus people who have helped you to feel secure. helped you to feel secure.

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IDENTIFYING YOUR COMMUNITIES: A PRACTICAL TOOL

(address, hobbies, nationality, etc.)

(A friend's partner, a classmate, etc.)

(women, LGBTQ folks, people with disabilities, etc.)

(Warm, appreciated, confused, etc.)

ABORTION MONOLOGUES ABORTION MONOLOGUES

THE POWER OF ANONYMITY THE POWER OF ANONYMITY

Abortion Monologues project

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ABORTION MONOLOGUES: THE POWER OF ABORTION MONOLOGUES: THE POWER OF ANONYMITY ANONYMITY

MONOLOGUES AHEAD MONOLOGUES AHEAD

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Abortion Monologue #25: 'Salt Like

I-Maroon'

Abortion Monologue #25: 'Salt Like I-Maroon'

Abortion Monologue #19 Abortion Monologue #19

Abortion Monologue #22 Abortion Monologue #22

STOP. STOP.

BREATHE. BREATHE.

LISTEN. LISTEN.

Take a moment to settle after reading these monologues.

After grounding yourself in a way that feels best for you, feel free to consider these questions: Which Monologue is most vivid in your mind? Why?

Do you have the space to listen to stories like these from the people in your life?

SUGGESTED GROUNDING EXERCISE SUGGESTED GROUNDING EXERCISE

ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP

EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EXPANDING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE REPRODUCTIVE CARE

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

DOPO DOPO DOPO

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

GATHERING GATHERING

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

GATHERING GATHERING

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

GATHERING GATHERING

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

GATHERING GATHERING

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

GATHERING GATHERING

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ABORTION COMPANIONSHIP: EXPANDING OUR

UNDERSTANDING OF REPRODUCTIVE CARE

REIMAGINING + RESOURCING REIMAGINING + RESOURCING

ROOTS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT

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REIMAGINING + RESOURCING: ROOTS OF REIMAGINING + RESOURCING: ROOTS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT COMMUNITY SUPPORT

self-managed abortions

Compañeras

Compañeras Compañeras

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REIMAGINING + RESOURCING: ROOTS OF REIMAGINING + RESOURCING: ROOTS OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT COMMUNITY SUPPORT

STOP. STOP.

BREATHE. BREATHE.

LISTEN. LISTEN.

You made it to the end of this GATHERING!

After grounding yourself in a way that feels best for you, feel free to consider this question: What can I do to strengthen the relationships I have with my communities? (Consider resources you have: skills, tools, care, time, etc)

SUGGESTED GROUNDING EXERCISE SUGGESTED GROUNDING EXERCISE

GATHERING GATHERING ZINE ZINE

THANKYOU! THANKYOU!

Whether you went cover to cover or stopped halfway through, GATHERING

Whether you went cover to cover or stopped halfway through, GATHERING zine meets you with gratitude. Your participation is necessary for this zine meets you with gratitude. Your participation is necessary for this project to fulfill its intentions. Hopefully, there was something in here for project to fulfill its intentions. Hopefully, there was something in here for you. you.

Lots of appreciation to Jherane Patmore, Kristina Neil and Zachi Brewster

Lots of appreciation to Jherane Patmore, Kristina Neil and Zachi Brewster for the ways they have contributed to cocreating this project. Thanks again for the ways they have contributed to cocreating this project. Thanks again to the inroads team for facilitating this project through their fellowship. to the inroads team for facilitating this project through their fellowship. Endless thanks to the communities that supported this journey. Endless thanks to the communities that supported this journey.

WHOMADETHISZINE? WHOMADETHISZINE?

.Lis(they/them) is a multi-modal artist and folk practitioner based in .Lis(they/them) is a multi-modal artist and folk practitioner based in Jamaica. They are particularly fond of rabbits, forests and being near the Jamaica. They are particularly fond of rabbits, forests and being near the sea. Through experimental technique and illustrative methods, .Lis seeks to sea. Through experimental technique and illustrative methods, .Lis seeks to preserve the tradition of storytelling as documentary practice. preserve the tradition of storytelling as documentary practice.

A visual storyteller with foundations in meditation and embodiment practice, A visual storyteller with foundations in meditation and embodiment practice, media design, narrative art and supporting projects for social change, their media design, narrative art and supporting projects for social change, their work intends to identify and represent the complex experiences of work intends to identify and represent the complex experiences of marginalized people in Jamaica and the Caribbean. marginalized people in Jamaica and the Caribbean.