Making a Difference: Methods and Motives that Keep Reproductive Justice Activists Going

Illinois is a center for reproductive healthcare access in the United States. Because contemporary social turmoil complicates this work, we must understand why the Reproductive Justice (RJ) workers facilitating life-saving care remain engaged, focusing on how they understand their work and its efficacy. Through 15 interviews with Illinois RJ workers, I find that individuals stay in RJ because of connections to their community and one another. Their introductions to RJ are often motivated by preexisting political convictions and RJ-related experiences that create a sense of duty. This sense of duty is fulfilled through client testimonies, which keeps individuals emotionally satisfied. Participants’ resolve to stay in the field is also strengthened by the formation of an RJ-related identity and organizational cultures of collectivity. These findings confirm that governmental agencies should increase funding for RJ organizations and further include them in policy development so they can have capacity to uphold work sustainability