Kadijah
School: Spelman College
Major: Political Science and French
Hometown: Silver Spring is my hometown and Dakar,Senegal is my country
Favorite writer: Sonia Sanchez
Favorite sex scene from a movie/TV/book: Darris Hall and Nina's first love scene in the movie Love Jones
Hidden talent: Reading upside down
Posts By: Kadijah
SMH: The 20-Week Ban
View image | gettyimages.com On Thursday, January 22, 2015, we will reflect upon the progress made in terms of abortion care policies as we commemorate the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court ruling (7-2) that people have the right to safe abortions in the first trimester of or up until around 22 to 24 of pregnancy. Roe v. Wade established that the decision to get an abortion exists within a “zone of privacy” free from state regulation. Interestingly enough, the House of Representatives is reviewing The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act bill on January 22, the same day as Roe v. Wade decision. The bill would prevent people from having safe abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy due to “evidence” that fetuses can experience pain 20… Read more »
The Upsides and Downsides of an IUD
Perhaps I am late to the party, but IUDs or intrauterine devices are becoming an increasingly used as a reversible contraceptive method. According to Planned Parenthood, IUDS are a “T-shaped” device inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy” that is placed in the woman’s uterus by a healthcare professional. According to Michelle Andrews in Kaiser Health News, people who used methods of contraception between the years 2011 and 2013 used birth control pills at a rate of 26 percent, condoms at a rate of 15 percent, and IUDS at a rate of 12 percent. The ParaGard (used for up to 12 years) and hormonal IUD ( the Mirena brand can be used for five years and the Skyla brand can be used for three years) are used in the United… Read more »
My Self-Care Arsenal
Have you ever felt rage? I know I have. Have you ever felt hopelessness? I know I have. Those feelings became even more apparent as I embarked on my Domestic Exchange. New York City amplified my voice in its protests calling for action in the Eric Garner case. I simultaneously felt silenced by the cacophonous city. My courses expanded my thinking and yet I felt isolated without the comfort of my friends. With each day that passed in New York, Atlanta, my home away from home, felt further away. Without really knowing it. I did what Robyn, a fellow URGE journalist suggested in a blog post “How to Cope with Anxiety in Activism.” Robyn suggested “Develop[ing] a self-care “toolbox,” complete with support system”. I found comfort in: Breathing slow Bubble… Read more »
My Clarion Call
I am nearing the end of my Domestic Exchange at Barnard College in New York, NY. One of the more memorable experiences I had during the exchange was the New Student Orientation Program (NSOP). I felt like I was reliving my freshman year at Spelman College. All throughout, I was comparing my NSOP experiences. In a joint talk with Barnard College and Columbia College students, faculty members went over policies about sexual assault and sexual harassment. They discussed the steps that campus safety and the police will take. They also discussed the multiple ways that students can access counseling services and primary care health services. They stressed anonymity and safety of the student body. I was astounded to see two active student organizations that address sexual assault. Students Active For… Read more »
The Failed Rap Detox
I often refer to myself as a black feminist. The term I use to define myself calls me to intersect race, gender, classism, and sexuality to analyze the world. The title “black feminist” gives me comfort. It gives me a sense of belonging and pride. Even so, it is hard for me to navigate today’s popular culture as a youth in college. As I become older, I am reintroduced to the public figures I blindingly respected in my youth. The classes I am taking and the inescapable presence of the media in our lives has caused me to reexamine myself and what I stand for. The civil rights speeches I listened to on YouTube, the television show re-runs I watched, and the songs I shimmied to on the radio now… Read more »
A Glossary In Honor of Transgender Awareness Week
Transgender Awareness Week (Nov. 14th – Nov. 20th) celebrates the lives of transgender and gender-non-conforming people. This week honors those who have died as a result of violence and discrimination against transgender people. In light of Transgender Awareness Week, I wanted to post some terminology to assist allies and all others in being respectful towards the transgender and gender-non-conforming communities by using appropriate terms. Also, I posted these terms to give people the agency to be both inquisitive and respectful to others. For accuracy, I have pulled the terms below from the GLAAD Media Reference Guide-Transgender Issues Gender Non-Conforming: A term used to describe some people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity. Please note that not all gender non-conforming people identify as transgender; nor are… Read more »
All About Young vs. United Parcel Service
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review Young vs. United Parcel Service to determine the extent to which employers have to provide work accommodations for pregnant women. Peggy Young, a former UPS package delivery driver, became pregnant after a succesful in vitro fertilization. Young requested a lighter assignment due to her doctor’s recommendation that she lift objects weighing no more than twenty pounds. On the other hand, UPS’ policy requires employees to lift up to seventy pounds. Her request was denied by the occupational health manager because her pregnancy did not fall within the jurisdiction of UPS’s policy for receiving alternate work assignments. Because the request was denied, she was forced to take unpaid leave with the loss of health care benefits provided by the company. Upon returning to work… Read more »
Carrying That Weight Beyond a Day of Action
I am currently on Domestic Exchange at Barnard College, literally located across the street from Columbia University. Since the schools are located across the street from one another, we share the amenities, classes, and friendships. In essence, what happens on their campus is inseparable from our campus. On Wednesday, October 29, 2014, students and faculty from various college campuses will carry mattresses. If they are unable to carry mattresses, supporters can carry pillows. Why? The purpose of the demonstration is to show solidarity with survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence in a day of action called Carry that Weight. Sexual assault according to SafeHorizon, an organization working to empower victims of crimes of abuses, “is a general term that includes: rape, incest, child molestation, marital rape, date rape, sexual harassment,… Read more »
My SPARK Interview
On October 17, 2014, I had the pleasure of sitting down with a Quita Tinsley, a Youth Organizer, representing SPARK, a reproductive justice organization based in Altanta, GA. Quita Tinsley (QT): SPARK is a reproductive justice organization located in Atlanta. It was formerly known as Georgians for Choice. The queer members for Georgians for Choice wanted an organization that focused on reproductive justice through a queer lens. That has been our mission and what we have stuck to. We make sure queer trans folk across the south, women of color, and young families have the access to reproductive justice and rights the same way other folks have rights. Kadijah Ndoye (KN): What does SPARK Do? QT: I think one of the biggest examples over the past year is SPARK’s focus… Read more »
Quick Guide to Debating the Issues Without Losing Your Sh*T
We’ve all done it before. We are having seemingly harmless conversations with our friends. Then someone who you thought you liked says something way out of line. All of a sudden, you begin using crazy hand gestures, you roll your eyes, and use intelligent words like “stupid” as you mimic your opponent. The reproductive justice movement is no stranger to these kinds of heated conversations. As I hear conversations among people with regard to reproductive justice, foreign policy, etc. I have heard productive disagreements and some unproductive disagreements. I have included some quick tips below to help us be more effective listeners and speakers. 1. Speak Calmly I have noticed that screaming at the top of your lungs creates an atmosphere where everyone holds on to their position even tighter… Read more »
