Temple Women’s Conference 2025 – Reproductive Freedom: Health, Rights, and Justice

April 4th, 2025 | 9:00am-3:30pm | Klein Law Building, Room 2B
Temple University

Inspired by the mission of Sister Song, a Woman of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, the 2nd Annual Temple Women’s Conference asks what reproductive freedom looks like beyond restoring Roe? How can we implement the values of reproductive justice in our communities?

Please join us for a gender inclusive conference and open discussion about such questions, with a focus on exploring the values of reproductive justice, the importance of inclusive health practices, and building coalitions across organizations. The hybrid conference (in-person or online) includes two morning panels, starting with a panel comprised of Temple University undergraduate student groups followed by a panel on birthing practices, and an afternoon panel centered on abortion access.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all in-person attendees.

Registration:

This is a hybrid conference with in-person and virtual attendance available. Please register accordingly here:
Link to register for in-person attendance
Link to register for virtual attendance

Location:

The conference will be held at:

Klein Hall (Beasley School of Law)
Room 2B

1719 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122

Schedule:

9:00-9:15am	Breakfast and opening remarks
9:15-10:15am	Panel: Student-led Activism for Reproductive Freedom
10:15-10:30am	Break
10:30-11:45am	Panel: Equity and Inclusion in Birthing Practices
11:45am-12:00pm	Break
12:00-1:00pm	Lunch and keynote speaker Beulah Osueke
1:00-2:30pm	Panel: Abortion Policy and Access
2:30-2:45pm	Break
2:45-3:30pm	Closing plenary by Rachel Rebouché

Keynote speaker Beulah Osueke:

Our keynote speaker, Beulah Osueke, is the Executive Director of the New Voices for Reproductive Justice. New Voices defines itself as an “unapologetically Black and queer organization,” dedicated to advancing reproductive justice through leadership development, community care, resourcing, and mutual aid. New Voices operates out of Philadelphia and Pittsburg in Pennsylvania, as well as Cleveland, Ohio.

Beulah has worked with New Voices for Reproductive Justice for over five years, and was named as the Executive Director at the start of 2024. Her work at New Voices includes spearheading teach-ins, workshops, door canvassing, and digital advocacy to provide marginalized people “the tools and education needed to make informed decisions about their health, voting rights, and overall well being.”

Previously, Beluah was the West Catholic High School Girls Basketball Head Coach for eight years, and became the first Black woman to capture a State Title in Pennsylvania and the first Black coach in general to capture the Philadelphia Catholic League championship. Today, she uses her coaching experience to help empower young people and rally for the cause of reproductive justice.

Closing Plenary speaker Rachel Rebouché

Our Closing Plenary speaker, Rachel Rebouché, is the Kean Family Dean of Temple University Beasley School of Law and the Peter J. Liacouras Professor of Law. She is also a Faculty Fellow at Temple’s Center for Public Health Law Research. Specializing in reproductive health and family law, Rachel is a co-author of Governance Feminism: An Introduction, and co-editor of the books Governance Feminism: Notes from the Field and Feminist Judgments: Family Law Opinions Rewritten.

Panelists:

Student organization panel: Student-led Activism for Reproductive Freedom
9:15-10:15am

Moderated by Jennifer Pollitt, Temple University Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program

Morning panel: Equity and Inclusion in Birthing Practices
10:30-11:45am

Kimberly Mutcherson, Temple Phyllis W. Beck Visiting Chair in Law and editor of Feminist Judgments: Reproductive Justice Rewritten
Christy Santoro, CPM, Director of Community Engaged Research at the Program for Maternal Health Equity, Center for Health Justice and Bioethics, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and member of Philly Metro Midwives
Liz Kukura, Drexel School of Law, and Pennsylvania Association of Certified Professional Midwives (PACPM)
Stephanie Brown, IBCLC, Executive Director, and Autumn Nelson, CNM, Clinical Director, of the Philadelphia Midwife Collective

Afternoon panel: Abortion Policy and Access
1:00-2:30pm

Signe Espinoza, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates and Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania’s VP for Advocacy and Public Policy
David Cohen, Drexel School of Law and co-author of Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism and Obstacle Course: The Everyday Struggle to Get an Abortion in America
Adrienne R. Ghorashi, Esq., Lead Law and Policy Analyst at the Center for Public Health Law Research and board member of the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA

Our sponsors:

The Inaugural Temple Women’s Conference is co-produced by:
Temple Global Women’s Dialogue
Temple Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies Program
Temple University Beasley School of Law
Temple College of Liberal Arts
Center for Humanities at Temple
Temple University Libraries

Temple co-sponsors:
Temple Department of Criminal Justice
Temple Department of Anthropology
Temple Department of Psychology and Neuroscience
Temple Department of Sociology
Temple Department of Political Science
The Public Policy Lab
Center for Sustainable Communities

Dedication:

This conference is dedicated
to the memory of
President JoAnne A. Epps

For additional information, please contact tom.waidzunas@temple.edu