Voices of the USSF: Eshanda Fennell

Contributed by Eshanda Fennell, Pro-Choice Public Education Project
Why I Fight For Another World
I’m not a writer, like my ancestors I have a nostalgic belief in the oral tradition. While oral histories have always had a way of moving my spirit and providing a deeper level of understanding for my work, passion and commitment to social change, I know I cannot afford to romanticize or ignore the power of the written word. One lesson I have learned from those who have come before me is how the written word provides voice for many and opportunity for others to peek into a window of another’s view. This process of putting my thoughts into written words, has always been a journey—accordingly, my involvement in the movement has been just the same, a journey!
I like to describe my journey as starting in my mother’s womb… at birth and in the early years of my existence. You see, my mother is natural organizer! From a very early age I can recall how eager and full of grace my mother was with introducing herself to newcomers. She never missed the opportunity to learn a new face and was always busy figuring out ways to get people involved in growing community. Naturally, I learned a lot through watching my mother in action, even to this day, I find myself taking notes and attempting to model her selfless giving and belief in the betterment of humanity.
Like my mother and all the women of my family that have come before me, I enter this movement not as a feminist, and with very little thrill or frill of creating a name for myself. I enter this movement because of a little voice deep inside reminds me that “we can do better!â€? You see, feminism for my mother, grandmother and their mothers was a way of life and it was required for survival. Growing up in a single-parent household, you listened, watched and learned to do what needed to be done while the world before you – your home – was presented as a place of peace, love, and kindness. It is because of that world, the loving world my mother raised me in I know another world is possible!

If we are to create this world and expand the movement for reproductive justice and social equality, it is important that we ask ourselves, first and foremost for what and whom are we fighting? The world I fight for is not racist, sexist, homophobic or oppressive in any form! The people I fight for look like me, they are brown, they are soft-spoken, no one ever assumes they are not leaders because they are not white enough, black enough, loud enough… too aggressive or not aggressive enough! In this world I fight for no one is tokenized and stereotypes do not exist. No one has to deconstruct for others what it means to grow up in the U.S. as an African-American woman in the age of hyper-sexualized popular culture and rap videos. In the world I fight for people will have already done their homework! People’s twisted desire to dig, provoke and/or discover if I or others who look like me are “angry black women� will not exist. Assumptions will not be made in judgment of another’s character.
I fight because I believe in the good of the human spirit and not in the idea that people want to dominate or be dominated. I fight for people who want happy, healthy, respectful lives, free of all forms of oppression. I fight for the right of people to live out lives that are self-determined, the right of young women to make decisions about their reproductive lives and be provided with the resources to do so. I fight for family models that are self-defined and not imposed upon them by the government, popular culture or religious fundamentalists.
If we are truly to create another world, we have to evaluate how we support each other as individuals and across movements. In order for us to win the world we want, I challenge you to reflect on the way you model trust and interact with power. My involvement in the United States Social Forum comes from a place that upholds my mother’s model and belief in living in a world of love, peace and kindness. I know that if we are to win this world, I know we can’t do it without reaching back to past models. I look to the USSF full of excitement and feeling inspired that collectively we will do just that—reach back, build momentum, and strengthen our collective vision for a better world!
Eshanda Fennell’s lifelong commitment to social justice work has directed her journey and professional experiences in community development, youth leadership development and research. As the Program Manager of the Pro-Choice Public Education Project (PEP), she is responsible for the execution and management of PEP’s technical assistance program, research initiatives, and research briefing program.