Since 2007, the Speak Justice Take Action program has made significant strides in social change efforts which includes periodic hearings with the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.
The hearings have historically been a wonderful opportunity for SPARK to educate our state policy makers on the issues that affect our communities. Historic efforts to this end have produced an incredible amount of educational materials for the public and legislators alike, most notably with the “The Giving Birth with Dignity and in Safety” Act, an initiative to raise awareness and pass anti-shackling legislation that resulted in the pivotal text “Giving Birth Behind Bars: A Guide for Achieving Reproductive Justice for Incarcerated Women” with more than 1900 downloads and 70 hard copies distributed to community partners and Georgia legislators.
In 2017, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) held a second hearing on the HIV epidemic in Georgia and its impact on Black residents. This year we increased legislator participation and their interest in being more involved with Spark and other organization’s efforts to tackle HIV in Georgia.