“ We really wanted to make this project to give people the crucial resources that they need, because at this time in our country, reproductive justice resources are being taken away, especially from Black people who are more likely to bear the implications of the overturning of Roe v Wade.”

Can you talk briefly about the kind of work you each do, and what circumstances led you to create this project together?

Nadira Jamerson: I'm a writer and journalist, and I've known Arieanne since college. I went to Howard, she went to Spelman. So we met through the HBCU pipeline, and we decided to do this together because I was reflecting on my own abortion experience, and happened to reach out to her the week that she found out she was pregnant. 

Arieanne Evans: Yes, we like to say the project was fated because we honestly hadn't kept in contact, but [Nadira] just messaged me out of the blue while I was going through it. I feel like this project came at the right time, and it was a perfect project for me because I was a Women's Studies and Photography major in college. So I thought, maybe the art is calling. 

In this project, you mention things that people need to unlearn about abortion - what new knowledge impacted you most from your experience? 

NJ: The biggest thing I learned was, there's this kind of fallacy of shame that a lot of anti-abortion people spread. Even as somebody who's always been pro-choice, I thought other people would shame me for having an abortion, so I was very secretive about it. It caused me a lot of guilt, anxiety, and depression. But doing this project and researching, one of the stats that stood out to me was that over 70% of Black people believe abortion should be legal in all cases. Not everybody knows that, and I think that's just very important, because we think we have to go through this experience by ourselves, that if we tell people we're going to be ostracized and shamed, when in reality, based on that one stat alone, there's probably multiple people in your family, your friend group, who will be there to support you. In sharing my story, creating this project, and doing it with Arieanne, I found so much support and love. 

AE: I had to learn it’s okay to not choose or make a decision based on what other people think. This was probably the biggest decision I've ever had to make in my entire life. I know that being ready is really important to me. I mean, a lot of moms will say you're never ready for it; it's a big choice. 

NJ: For the project we interviewed seven Black people about their abortion stories, and everybody had a different reason for doing it. What stood out for me was you don't need a reason other than the fact that: you're not ready to be pregnant, you don't want to be pregnant, or you don't want to have kids. A lot of times, because this is such a politicized topic, we try to pull reasons out of people who choose to do this. Were you abused? Are you broke? And that is the circumstance for some people. But there are also people who are affluent, married, and still want to have an abortion.

“I think to really be pro abortion, pro choice, we shouldn’t force people to have to explain themselves to us. ”

What advice would you give to someone who wants to advocate for reproductive justice in their communities and isn’t sure where to begin? 

AE: If you feel the need to do something, speak out, make art to show that other people think differently than the mainstream. I'm such a visual person. The way that I can regulate and figure out how I feel about something, even if I'm not sure about it, is through art and my camera. Words are hard sometimes, but I can speak with my art. I'm so glad that Nadira chose me for this project, because it was just crazy to have to really sit with my emotions, and really develop this project from the ground up. I'm happy to have a partner in her.

NJ: You know, it doesn't have to necessarily be that you're out protesting in the streets, if that's not what you're comfortable with right now. It can be as meaningful as talking with your friends about abortion, doing your own research, so that if anybody ever comes to you with their experience, you have real knowledge and support to share with them. I think another thing we realized while doing this project is that even in the video, I asked every single person we interviewed, ‘What was your first time learning about abortion?’ and nobody could really remember, except for TV. Somebody said Degrassi. So if you're not talking about safe sex, you're definitely not talking about abortion. But I think you can become that person. There's tons of Black-led abortion organizations out there, like SisterSong and Black Women for Wellness. There are places where you can lend your talents, whether that's art, just talking to your friends and family, or if you have $1 to spend.

You’re giving a portion of print sales to Black Women for Wellness. Can you talk a little bit about why you decided to focus on that organization? 

NJ: They're not only a reproductive justice org, they do holistic wellness in the Black women and girls space. As a journalist, I've interviewed them before, and just seen the impact they've had on real people. We really wanted to make this project to give people the crucial resources that they need, because at this time in our country, reproductive justice resources are being taken away, especially from Black people who are more likely to bear the implications of the overturning of Roe v Wade. Black Women For Wellness is an organization that hits on all of those different topics, like abortion, maternal mortality, etc. So we really just wanted to give back to them and give back to our community through them. We also interviewed an abortion doula for this project, their name is Kaiayo, and they’re based in Oakland, California. I think having tools like abortion doulas, especially Black abortion doulas, can be the difference between having a safe and joyful abortion experience and having ones that are more life threatening or difficult. It can really be the difference between making it out with your mental and physical health intact, versus having to go through months, which we both did, of depression, anxiety, shame, and physical pain.

“Last October, the way I got through my abortion was talking through it with my home girls, and meditating on it.”

Can you talk a little bit about the creative aspect of making this project?  

AE: I use color theory a lot in my photography, and colors and emotions go hand in hand for me. You know, red could mean love, but it could also mean anger, or it could also mean blood, or it could mean death. Colors are feelings, and that's something that I had to include in this, because I wanted it to resonate with everyone. Last October, the way I got through my abortion was talking through it with my home girls, and meditating on it. I realized I had to put those feelings in the work. I think that's how people come together, and that's how you build community. When people look at art, they want to be seen through the work. I think that's what makes art so powerful. 

NJ: I want to mention too, something we're really proud about is we used an all Black women and non-binary team to create this whole project. So we're glad that this project is not only for us, but by us. 

Nina Simone famously said it is an artist’s duty to reflect the times we’re living in. With that sentiment in mind, who are some of the women artists/storytellers that you’ve been inspired by? 

NJ: I would say Tananarive Due, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Cole Arthur Riley, who is like a writer/kind of spiritualist. 

AE: Solange Knowles, a fellow Cancer; she knows how to work through the art, through the tears, through the pain, just like I do. Carrie Mae Weems also portrays and conveys real life in the best way possible. Renell Medrano is at the top of my list as well. She’s definitely a woman I admire when it comes to visual storytelling.

What are some of the rituals you practice to take care of yourselves (mentally, physically, and/or emotionally)? 

NJ: I meditate; I’m a big person on listening to affirmations and making my own for my mental health. I would say writing in all forms, especially journaling and writing things that are just for me, that I'm not trying to get published. This can be hard sometimes, as an artist who wants to sell everything because I gotta pay my rent, but at the same time, it's nice to make things that are just for your own healing.

AE: Yoga, morning and night. Meditation as well. I listen to jazz when I cook. Getting back into exercise, I just get up and move because I struggle with anxiety and depression, and I find you get high on life by just getting up and walking, seeing the sunlight, trees, and touching grass. 

NJ: We have one more thing in our messaging for the project; we call it an affirmative arts project, because more than wanting to speak to people who are anti-abortion, this project is really for people who have had abortions. For the people who have supported their loved ones through abortions. Giving them a space to see that it's okay for them to share their stories, it's okay for them to be happy with their choice. Maybe they'll be more likely to talk about it with their kids, and over the generations, that's how we'll sustain change.

You can view the full project and support “No Reproductive Justice No Peace” here. Also, you can find the project’s creators on Instagram @nadiraxrene and @friendsonfilmduh.