The Reproductive Justice Garden and Waiting Room, which includes herbs that have been used over thousands of years for fertility, contraception and abortion, is now hosted by SUNY Purchase. Begun in 2016, this project has taken some time to realize due the conflicts surrounding reproductive justice in the US over the past three years. 

Why is abortion such a controversial topic, with two sides so completely at odds with one another? The power to end a pregnancy is so profound, that it has divided our society into two camps. In one sense, abortion is about who gets to decide if, when, how, and why a woman can terminate her pregnancy. It also goes to the heart of the basic beliefs and founding principles of a society. What is life? How does it begin? How do we deal with the power that women have to birth or not birth?

Reproductive Justice Garden and Waiting Room is a learning and art project that demystifies the historical, biological, and ethical stories surrounding abortion. This project is full of objects and resources to help navigate the politically, spiritually, and socially complex terrain surrounding reproductive health. Enacted through gardens, informational kits, and a reimagined abortion clinic waiting room, Reproductive Justice Garden & Waiting Room draws on the deep and complex histories of women’s health. Our goal is to support all people in exercising the right to reproductive autonomy and self-determination.