SRJ Hub: Initiatives

Byllye Avery SRJ Professorship

Named for the incomparable Byllye Avery, a pioneer in women’s health, thought leader in Reproductive Justice, and founder of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, this professorship will centralize SRJ programming, research, and scholarship at the school. The program also focuses on leadership development with an emphasis on challenging political environments and anti-evidence trends. This will empower the next generation of public health leaders to dismantle barriers and proliferate justice. Learn more about this endowed professorship.

SRJH Concentration at CUNY SPH

The Sexual and Reproductive Justice Hub (SRJH) concentration at CUNY SPH will prepare students to address critical issues in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) through a public health justice-centered, interdisciplinary approach. It provides MPH and PhD students with an understanding of the socio-historical and political contexts that have and continue to shape related health outcomes across the lifespan, as well as a foundation for research and programmatic activi­ties in maternal, child, reproductive and sexual health. CUNY SPH embraces a holistic approach to sexual and reproductive health within an SRJ framework that recognizes the diversity of human sexual expression, relationships, and family structures; promotes informed, healthy, respectful, and responsible choices, free from coer­cion; and supports increased access to elective preventive, screening, treatment, and support services.

Research

Research supported by the SRJ Hub focuses on topics including: 

• The role of environmental exposures in poor maternal child health outcomes  
• Accurate environmental impact statements prior to approving industrial sites in overburdened neighborhoods  
• Physician experiences treating patients with pregnancy complications in abortion ban states  
• The integration of reproductive health services in primary care, including the role of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)  
• Study of East Harlem adolescents and their life goals in the context of personal relationships, risk of pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)   
• Evaluation of a physician training program for advocacy around abortion and other reproductive health issues  
• Analysis of the repeal of longstanding regulations requiring the inclusion of women and “minorities” in research 
• Analysis of the realignment of the multilateral system of gender justice 

Click here to view select publications by SRJ Hub faculty members.

A Global Feminist Partnership: From 16 to 365 Days of Activism to End GBV

The Global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is a powerful, decades-long initiative that unites feminist movements worldwide to confront and end gender-based violence. Now hosted by the Sexual & Reproductive Justice Hub at CUNY SPH, the campaign continues to spotlight the root causes of GBV and amplify pathways to justice and prevention. Grounded in community-driven advocacy and scholarship, the campaign centers the voices and leadership of women of color and gender-diverse people globally. 

Expanding Medication Abortion on College Campuses: An Advocates Guide

Making medication abortion (MAB) easier to access on college campuses is an important step toward supporting students’ health, well-being, and reproductive autonomy. Many college students face real challenges when trying to get abortion care – from not knowing where to go, to not being able to afford it. These barriers are often even greater for students from low-income families, immigrant backgrounds, communities of color, and others who already struggle to get the healthcare they need. To help close these gaps, some states have started passing laws that require public colleges to provide MAB services, refer students to care, or prepare to expand what they provide.