The Latino Reproductive Rights Project
Once  social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read, you cannot humiliate the person who feels pride; you cannot oppress the people who are not afraid any more. We have see the future and the future is ours. - Cesar Chavez
The Latino Reproductive Rights Project (LRRP) is a unique collaboration between the National Institute for Reproductive Health and the Hispanic Federation. The goal of the LRRP is to increase the knowledge of the sexual and reproductive health disparities in our Latino communities and empower our communities to safeguard their reproductive rights. The project has two objectives: 1. Research Latino knowledge of and attitudes towards reproductive health care and rights, and develop reproductive health and choice messages for Latino communities. We research Latino viewpoints on the issues of reproductive freedom, and access to reproductive health care and family planning. LRRP also recruits diverse groups of Latinos for focus groups to develop a culturally appropriate and meaningful messages that speak to the Latino community. We then implement a public education campaign by distributing posters and pamphlets to the member agencies of the Hispanic Federation and other CBOs working on Latino sexual and reproductive health and justice.
2. Developing Voices and Disseminating Information in Latino Communities.  LRRP trains adult and youth promotores to increase knowledge of Latino reproductive health disparities. In turn, the promotores will disseminate the information by conducting sessions within their agency and/or community. LRRP organizes community forums at which community members, sexual and reproductive health care providers/ educators, and community and legislative leaders are invited to discuss Latino reproductive health disparities. This gathering will urge community and legislative leaders to safeguard Latino sexual and reproductive health by working to eliminate these disparities.
 By increasing our knowledge as a community we can then: Take personal action by reassessing behaviors, and attitudes Mobilize Latino leaders and legislative officials to safeguard Latino sexual and reproductive health and rights.
By increasing our individual knowledge, the knowledge in our communities and that of our elected officials- our efforts will contribute to reducing these disparities and empowering our communities. Did you know that: - In New York City, 2001, more than half of all teenage mothers were Latina (52.4%) compared to African American teens (36.9%), White teens (7.6%) and Asian (2.8%).
- Hispanic women have the highest rate of unintended pregnancy in the U.S.; one out of every four of those pregnancies end in abortion.
- In 2002, New York City Latino youth had the highest high school drop out rates when compared to all groups. (Latino, 26%, African American, 22.1% and Whites and Asian 12.2%)
- In 2001 percentage of births to teens under 19 years of age-by borough Bronx 13.8%, Brooklyn 8.8%, Queens 6.7%, Manhattan 7.7%.
- One–quarter of new AIDS cases among adolescents age 13-19 occur in Latino youth.
- Hispanic women residing in the United States have twice the cervical cancer incidence rate of non-Hispanic whites.
LRRP in the Press:
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