First Blog Post

I have chosen to read the play-write " For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow is Enuf". It is a series of poems written in different points of view of colored women during the 20th century. These poems expose the hardships of being a colored woman. These poems have been sung on Broadway, and also was the basis of the movie " For Colored Girls". I would like to take these women's stories and turn them into research and education. I haven't yet decided if I want to base my project on alley abortions, PTSD and family abuse, or on small non for profit clinics in poor neighborhoods. This play opens up many different issues and choosing just one is hard. I am trying to find a way to connect clinics and abortions without getting too political and ethical. Abortions are a hard topic to talk about when there are many people with many different views on it. I have personal connections with both, as I am in a military family and I also have done extensive  volunteer work in third world countries at clinics.
Alley abortions are done by people that may or may not have any medical training. These abortions are done in non-sterile environments and sometimes no pain medication is given. The people doing these are doing a blind sweep of the uterus and very commonly cause the uterus to scar, making the woman sterile. Infections are almost always a result and it is not uncommon to see a woman rushed to the ER right after the treatment due to blood loss and pain. Women come to these underground locations because they are cheaper, maybe they are too young to get an abortion without parental consent, or because they are scared and want a fix. Abortions done at certified clinics can be very costly and usually require a parent consent for those under 18. Some areas don't have abortion clinics due to religious reasons. I want to do further research on abortions to see what peoples options are.

Those who serve in the military rarely receive mental care. There is no protocol or rule that those coming home from combat need to see some therapists to just get a first glance at their emotions after war. There is also no adjustment period to rehabilitating veterans within the community. It is hard for veterans to get jobs when their only skill was combat. There needs to be a way to help soldiers and give them some skills to go back into society.