Upcoming events.
Poverty is NOT Neglect Know Your Rights Teach In
Join our awesome campaign strategist, Niah, for a virtual teach - in about the Poverty is NOT Neglect law! We'll be talking about our rights, the release of our new Know Your Rights guide (it's actually so informative and beautiful and will be coming to you in English and Spanish!), and how to stay in the fight for Tennessee families! We can't wait to see you there! Register at bit.ly/TN_PINN_TeachIn25
Tennessee's Public Benefits System
Public benefits, or the system to support folks who need assistance in Tennessee, are a complex web of restrictions, paper work, and regulations. Join Healthy and Free Tennessee in conversation with Jane Dimnwaobi, Tennessee Justice Center’s Healthy Equity Policy Lead for an overview of our public benefits systems, where to get support in navigating them, and the impact of federal actions for Tennesseans seeking support.
TennCare 101
TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, presents many unique opportunities and challenges for Tennesseans looking for healthcare. TennCare also covers over 50% of births in Tennessee. What are some of the key pieces of the program, and how do doulas support pregnant Tennesseans in accessing TennCare? Join our esteemed panelists to learn more.
Tennessee SNAP and Food Policy
What challenges and supports exist for families facing food insecurity in Tennessee? Join HFTN and Angelica Carey from Innovate Memphis for a discussion on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other resources available to Tennesseans facing hunger.
Deadline for 2025-2026 Youth Leadership Council Applications
Get those applications in!
For more information and to apply visit: https://www.healthyandfreetn.org/2526-youth-leadership-council-application
Tennessee's WIC Program
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program is one of the most underutilized programs in the state. What challenges do Tennessee families face when enrolling in or accessing WIC? Join Tennessee Justice Center’s Anti-Hunger Policy Coordinator, Anna Grace Breedlove in conversation with Healthy and Free TN to learn more.
Tennessee's Child Care Crisis
Tennessee has some of the highest child care costs in the region. What supports exists for parents and caregivers looking for child care assistance and how can we advocate for more comprehensive services for the families that need them the most? Join HFTN in conversation with Melanie Shinbaum, Executive Director of the Nashville Early Education Coaltion (NEEC).
The Problems with "Child Abuse Pediatricians"
What are “Child Abuse Pediatricians” and what ethical and legal questions do they raise in family policing (sometimes called child welfare) cases? Join HFTN Executive Director, Briana Perry in conversation with Miriam Mack, Movement for Family Power, Porsha Shaf’on Venable, Bronx Defenders, and Mary Anne Mendenhall, Partners for Justice & Office of the CA Public Defender.
2025-2026 Youth Leadership Application Opens
This Youth Leadership Cohort is specifically focused on young people 18-25 who have been impacted by the family policing (sometimes called child welfare) system or family separation. This includes young adults who were in foster care, who were adopted, and people in families who were under CPS investigation as well as folks who experience other forms of state separation like immigration investigation or detention, incarceration, and more.
Supporting Tennessee Caregivers
What public and private supports exists for Tennessee caregivers? Where can caregivers go for mental health support, community, respite, and more? Join Dr. Megan Schwalm, Executive Director of the Tennessee Caregivers Coalition, in conversation with Nina to learn more!
Repro Health + Environmental Justice
Join LaTricea Adams, President of Young, Gifted and Green, in conversation with Healthy and Free Tennessee’s Executive Director, Briana Perry as they discuss the impact of pollution on reproductive health and the key intersections between the reproductive and environmental justice movements.
Intersectionality in Family Policing System Abolition
How do race, disability, gender, immigration status, and sexuality shape families’ experiences with the family policing system in Tennessee? Join Healthy and Free Tennessee alongside movement leaders for a powerful conversation to the intersections of family policing and systemic oppression – and how we organize toward abolition, healing, and family preservation.
Nashville Stolen Children's Month Vigil
Join Healthy and Free Tennessee for a powerful evening of reflection, testimony, and collective healing. We will honor the lives of children and families impacted by the family policing system and family separation. This vigil is a space for truth-telling, grief, and justice. All are welcome. Register at bit.ly/RegisterVigil25 and volunteer at bit.ly/VigilVolunteer25
Location: The Parthenon, 2500 West End Avenue
Parenting in the Kink Community
What are the unique challenges and experiences of parents in the kink and BDSM communities? What can kink teach us about parenting and vice versa? Join Healthy and Free Tennessee, Heauxly House, and more for this stimulating conversation!
Rebrand Launch and Campaign Celebration
Join the Healthy and Free Tennessee staff and steering committee for a celebration of our new look and campaign in Nashville! We're so excited to join together for an evening honoring joy, healing, and liberation. Light refreshments will be provided. This event is free to attend, and donations are also encouraged. The exact location will be provided upon registration before the event. If you have any questions, please reach out to info@healthyandfreetn.org.
Knoxville Black Maternal Health Conference
Join HFTN and so many others as we honor Black Maternal Health Week at the Knoxville Black Maternal Health Conference. You can register at https://knoxvilleblackmaternalhealth.com/ . Healthy and Free Tennessee will be presenting our workshop, “Not Your Pregnancy, Not Your Business: Practical Skills for Pregnancy Decriminalization” at the conference and serving as a vendor. We’ll see you there!
Day On The Hill
Now is the season for sowing seeds to be healthy and free with our annual Healthy & Free Tennessee’s Day on the Hill!
This is a two-day event dedicated to rooting ourselves in our mission to grow our families and plant the seeds of change for a better future.
We’ll engage with reproductive justice warriors, interact with legislators about proposed legislation, and ground ourselves in working to make sure all Tennesseans have access to the support systems needed to determine their reproductive futures, while also fighting against laws that criminalize pregnancy, parenting, and poverty.
March 25 : Online Lobbying 101 Training
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CST (register on Zoom)
March 26 : In-Person Day on the Hill
8:30 AM - 3 PM CST at Cordell Hull, 425 Rep. John Lewis Way N
Register here!
Whether you're new to advocacy or a seasoned voice for change, this event is for YOU.
Toolkits are provided, and you’re welcome to join as much or as little as you can.
Save the date, register now, and spread the word.
For questions email Alayna at events@healthyandfreetn.org
Memphis Day of Action
Join Healthy and Free Tennessee, ACLU-TN, CHOICES, and AWAKE for a Day of Action in Memphis!
Join the Tennessee Repro Coalition on Saturday, March 22 for a day of action, empowerment and advocacy skill-building! Advocates from across the state will come together in Memphis to create community and build power to stop legislative attacks on reproductive health care – from efforts to criminalize birth control and IVF, to attacks on medication abortion, and more – and we want you there!
Tennessee Reproductive Justice Coalition’s Memphis Day of Action
Saturday, March 22 | 11 am CT – 3 pm CT
Midtown Memphis (location to be shared with event registrants)
RSVP REQUIRED
Volunteers, community partners, and bodily autonomy advocates like you will connect with and learn from reproductive justice experts and organizations from across Tennessee, who will answer your questions about bills currently moving through the TGA that could further restrict our access to health care and infringe on our ability to make our own choices for our bodies, our families, and our lives. We will share stories about the impact of these attacks, and work together to train and mobilize our supporters to take meaningful action together.
Now, more than ever, it is critical that we come together to share space, build community, and harness and wield our collective power to make our voices heard by state lawmakers who seek to control our bodies and our choices. Join us to learn how you can hone your advocacy skills and get involved in the movement to expand reproductive justice in Tennessee. We hope to see you there!
Lunch and snacks will be provided. Pre-registration is required. For safety, the exact location details of the event space (which is located in Midtown Memphis) will be provided to verified event registrants before the event.”
The Personal Impact of Maternal Morbidity
Join us on Instagram @HealthyFreeTN as HFTN Executive Director, Briana Perry joins her sister, Tiffany Matthews, for a discussion on the personal impacts of Tennessee’s structural maternal health issues.
Poverty is NOT Neglect Virtual Teach-In
Join Healthy and Free Tennessee for our FREE Poverty is NOT Neglect Virtual Teach-In! This session will break down our proposed bill to redefine child neglect to exclude poverty, explain why it’s crucial, and equip you with the tools to advocate for change. Together, we can ensure No Family is Torn Apart Due to Poverty.
Repro Justice Legislative Lounge
Join us at our 2025 Repro Justice Legislative Lounge (and Rebrand Launch event) on Thursday February 6th 6-7pm CT/ 7-8pm ET. This year, we're going virtual, so everyone can join in on the fun! We'll discuss our legislative priorities, debut our new look, and answer your burning RJ policy questions.
Event One (Copy)
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event One
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Two (Copy)
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Event Two
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.