What do women of color in underserved communities need to achieve equal access to healthcare related to family planning and childbirth?

What role can society play in closing the gap on health disparities and economic inequities?

The Women's Fund of Hawai'i, a grant-making foundation dedicated to supporting women and girls in Hawai'i, is launching a Fertile Grounds for Reproductive Justice campaign to address these issues with a fund-raiser featuring national legal expert and author Dorothy Roberts, Thursday at Downtown restaurant, 250 S. Hotel St., in the Hawai'i State Art Museum.

Roberts, a graduate of Harvard Law School, is a professor at Northwestern University Law School.

She is the author of "Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty," which received a 1998 Myers Center Award for the Study of Human Rights in North America, and "Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare," which received research awards from the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community and the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

In her writings and at the Women's Fund event, Roberts reflects on historical forces such as colonization, occupation and slavery, and their impact on women's rights and women's access to healthcare.

Her interest: how women have crossed divides of race and class to advocate for access, equity and diverse leadership.

In the author's view, providing resources and creating leadership opportunities to bolster women's rights and women's choices in marginalized communities raises standards overall.

The Women's Fund of Hawai'i is breaking new ground with the campaign, members said.

"In Hawai'i, land — or 'aina — is central to everything. If we want to foster healthy communities, we need to make connections with the wellness of women's bodies, access to reproductive health, and the social-political and actual physical landscape that we co-inhabit," said Grace Alvaro Caligtan, member of the Women's Fund of Hawai'i program committee. This is among the goals of the campaign.

The Catalyst Fund of the Tides Foundation has pledged a $100,000 matching grant, available to match local donations dollar for dollar.

The Catalyst Fund was created by a national group of 15 foundations to address the shortage of funding for women who experience the greatest health disparities in access to care.

Roberts is first to headline a series of fundraising events for the Women's Fund of Hawai'i to raise the $100,000 challenge match. All contributions from Thursday's event will be matched by the foundation.

Organizers said the money raised will go toward building leadership capacity at organizations led by women of color that address various facets of reproductive women's health and wellness. The ultimate recipients of funds from the local campaign are still under consideration.

Fertile Grounds

Women's Fund of Hawai'i fundraiser: Fertile Grounds for Reproductive Justice campaign, featuring guest speaker Dorothy Roberts

5:30-8 p.m. Thursday

Downtown @ the HiSAM

Tickets: $75, includes special dinner menu by chef Ed Kenney

Details: 954-9653