Sistahs Talkin' Back
You Strike a Woman, You Strike a Rock
The fight against sexism and misogyny has been central to the Organization for Black Struggle's vision against all forms of oppression and economic exploitation. OBS is against all forms of violence against women. The organization has always given support to its female members and supporters who were victims of domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and any form of sexual discrimination. In 1998, OBS women saw the need to deepen their understanding of the conditions working-class Black women face. They organized themselves into Sistahs Talkin' Back, the women's unit of OBS. The name came from a title of a writing by Black feminist, bell hooks.
Women's Rights and Black Women
"Black women's experiences, voices, and bodies will be respected." If we don't fight for ourselves, no one will.
The Communiversity is a Black worker–centered educational institution dedicated to building organizing power through political education. In 2025, it launched a webinar series focused on Black women and key areas of struggle.
The 2018 Women’s March for Truth was part of a national movement to unite against Trump's policies and to build a feminist movement to end sexual exploitation and oppression.
SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective is a network of Women of Color organizations that work to improve institutional policies and systems affecting the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. OBS women joined SisterSong in the Trust Black Women campaign.
Hosted by Sistahs Talkin' Back, the women's unit of OBS, the "Affirmations!" annual program creates a safe space for learning, sharing, and networking among women.
Sistahs Talkin' Back hosted Aishah Shahidah Simmons' "NO! The Rape Documentary" as part of the 2024 “Affirmations!” program. The cutting-edge documentary was part of a local campaign in 1994 to raise awareness about rape in the Black community.
Community leaders and reproductive rights activists condemned this anti-abortion billboard campaign, arguing that the campaign stigmatizes Black women while ignoring systemic healthcare issues for Black women and their families.
St. Louis activists protested at a R. Kelly concert, demanding justice for the women victimized by Kelly and rejecting systems that silence Black women.
