This report grew out of a convening by Generations Ahead of 21 women of color and indigenous women leaders from across the U.S. for two days during September 2008 to discuss public debate and policies related to genetic technologies. Broken down into six sections, the report examines the impact genetic technologies would have on various communities, documents the discussion about specific technologies through five case studies, provides recommendations for next steps, and gives an example of how this work draws from shared values and principles. Some of the shared values identified by participants were family, parenting, spirituality and community. Sections 5 and 6 conclude with a report of the participants and their organizations. It emphasizes the perspective that genetic technologies are usually driven by “profit, privatization and individualism” and offers a set of values that are “not ideological but objective.”
Researchers, scholars, activists, and ART service providers could learn from this report, which captures the input and perspectives of five groups of women at the convening: African Americans, Asian Pacific Islanders, Latinas, Native Americans, and those with disabilities. It reflects the participants’ views on prenatal testing, reproductive tourism, DNA collection for research, genetic determinism of breast cancer, and DNA collection for forensics.