A Weekend full of Advocacy, Organizing, and Support for Prop 1 (New York Equal Rights Amendment)

During the weekend of July 12th, sixty PPGNY Action Fund youth advocates, supporters, and canvassing leaders knocked on doors in key regions across the state and asked their neighbors and fellow New Yorkers to join them in supporting Prop 1  (The New York Equal Rights Amendment) come November. They showed up and showed out to let the people know that we all deserve the freedom to control our own bodies, lives, and futures, but that right now, our protections fall woefully short and our state’s constitution doesn’t protect all of us – for example, pregnant people, women, LGBTQIA+ people, those with disabilities, older adults, and those from different countries and cultures.  

This Weekend of Action was part of a larger movement to gather support and galvanize other states across the country to amend their constitution to protect citizens more robustly through state Prop 1 (ERA). By embedding Prop 1, also known as NY ERA, into our state’s constitution, we could set the stage for the national fight to guarantee abortion rights nationwide and build a more equitable society for all. Prop 1 would explicitly prohibit discrimination by the government based on a person's ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex – including sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression – in addition to pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.  

Through coordinated canvassing, PPGNY Action Fund volunteers and their communities let New Yorkers know the future of our reproductive rights is in their hands on November 5th - by voting YES for Prop 1 we will ensure our reproductive freedom is permanently protected no matter who is in office. Below are the takeaways from some of our canvassing leaders and PPGNY Action Fund team members.

Elise Benusa – PPGNY Action Fund Government Relations Manager  

I had such a fun time canvassing at one of our Weekend of Action events in Queens. The volunteers in Jackson Heights were energetic, confident, and knowledgeable, which made my canvassing experience a fun and easy one.  

I generally have an outgoing personality, but I still get nervous canvassing because you never know how people are going to react when a stranger knocks on their door. To my surprise, I was comforted by every person we interacted with due to their support and care about abortion access. I heard a person say he proudly believes in abortion rights and another person thanking us for all the work we do. These interactions are a good reminder that we are not isolated, that most people care about protecting abortion care and that folks across New York want to get involved and learn about our work. I can confidently say that it was a good day and that canvassing with young people who are so energetic about our reproductive freedom gives me hope for the future. 

Loriel Sanchez – PPGNY Action Fund BIPOC Organizing Coordinator 

I got the chance to canvass with three volunteers in Inwood, New York which is a historical POC neighborhood on the northern tip of Manhattan. When we first started knocking on doors the sense of nerves was apparent – for all of us, this was our first-time canvassing – but we quickly got the hang of it and the more doors we hit, the more confidence we gained. Though canvassing in NYC has its own challenges due to lack of elevators and accessible air conditioning, everyone made us feel welcome and safe, and our accessibility needs were met by the community. The very first door we knocked on not only gave us a concrete YES for Prop 1 but thanked us for our work and offered us water and asked if we needed to use the bathroom. Having such a first positive interaction gave us the energy we needed to keep going, and now I can attest that all the youth who volunteer with me are eager to reach more BIPOC communities across the city to garner support for Prop 1. 

Shelby Hafner – PPGNY Action Fund Government Relations Associate

Canvassing in Johnstown was a completely new experience for me. This is a part of the state that I have never visited before, but being there and seeing the kindness of the people and the vastness of the land made me think of how vital rural communities are for the work we do in the reproductive health and justice field. I went to canvass with my sister-in-law and despite it being her first time Canvassing, she had a good time and felt confident talking about Prop 1. One of my favorite interactions was with a librarian who had signed up to volunteer with us that day but couldn't make it because of work. Once she realized I had contacted her about volunteer opportunities, she emailed me back expressing interest and wanting to expand the work because as she put it “I just want to help people”. Even within the few dismissal words we got, everyone in Johnson town was kind, welcoming and respectful of our work.

Caitlin Hunter – PPGNY Action Fund Community Organizer  

What I enjoy the most about canvassing in my own community is how many of my past students and former collaborators I got to run into. I got the chance to canvass in Trumansburg with four other volunteers, including a mom. I am so proud to say that all the people who volunteer with me refer to this as some of the best canvassing experience they've ever had and everyone is willing to do whatever it takes – including canvassing every weekend in the deadly heat – to move Prop 1 forward and embed it into our states constitution come November.   

All the interactions we had with the community were positive and more than one person offered us lemonade and a glass of water. Not one single person expressed dismissal, and to my surprise, a lot of people already knew what Prop 1 is and the language around it. Knocking on doors this weekend reminded me that the whole point of canvassing within a community you know, is that you’re having conversations with people who know you and are willing to trust that you have their best interest in mind.  

Kayele Arnold – PPGNY Action Fund Campus Organizing Coordinator

This Weekend of Action was a great experience and opportunity for me to engage New Yorkers around something I care deeply about, which is the passage of Prop 1 (ERA). While many people we spoke with were not aware of Prop 1 or it being on the ballot in November, once they had an understanding of what it was and its implications, they were all in. Receiving such positive engagement was a testament to what we know to be true - New Yorkers support equality and want to see people protected from discrimination, especially as it relates to reproductive healthcare and bodily autonomy. Our canvassing volunteers were incredible, energetic, and eager to move this ballot initiative forward toward victory and I couldn’t have asked for a better team to do this with on the grounds of Washinton Square Park in Manhattan.  

There has never been a better opportunity for us — the voters — to vote YES on Prop 1(ERA) and to ensure that no New Yorker is ever discriminated against by the government, and that our reproductive freedom is enshrined in law come November. By embedding Prop 1 into our state’s constitution, we could set the stage for the national fight to guarantee abortion rights nationwide and build a far more equitable society for all. Sign up here to learn more and to get updates from PPGNY Action Fund about joining the campaign for Prop 1!