The Quickie: New From The 19th*: 'You Represent Us' — What It's Like to Lobby for Abortion Rights from A Red State
For Immediate Release: June 21, 2024
Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.
In today’s Quickie: PP Action Fund lobby day feature and Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights submit signatures.
NEW FROM THE 19TH*: ‘YOU REPRESENT US’ - WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LOBBY FOR ABORTION RIGHTS FROM A RED STATE: Last week, Planned Parenthood Action Fund patient advocates from across the country visited Capitol Hill to meet with their members of Congress and their staff about the importance of protecting and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care. In this in-depth feature story in The 19th*, patient advocates Elizabeth Feldmanm from Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Yolenna Regmi from Papillon, Nebraska, and Lacey Layne from Fort Mill, South Carolina, spoke to their experiences sharing their stories with their republican representatives.
“I just want them to know that we’re out here, and we’re going to keep showing up…And whether you like it or not, you represent us,” said Feldman.
“I think that people shouldn’t be scared to say what they believe in, when you never know who’s listening…You never know what opportunities are going to come to your door if you just say your values and speak up for people,” said Regmi.
Read more from The 19th* here and in Spanish here.
MONTANANS SECURING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS SUBMIT BALLOT INITIATIVE SIGNATURES: Today, the campaign to enshrine abortion rights in the Montana constitution, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, will submit their petition signatures — clearing a major milestone to putting the initiative on the ballot.
Join Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights for a virtual press conference this afternoon, at 2:00 MT / 4:00 ET, to learn more about this initiative and the historic signature gathering effort. Register HERE to attend.
Speakers at the press conference will include Dr. Nora Gerrity, retired pediatrician and MSRR volunteer; Akilah Deernose, executive director of ACLU of Montana; Taryn Van Steeland, reproductive rights organizer at Forward Montana; and Martha Fuller, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana.