2021 was a busy year for Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest. Learn more about our work over the past year:
Recall election
- Alongside Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and our sibling affiliates up and down the state, we successfully campaigned to ensure Californians voted no on the recall election and kept Governor Newsom, a strong champion for reproductive rights and health care access, in office. At a time when we are facing unprecedented threats to abortion access and rights in decades, is more important than ever for California to lead the way as a reproductive freedom state. We look forward to continuing to work with Governor Newsom, his administration, legislative leaders, and other allied organizations to fight for health equity and reproductive freedom for all.
State budget wins
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We worked to secure funding for several of our priorities in the 2021-2022 state budget. Here are some of the investments that we are especially proud of:
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Proposition 56: Continues supplemental payments for physicians, women’s health services, family planning, and other allocations without suspension dates—investing tens of millions in Medi-Cal.
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Investment in the Future of Reproductive Rights: $5 million one-time allocation to assist in the establishment of the Institute on Reproductive Health, Law & Policy at the UCLA School of Law.
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Forced or Involuntary Sterilization Reparations: $7.5 million dollars for funding for reparation payments to eligible survivors and other related costs of the Forced Sterilization Compensation Program.
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Transgender Wellness & Equity Fund: $13 million to the California Department of Public Health for the Transgender Wellness & Equity Fund.
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Training future candidates
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In July 2021, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest, Inland Empire United, the Inland Empire Leadership PAC, and California Environmental Voters, launched the Inland Empire Justice Leadership Academy, which identifies, trains, and supports community members and leaders—specifically progressive women, Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and people of color—to run for office and/or manage winning electoral campaigns. The first cohort launched in July 2021 and regularly meets once a month. It is offered to a select group of local leaders and trains them on everything they need to know to run, manage, and win a grassroots, values-based campaign—at no cost to the participants.
Doula program
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We are proud to have led an effort along with community partners and the Invest in San Diego Families Coalition (ISDF) to establish a doula pilot program for San Diego County. This program will expand access to doulas for people across the country in an effort to support better birth outcomes and fight against maternal health disparities. As we know, Black and Indigenous/Native women are 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Doulas can significantly improve health outcomes, decrease the amount of C-sections, and lower the rate of epidural and pain medication used. We are grateful that this pilot program has been adopted and are excited to see how access to doula care will increase in the county.
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Through ISDF we also helped to successfully lobby the County of San Diego and secure funding for an Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement, Youth Environment & Recreation Corp, and Legal Defense Aid for Immigrants and Refugees.
Menstrual equity
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Last year, through our work with ISDF, we were able to lobby the County of San Diego to set aside funds for a menstrual health equity program. In May of this year, we were proud to stand with County of San Diego Vice Chair Nora Vargas, Youth Will, and other partners at the launch of the pilot program: Free4ME. Through the program the County installed 57 free menstrual product dispensers in 23 County-owned facilities across the region including libraries, Family Resource Centers and Community Centers.
We are proud of our efforts to help improve the communities we serve and look forward to continuing this work.
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