Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund Endorses Denise Hurst for State Representative of the 9th Hampden District
For Immediate Release: Aug. 12, 2020
The Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts has endorsed Denise Hurst to represent the people of the 9th Hampden District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. As an elected leader and advocate, Hurst has fiercely championed proactive policies that address health inequities, affirm reproductive rights, and improve the health and wellbeing of her community.
Denise is a proven leader in the fight for reproductive rights and health care access. She knows what it takes to make sure all people can access sex education, birth control, and safe, legal abortion, no matter who they are or where they live. She will bring her vast experience to Beacon Hill and hit the ground running for the people of Springfield and Chicopee. For the past four years, Trump and his anti-abortion cronies have been devising schemes to deny people care and harm our communities. Now more than ever, we need bold, local champions who will dismantle barriers to care and make reproductive freedom a reality in our state.
Dr. Jen Childs-Roshak, PPAF President
As a Commissioner for the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women and a Commissioner Emerita, Hurst has worked in partnership with the Advocacy Fund on a number of shared legislative priorities, including a law guaranteeing no-copay birth control for Massachusetts residents and a bill protecting young people from dangerous abstinence-only sex education programs. Hurst continues to advocate for the ROE Act, which will dismantle medically unnecessary barriers to safe, legal abortion that disproportionately harm people of color and people with low incomes.
Hurst’s demonstrated commitment to empowering young people with the information and support they need to make healthy decisions traces back to her early tenure as a Springfield School Committee member. In this role she successfully advocated to update Springfield’s Health Curriculum and include sex education in this new curriculum.
In addition to the 9th Hampden District race, PPAF is deeply investing in several races in the 2020 election. Despite the physical restrictions imposed by COVID-19, PPAF’s field team is mobilizing grassroots supporters through phone banks and virtual events. Leading up to Election Day, PPAF volunteers will educate voters about candidates’ positions and how to vote safely.
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The Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts (PPAF) is the advocacy and political arm of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts (PPLM). Formed in 1984, PPAF believes that working within the political process is critical to advancing PPLM’s mission to increase access to sexual and reproductive health services and comprehensive sexuality education for women, men, and families across Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.pplmvotes.org.