CADEM and PPAC Host Community Gathering in Support of Abortion Rights
May 27, 2022
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Mayor Robert Garcia and Councilmember Sasha Renée Pérez Join CADEM & Planned Parenthood in Support of Abortion Rights
Long Beach Marked Final Stop on “Powered By Pink” Bus Tour
In case you missed it, the California Democratic Party (CADEM) and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) hosted a joint community gathering and volunteer mobilization event with top California leaders in Long Beach on Wednesday night at the Long Beach Convention Center (photos available upon request).
The event was the final stop on the “Powered by Pink” bus tour, highlighting California’s leadership in protecting and expanding access to abortion services, the attacks happening across the country, and how Californians can take action right now and in the near future to continue to build upon California’s “Reproductive Freedom state” status.
“Reproductive rights are under attack,” said California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks. “A few weeks ago, the unprecedented revelation from the Supreme Court led all of us to feelings of anger and frustration. Organizations, elected officials, and activists across the nation have united to fight back against those that don’t believe individuals should have the right to an abortion. In California, we are mobilizing voters across the state to push back against these backwards policies and those officials who want to take away choice. There is important work to do between now and the primary to make our voices heard.”
In 2022, CADEM adopted its most pro-abortion party platform and took on the stigma surrounding abortion services. The platform now includes “an individual’s right to abortion.”
“In this moment of crisis, California is able to meet the moment thanks to year after year electing champions of abortion rights and leaders who listen to experts and then take crucial action,” said Jodi Hicks, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “Millions of people are already looking to California to be a beacon of hope and be their access point to abortion care. It is going to take every single one of us to step up and take action – legislative leaders passing bills not just protecting abortion services but expanding access, corporations taking action to protect their employees, and individuals donating, volunteering, having conversations, and of course voting in every single election for every single office.”
According to the Guttmacher Institute, more than half the states across the country are set to immediately, or very quickly, outright ban access to abortion when the U.S. Supreme Court announces its decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the court case directly challenging Roe v Wade and very likely to completely take away the right to abortion established nearly 50 years ago.
Running on protecting and expanding access to abortion is not just the right thing to do to ensure people are able to access the essential health care they need, when they need it, and where they need it, but it is also a winning message on the campaign trail. Polling has shown Californians want their elected officials to take proactive measures regarding abortion rights. Most recently, Governor Gavin Newsom crushed the failed Republican-led recall attempt by making his record as a champion of reproductive rights and abortion access a focal point of his campaign last fall.
This November, access to abortion will once again be on the ballot. For California to continue to be a “Reproductive Freedom state” as declared by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019, it will be crucial for Californians to turnout and elected and re-elect champions of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. That includes supporting the likely ballot initiative to add a constitutional amendment explicitly protecting access to abortion to the California State Constitution.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Brandon Richards, Director of Communications
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
Shery Yang, Director of Communications
California Democratic Party