Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Marks 49th Anniversary of Roe v Wade; Launches Statewide “Say Abortion” Campaign
January 22, 2022
Brandon Richards, Director of Communications
[email protected]
SACRAMENTO—Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) marked the 49th anniversary of Roe v Wade—the Supreme Court case establishing the constitutional right to abortion—and announced the launch of PPAC’s ongoing campaign “Say Abortion” during a live-streamed virtual event today featuring elected officials and advocates. The “Say Abortion” campaign will focus on storytellers, the importance of storytelling in the fight for reproductive rights, and work to fight the stigma currently around abortion.
“As we mark the 49th anniversary, we not only recognize how far we’ve come—particurarly in California—but know we have so much farther to go in the fight to secure access to abortion for all,” said Jodi Hicks, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. “While the constitutional right to abortion has been around for nearly 50 years, that right has not been accessible for so many – specifically Black, Brown, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with lower incomes, and people living in more rural areas. That is true in every state, and why progress will continue to be made here in California, particularly as more and more people look to our state as a beacon of hope and haven for care.”
To continue to fight for abortion rights and access, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California is launching its statewide “Say Abortion” campaign. The campaign will center storytellers and encourage people to share their story (abortion or abortion adjacent, including stories from abortion providers, doulas, clinic escorts), a tactic that has been central to the reproductive health, rights, and justice movements for decades. The campaign will also serve as an educational platform to fight the stigma currently existing both around abortion care and the word abortion. Included in the launch is a new landing page with specific actions people can take to be part of the fight to protect and expand abortion rights, including a place to share their story.
“In California, we are fortunate to have leaders from the Governor to city leaders who are unafraid to ‘Say Abortion,’ but too often a vocal, and sometimes violent, minority have controlled the conversation and the words we use to protect and fight for our rights,” Hicks continued. “We encourage everyone to say the word ‘abortion’ when talking about the constitutional right currently on-the-line before the Supreme Court. We know that one of the best ways to fight stigma around abortion is to talk about it, to say the word abortion.”
The “Say Abortion” campaign will last throughout the year and be a feature of many legislative, electoral, and public facing conversations, events, and advocacy efforts by Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.
The virtual event held in honor of the 49th Anniversary of Roe v Wade included appearances by Governor Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Representative Katie Porter, California Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, We Testify Executive Director Renee Bracy Sherman, ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE Executive Director Jessica Pinckney, Black Women for Wellness Action Project Executive Director Nourbese Flint, California Latinas for Reproductive Justice Executive Director Laura Jimenez, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Sheila Kuehl, Planned Parenthood storyteller Crystal Harding and Planned Parenthood pre-Roe storyteller Pam Wright, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles President and CEO Sue Dunlap, and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California President and CEO Jodi Hicks. A recording of the event can be viewed here.
For more information on the history of Roe v Wade and what’s at stake visit: Roe v. Wade at Risk: Nationwide Legal Abortion May Be a Thing of the Past
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Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) is the state public policy office representing California’s seven separately incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates. Through advocacy and electoral action, PPAC promotes sound public policy in areas of sexual and reproductive health care and sex education.