Milwaukee, WI – On Saturday, June 22, around 40 people gathered in the rain to bring attention to the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision voted on by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ended federal abortion protections.

Co-sponsored by Reproductive Justice Action – Milwaukee (RJAM) and the Coalition to March on the RNC, the crowd gathered for several riveting speeches from members of the community, and marched on the Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention is set to happen in a few weeks’ time.

“​​Some of the most corrupt and evil people in this system, responsible for all anti-abortion bills and laws, the Republicans, are coming to Milwaukee in less than three weeks. We must stand up to them as a community and let them know that their racist and reactionary agenda is not welcome here,” remarked Blake Jones, for RJAM.

Maya Seshan, a member of Medical Students for Choice – Medical College of Wisconsin, noted the difficulties doctors have been facing in this climate. “Since the Dobbs decision, physicians across this country have been put in an impossibly challenging place, where they must navigate how to provide life-saving care, when they can be prosecuted.”

“Over the last two years, we have been fighting militantly to protect abortion access and for safe and sustainable communities for all,” said Carly Klein, outreach co-chair for RJA-M. The demands at the march were: Unrestricted access to abortion (no mandatory waiting periods, the right to telehealth services, abortion access beyond 22 weeks, access to abortion pills free of barriers) and free and equitable healthcare for all.

Cady Petralia, outreach co-chair of RJA-M, also spoke about the upcoming Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) cases that the Supreme Court will make decisions on soon. EMTALA is a law that allows abortions and other medical instances to be performed under an emergency, regardless of if the procedure is legal in the state or not. “This could lead to even more disastrous effects on reproductive justice in the U.S.,” Petralia noted.

The event ended with a speech by Aurelia Ceja, co-chair of the Coalition to March on the RNC. They spoke about the importance of showing up to fight against the racist and reactionary agenda of the Republican party, stating, “Our bodies and our lives are not to be used as political pawns for votes, and we will be there to tell the Republicans that we’ve had enough.”

Despite the fallbacks in the past two years, the group left with optimism, determined to not let the Republicans take away any more of our reproductive rights. The crowd ended with the chant, “On July 15, where will we be? In sight and sound of the RNC!”

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