Crisis pregnancy centers are predatory institutions that disguise themselves as well-intentioned reproductive health resource centers, but which in reality push anti-abortion sentiments onto their patients and provide paltry healthcare services.

Sorcha Lona from UMN Students for a Democratic Society pointed out that “despite its name, its positioning as a care provider, and its location only a mile from campus, the intent is clear: to take advantage of vulnerable people in life-altering scenarios and to push them away from the safe and responsible decision to terminate a pregnancy.”

Montana Hirsch from the Minnesota Abortion Action Coalition highlighted how people’s movements make up the core of the fight for women’s and reproductive justice since Democratic Party leadership has proven to be useless in making progressive changes. Hirsch reminded us that although the state of Minnesota reelected democrat Tim Walz as governor over his republican opponent Scott Jensen, “the fight is far from over. Walz is still funding fake clinics like First Care. He has not taken action to fund more abortion clinics across the state. Instead, he has asked for our votes, our donations, and support while consistently acting to squash people’s movements.”

Other speakers included Sasmit Rahman from Students for a Democratic Society, Sara from Students for Reproductive Freedom, CJ from Climate Justice Committee, and David Gilbert-Pederson from Minnesota Workers United.

Students for a Democratic Society closed out the action by inviting anyone who wants to help build the fight for increased abortion access and other facets of women’s and reproductive rights on campus to join them in their meetings on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in 112 Folwell Hall.

#MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #PeoplesStruggles #UMNStudentsForADemocraticSociety #AbortionRights #MinnesotaAbortionActionCoalitionMNAAC

Saint Paul, MN – On September 16, the newly formed Minnesota Abortion Action Coalition (MNAAC) held its second action outside of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s residence. MNAAC demanded that state officials put an end to state funding for crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) and other manipulative, anti-abortion organizations throughout the state. Since 2005, the state of Minnesota has spent $3.4 million per year on CPCs.

CPCs are “clinics” that claim to offer medical services for pregnant individuals, yet they rarely have any trained medical professionals on staff. CPCs offer misleading or simply false medical information regarding birth control, sexual health and abortion – while using religiously-charged propaganda to manipulate vulnerable individuals out of having an abortion. In Minnesota, crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion clinics 11 to 1, a major discrepancy, especially considering Minnesota’s new role as a “sanctuary state” for out-of-state people looking for safe reproductive medical services since the overturning of Roe v Wade.

Despite rainy weather, about 40 Minnesota residents stood outside Walz’s home holding signs that read, “Fund abortion not fake clinics” and “Say no to state funds for crisis pregnancy centers.” Emcee Olivia Crull began the rally by chanting, “When abortion rights are under attack, what do we do?” The crowd enthusiastically answered, “Stand up, fight back!” Cars driving by honked in support as speeches began.

MNAAC invited speakers from across Twin Cities movements to speak. Katherine Gould from Climate Justice Committee spoke about the way climate justice intersects with the many other progressive movements in the Twin Cities. She illustrated the ways that oppressed nationality, immigrant and working-class individuals bear the brunt of climate change, due to environmental racism and class oppression. Environmental problems cause significantly higher health problems in these populations, and this makes healthcare in general, including reproductive healthcare, so critical to these oppressed groups.

Celia Nimz, a representative of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, brought up the fact that, as one of the few states in the Midwest that still protects abortion access, Minnesota should be pushing funds into expanding reproductive access in the state. Nimz stated, “Crisis pregnancy centers are at the center of this, as they take state funding that should go to abortion.”

Linden Gawboy of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar Clark, Ren Wischmann from Students for a Democratic Society, and David Gilbert Pederson of Minnesota Workers United also spoke in support of an end to state funding for CPCs. In addition to the groups speaking, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) also endorsed this rally.

Ashley Taylor-Gougé of the Anti-War Committee declared, “Anti-war outrage ended the draft in 1973, and the Supreme Court made the Roe v. Wade decision that same year. We did not win those battles peacefully, and we didn't win them with just one action. Without boots on the ground, there would have been no pressure to make real change. When our lives are on the line, we must fight.”

MNAAC’s next public event will be new members meeting on Wednesday, September 28 at 5:30 p.m. at 4200 Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis. At that meeting, MNAAC members will plan future protests and actions for abortion rights.

#SaintPaulMN #PeoplesStruggles #AbortionRights #MinnesotaAbortionActionCoalitionMNAAC

Minneapolis, MN – Chants of “When abortion rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” could be heard up and down Chicago Avenue and 41st Streets in South Minneapolis on Thursday, August 18, as 40 protesters gathered outside the Tandem Family Resource Center – one of Minnesota’s now-infamous “crisis pregnancy centers” – for a rally for women’s and reproductive rights. The action was organized by the newly formed Minnesota Abortion Action Coalition (MNAAC) to demand an end to state funding for Tandem and other “crisis pregnancy centers” like it.

A chorus of honks greeted the protest, many drivers raising their fists in support, some local residents passing by voiced their support for the action and thanked the demonstrators for being there. Signs dotted the crowd, and several protestors wore buttons and held signs with slogans like “Fund abortion, not fake clinics.” After several volleys of chants, the emcees introduced the first speakers and the action got underway.

Speaking for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition, Montana Hirsch made clear that the struggle for immigrant rights and access to abortion are inseparable, also pointing out that “Crisis pregnancy centers like Tandem that exist in close proximity to a largely Spanish-speaking immigrant community are intentionally deceptive, not only to English speakers but even more so to those who are not native English speakers.”

David Gilbert-Pederson, speaking for MN Workers United, outlined the evident connection between the working-class struggle and the fight for women’s and reproductive rights, explaining that abortion bans are only bans for working and oppressed people, while the wealthy carry on with business as usual.

Olivia Crull of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization echoed that sentiment, explaining, “The only reason why we have these rights is because they were fought for and won through struggle in the streets” and outlined the need for a united struggle: “We need a united fight- we need a fight that includes women, that includes trans folks, that includes non-binary folks because we need to recognize that our struggles come from the same source.”

Other speakers included Sarah Olson of Women Against Military Madness, Gillian Rath from Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota, Jaelynne Palmer of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, and Tracy Molm of the Climate Justice Committee. Speakers urged people to call in to the governor’s office to demand an end to state funding for these centers and funding for actual abortion clinics and health care. Flyers with call-in details were handed out.

In its points of unity, MNAAC describes these crisis pregnancy centers as “Organizations that use misleading naming and advertising to appeal to those seeking abortion, only to instead persuade them to seek other options. The anti-abortion ideology of these centers takes priority over the well-being of the pregnant people seeking care at these centers, causing them to not receive comprehensive, accurate, evidence-based clinical information about all available options.”

As for state funding of these clinics, “In Minnesota alone, $3.4 million in state dollars goes to crisis pregnancy centers every year. We demand that Minnesota and all other U.S. states cease funding these misleading and ideologically motivated anti-abortion centers.” After the protest and call-in campaign, the Minnesota Attorney General issued a consumer warning for these centers, but the Walz administration as a whole has yet to act on these demands.

In the end, with the upsurge nationwide and locally in protests to defend women’s and reproductive rights in the wake of the Dobbs decision and the floodgate of attacks on abortion it opened, it is clear that people are ready and willing to take to the streets and fight back.

The Minnesota Abortion Action Coalition was founded in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade and the mass protests which followed, including a 10,000-strong march led by the University of MN Chapter of Students for a Democratic Society. They, along with the Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, and other organizations came together to create a coalition to further the struggle to defend and expand women’s and reproductive rights in the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota overall. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and subscribe to their newsletter on website mnaac.org to keep up to date on their latest actions.

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