Milwaukee, WI – Community members gathered for a screening of Preconceived on April 12 to learn about the dangers of crisis pregnancy centers.

Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee (RJAM) hosted a screening of the documentary followed by a discussion as a part of their Crisis Pregnancy Centers Out of MKE campaign.

Crisis pregnancy centers are also known as unregulated pregnancy centers or fake abortion clinics. Crisis pregnancy centers are clinics in buildings or mobile vans which claim to be reproductive health clinics but are actually run by anti-abortion activists who trick pregnant people seeking abortions into keeping their pregnancy, using deceitful means. Currently there are 50-plus crisis pregnancy centers in Wisconsin and only five legitimate clinics offering abortion care.

With promises of financial and community support for keeping the baby, the CPCs are able to draw in pregnant women before promptly abandoning the new parent and baby once the child is born.

These “clinics” are strategically placed next to Planned Parenthood locations, in predominantly Black, Chicano and low-income communities. One of the anti-abortion activists interviewed in the documentary brags about specifically targeting Vietnamese and indigenous communities.

In addition to strategic placement, CPCs use religious imagery, language, and shame to convince people to either avoid or “reverse” an abortion. CPCs will give progesterone to “reverse” an abortion pill regime. When this procedure was being researched the entire program was halted due to the danger to participants. Real doctors and medical professionals would not recommend this course of action to a patient.

The showing of Preconceived is just one part of RJAM’s CPCs Out of MKE campaign. Using direct action, RJAM works to bring attention to and educate community members on crisis pregnancy centers and the harm they cause to reproductive health.

RJAM shut down Alliance Family Services early on their opening day in 2025. RJAM is currently supporting the Stopping Abuse, Fraud, and Exploitation by Governing Unauthorized Access to Reproductive Data (SAFEGUARD) Act in the Wisconsin state legislature. This act will give patients power to take back control of their private health information from these deceitful CPCs.

Additionally, it will force CPCs to disclose that they are not HIPAA-compliant, to obtain written permission to share data, and to disclose instances of data breach. Visit cpcsoutofmke.com to learn more about how to support reproductive justice work in Wisconsin.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #RJAM

St. Paul, MN – On January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) held a rally for reproductive justice near the Minnesota State Capitol. Pro-abortion, pro-bodily autonomy activists and community members gathered to renew their commitment to fighting for true reproductive justice beyond Roe.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade represents a loss to the reproductive justice movement. MNAAC activists explained that Roe itself was never enough. Although some abortions were made legal by the passage of Roe, it still allowed for gestational age restrictions, waiting periods, disinformation counseling sessions, and other restrictions.

MNAAC member Kristen Bledsoe described that the high cost of healthcare in America itself presents a barrier. “[Roe] still allowed for people to pay exorbitant amounts for this essential health care,” Kristen Bledsoe explained, “[Roe] still allowed for employers to choose whether they wanted insurance plans to cover abortion care, and to choose whether they’d allow sick leave to cover their employees’ appointments and recovery times. Even before the Dobbs decision, there were endless roadblocks for so many people who were trying to access abortion.”

Other groups organizing to enhance abortion access were in attendance. Omi Ifemi, a director at Our Justice, the country’s oldest abortion fund, explained that “Roe was the floor and not the ceiling.” Our Justice provides direct financial and logistical support for people seeking abortion care.

Alissa Washington of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-Sentenced Families Council of Minnesota stated, “This is where we move from listening to action. Fight for people locked away in cages, targeted by ICE, or arrested for protesting. Freedom that excludes the most vulnerable is not freedom at all.”

Hayley Peterson, a board member at Pro-Choice Minnesota said, “Bodily autonomy of course includes access to abortion, but it also includes the ability to go to shops, work, places of worship, and anywhere else without fear of abduction.” Other speakers detailed the reproductive health effects of chemical weapons used by police and ICE to control crowds and the ways that ICE routinely denies access to menstrual health products for detained people.

Zara Anderson, a member of MNAAC, declared that “when we say reproductive justice, we mean the right and ability to have a child, to not have a child, and to parent our children in safe and healthy communities. That’s why we’re fighting to defend and expand women’s and reproductive rights, including full abortion access for all, and that’s why we’re here to demand ICE out of Minnesota.”

Manny Pascual, an organizer with the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and a nurse by trade, demanded an end to immigration raids and deportations, an end to all anti-immigrant laws, and full equality in all areas of life.

Manny Pascual stated, “Reproductive justice and immigrant justice are connected. You can’t have bodily autonomy if people cannot walk into a hospital without fear. You cannot talk about choice if people are hunted for who they are or where they come from. A world where women and queer people are free must be a world where all bodies and people are respected.”

MNAAC is a grassroots, all-volunteer reproductive justice organization that fights for reproductive and trans rights including abortion access, bodily autonomy, and gender-affirming care. Originally formed as a coalition of groups after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, MNAAC maintains that any attempts to limit, ban, or prevent access to abortions are fundamentally attacks on bodily autonomy.

MNAAC organizes to disrupt groups like Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, which claims to be “Minnesota’s largest pro-life organization.” Historically, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life has taken January 22nd as a “day of mourning” due to the passage of Roe v. Wade. MNAAC reclaimed this day as a day of action and renewed commitment to fight for reproductive justice and bodily autonomy for all.

MNAAC continues to organize around abortion access, trans liberation and bodily autonomy for all, including incarcerated people and immigrants. Their next action is planned for March 8, International Women’s Day, where they will take to the streets to demand women’s and reproductive rights. You can follow MNAAC’s work on Instagram and Facebook.

Dan Michael Fielding is a member of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC).

#StPaulMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #RoeVWade

Minneapolis, MN – On Monday, October 13, the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society (UMN SDS) organized an “Abortion is Freedom” protest against an anti-abortion event on campus.

Kristan Hawkins, founder and president of the so-called “pro-life” organization Students for Life, visited the University of Minnesota (UMN) as a part of her Abortion is Oppression Campus Tour.

MNAAC is a grassroots,s reproductive justice organization that fights for abortion access and bodily autonomy. Also committed to reproductive justice, students of UMN SDS previously led a campaign requesting an on-campus abortion clinic and routinely join protests against crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). Both groups shared concern over the objectives of Hawkins’ visit, which were to dissuade young people from having abortions and to mobilize students, such as those involved with UMN’s Students for Life chapter, by spouting misinformation.

Protest speakers brought attention to Hawkins’ false claims about abortions – including that they are extremely dangerous for pregnant people, cause infertility, and contaminate drinking water. Hawkins has also incorrectly stated that abortion restrictions have not led to maternal mortality. During her speech, Kara Cowell, a public health student who specializes in reproductive healthcare, cited that maternal morbidity and mortality is in fact higher in states with abortion restrictions. Cowell referenced reputable sources on health outcomes including the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists and World Health Organization.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #Abortion #MNAAC #ReproductiveRights #SDS #StudentMovement

Milwaukee, WI – Activists with Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee (RJAM), have been showing up consistently throughout the month of September to protest the newly opened Alliance Women's Clinic.

“Places like Alliance want to divert you from accurate and accessible healthcare,” stated a member of RJAM on September 15.

“We believe that no healthcare professional’s religious, moral, or personal opinions affect your abortion care,” continued another RJAM member.

“Our bodies, our lives! Our right to decide!” chanted Catie Petralia, an RJAM member, and followed by an echo of protesters outside of Alliance.

Activists hope to raise awareness about the harm the newly opened clinic can cause. Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee has protested other fake clinics in Milwaukee over the past few years, mainly the Women’s Care Center. RJAM’s Instagram notes that “fake clinics” or “crisis pregnancy centers” operate as healthcare entities that are funded by religious pro-life organizations to manipulate pregnant women into not choosing or receiving life-saving abortion care.

Alliance opened its doors in late August 2025, on the outskirts of West Allis, Wisconsin. RJAM took notice of this after they had protested an Alliance Family Services van in June, which had parked outside of Planned Parenthood in Milwaukee for months. The Alliance agenda, per their website, is anti-abortion centered.

Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee will be continuing to show up to picket Alliance Women’s Clinic “until we kick them out of the city. They are not welcome here!” Stay tuned with Fight Back News to hear more stories about this fight.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #RJAM

Milwaukee, WI – On the afternoon of July 21, activists gathered for a picket outside of a vacant building on the outskirts of West Allis.

“Milwaukee, open your eyes! Fake clinics spread lies!” protesters chanted, as they lined themselves up in front of the building where Alliance Women’s Services was set to have its grand opening.

Alliance Women’s Services is owned by Alliance Family Services, a dedicated anti-abortion organization that operates several crisis pregnancy centers around the Midwest. Crisis pregnancy centers are fake clinics funded by anti-abortion rights organizations, and in some cases, by state funding.

During the picket, Reproductive Justice Action – Milwaukee’s propaganda chair, Carly Klein, exposed Alliance Family Services, “Alliance Health, your names a lie, you don’t care if people die! Make no mistake, this is not a real healthcare provider. This is a fake clinic. They lure women in, with the promise of free ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. But once you’re inside, their true agenda becomes clear. They give misinformation, delay time sensitive care, and pressure people to continue their pregnancies!”

Reproductive Justice Action rallied outside the proposed clinic for about 45 minutes, the building remaining vacant. With no signage or indication that this building would be opening soon, they left a mark for the community by chalking messages on the sidewalk in front. Some messages included, “Fake clinic!” “Abortion is healthcare!” and “Do not enter!”

The activists expressed that they will remain steadfast in fighting against the opening of this new fake clinic and hope to get the community directly impacted involved in the fight as well. Alliance Women’s Clinic still has yet to open their doors.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #Abortion #ReproductiveRights #RJAM

Milwaukee, WI – Around 30 people gathered for a press conference and rally Wednesday, July 2 celebrating a landmark Wisconsin Supreme Court decision that effectively restored abortion access in the state. The court ruled 4-3 in favor that Wisconsin's 1849 law is not an abortion ban. This clarification removes the legal threat the ambiguous law posed to abortion providers since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Due to this, abortion services were paused for 15 months in Wisconsin while the legality was decided by the courts. “This interpretation of an 1849 law confirms what we know is true, abortion is not a crime,” remarked Blake Jones, chair of Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee (RJAM).

“But our fight is far from over,” she continued, “Right now, significant barriers to access still exist. State law enforces a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, paired with a mandatory ultrasound. Telehealth services for abortion care remain illegal, leaving rural Wisconsinites behind.”

While abortion remains legal in the state, enemy forces come into play when it comes to accessing healthcare for women.

Fight Back News previously covered RJAM’s battle against fake clinics, also known as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). “It’s Pro-Life Wisconsin and Wisconsin Right to Life who want to take abortion protections away. They are in our communities funding fake clinics, using deceptive tactics for influencing women to not seek an abortion,” said Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee Propaganda Chair and Freedom Road Socialist member Carly Klein, the emcee of the event.

But Milwaukee will not give up the fight, said Jones, “So we’re calling on every politician and lawmaker: Include us in the fight for reproductive freedom. We the people demand our seat at the table. And to all Wisconsinites, stay activated. If today proves anything, when we fight, we win!”

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #SCOTUS #CPCs #RJAM

Milwaukee, WI – More than 50 people gathered in the sweltering heat on Sunday, June 15, at the North Point Water Tower in Milwaukee, demanding restoration of abortion access after the three-year anniversary of the Dobbs vs. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization decision. This extreme Supreme Court ruling in 2022 removed all federal protections for abortion, leaving the precedent for legality on a state-by-state basis. In turn, the rights to healthcare access are in a gray area everywhere, including Wisconsin.

“There's a lot of confusion for Wisconsinites. We found out there's a lot of people in the public that don't know the current legality of abortion in Wisconsin or that it's even being offered again,” said Blake Jones, chair of Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee (RJAM).

“While abortion is offered in Wisconsin up to 20 weeks, the actual legality of abortion is currently being reviewed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court based on an interpretation of an 1849 law protecting pregnant women from feticide,” remarked Cady Petralia, Outreach Chair of RJAM, “The reactionary Republican Party of Wisconsin has taken the opportunity to use this law as an argument to ban abortion. And of course, the people this affects most are the working class.”

Lo Cross, a member of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, highlighted the connection of abortion rights to police crimes against oppressed communities. “Black and brown women are incarcerated at higher rates for these anti-abortion laws, and it just shows how oppression takes form right before our eyes.”

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS-UWM) and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) also spoke at the rally. “FRSO recognizes the need for a militant grassroots struggle for women’s and reproductive rights, led by the working class and marginalized and oppressed people,” said Carly Klein of FRSO.

After the rally at the North Point Water Tower, people gathered at Zao MKE Church to cool off from the extreme heat and to hear a panel on reproductive justice. Community members offered their perspectives on abortion and how to fight back after audience members submitted insightful questions which sparked great discussion.

Rhen Lutz of FRSO noted, “In response to Trump taking office we have been calling for a large, united front and FRSO aims to be a part of these movements and help build and strengthen them so that we have a winning chance against the acts of terror that we’ve witnessed already.”

“RJAM was formed in a Planned Parenthood parking lot after a group of people gathered the day Roe v. Wade was overturned. Since then, we have been fighting for abortion access through several campaigns, our most recent one being CPCs Out of MKE. RJAM is proof the power is with the people,” said Jones on the panel.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will make a decision any day which will either usher in a new age of reactionary policies for the bodily autonomy of women or provide relief for the abortion providers who have been operating during these uncertain times.

While the people of Wisconsin wait for their fate to access abortion, the people are determined to fight back no matter what the outcome. Abortion laws need to be protected to ensure safe and sustainable communities, and Roe v. Wade was the floor, the bare minimum. Even with federal abortion law protections, there are still many barriers to access healthcare, including a mandatory 24-hour waiting period in Wisconsin.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, May 10, Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) protested a fundraiser hosted by Abria Pregnancy Resources, a Twin Cities anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center. Pro-abortion activists and community members alike lined a stretch of Lake Harriet Parkway while anti-abortion participants were participating in Abria’s ninth annual “Life is Wonderful 10K, 5K, Walk & Fun Run.”

The well-attended protest amplified community members’ objections towards Abria’s presence and invited curious passersby to learn about the dangers of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs).

MNAAC is a grassroots, reproductive justice organization that fights for reproductive rights, including abortion access, bodily autonomy and gender-affirming care. Much of their work consists of educating community members about the dangers of CPCs and organizing protests against them.

Crisis pregnancy centers are anti-abortion organizations that pose as health centers and purport to offer comprehensive reproductive healthcare, but instead use medical misinformation, religious shame tactics, and social pressure to dissuade people from accessing abortions.

Abria’s Minneapolis and Saint Paul locations are two of Minnesota’s 73 CPCs, a number far outweighing the state’s nine in-person abortion clinics. Despite that discrepancy, reproductive rights organizations celebrate the number of CPS dropping down from 90 in recent years.

Abria scheduled its fundraiser on Mother’s Day weekend – collecting registration fees and monetary donations for “life affirming medical care, maternal resources and compassionate support to women and couples facing unexpected pregnancies.” They listed rewards for various fundraising thresholds and cited that raising $1000 represented “the cost to provide women what she needs to choose life.”

Lake Harriet neighbor and Pro-Choice Minnesota member Jill Lock called out Abria’s misleading messages of supporting mothers. Esther Crotser (MNAAC) and fellow protester Michael Wood surprised and disrupted Abria’s participants by running alongside them with pro-abortion banners while chanting “Abortion is healthcare, abortion is essential!” Various community members along the lake paused to observe the disruption and various protest speakers.

One MNAAC member recalls, “Countless people stopped on the lake path and asked about our protest. Many seemed to initially think Abria’s run/walk was in honor of Mother’s Day or to broadly support reproductive healthcare, and wondered why we were protesting the event since our speakers, signs and chants seemed aligned. Once we explained that the fundraiser was hosted by the CPC Abria Pregnancy Resources – and for some, introduced them to the goals and tactics of these anti-abortion organizations – they voiced support for our programming and concern about Abria.”

Kristen Blesdoe, a member of MNAAC, stated, “Abria Pregnancy Resources will try to tell you that they do give people information about abortions – they even have a whole page about it on their website! However, if you visit that page, you’ll see that it talks about abortion only in stigmatizing terms as ‘serious’ and ‘invasive’, implies that it might not even work. It’s not until the bottom of the page that you finally see this sentence: Abria offers support at no cost to you regarding your decisions but does not refer for or perform abortions. Does this sound like a ‘safe, non-judgmental place’ to you?”

In addition to Abria Pregnancy Resources, MNAAC has organized protests of other Twin Cities CPCs including Birthright, First Care and Tandem. The grassroots organization supports organizations aligned with reproductive justice including Minnesota’s abortion fund (Our Justice) and Community Aid Network of Minnesota (CANMN).

Sarah Berlin is a member of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC)

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #Abortion #ReproductiveRights #MNAAC

Milwaukee, WI – On May 10, dozens of people picketed outside the Women’s Care Center on Milwaukee’s South Side, demanding an end to the deceptive “care” it provides. This facility is one of nine crisis pregnancy centers located in Milwaukee. Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are fake clinics that masquerade as facilities offering “all-option” pregnancy counseling, free ultrasounds, and pregnancy testing. However, they often lack trained medical staff and do not adhere to confidentiality regulations.

CJ Lund, a member of Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee (RJAM), stated, “We’re out here today to stand up and say that abortion care is healthcare and vital for all! We’re here to raise awareness about CPCs – aka fake clinics – like the Women’s Care Center, which are infiltrating our community, spreading misinformation, and creating barriers for those in need of actual healthcare.”

These organizations are operated by the anti-abortion movement to confuse and pressure pregnant individuals into continuing their pregnancies against their wishes.

“They are part of a larger societal goal: to force people into birthing the next generation of laborers and to maintain people’s socioeconomic placement in our system,” says Carly Klein from RJAM. She continued, “The anti-abortion movement, as a whole, wants to use forced birth as a means to control marginalized, oppressed and working-class people. CPCs are one way to mislead people and limit their access to care and life-saving services.”

Since abortion services resumed in Wisconsin in September 2023, Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee has been fighting for more accessible abortion care and against barriers to healthcare.

Activists from the organization have successfully infiltrated three crisis pregnancy centers in the city. Lauren Forbush, an organizer with RJAM, visited the CPC where the picket was held, stating that they were pregnant and wanted to explore their options. Forbush explained, “While undercover, I experienced judgment, pressure to get an ultrasound, and received deceptive and misleading information about abortion.” They added, “During the experience, the employee I met with never introduced herself until the very end of the discussion and told me to use Google when I asked about abortion services.”

Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee plans to continue their campaign, CPCs Out of MKE, targeting fake clinics in the city. They will be picketing weekly throughout the month of May. Their goal is to expose and shut down these centers and redirect community members to honest and competent medical services.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #RJAM #Abortion #Feature

Philadelphia PA – On April 18, an anti-abortion religious group called Mission Youth Philly planned to obstruct access to the Planned Parenthood at 12th and Locust Streets in Philadelphia’s gayborhood. In response, over 100 abortion rights activists and community members led by the Philly Abortion Rights Coalition gathered to prevent the anti-abortionists from intimidating patients accessing care and to show solidarity with the clinic-goers.

Mission Youth Philly is a Catholic organization that aims to involve mostly children and teenagers in public religious actions and other missionary work. They organize and lead a series of “missions” each year for the week leading up to Easter. The actions they performed on April 18 were for Good Friday. Their plan was to gather at the Planned Parenthood at 12th and Locust, to obstruct access to the clinic. Then, they would march to Rittenhouse Square to perform the stations of the cross and eventually regroup at the Philadelphia Women’s Center, a second clinic, to continue to harass patients accessing care.

Clinic defenders organized by the Philly Abortion Rights Coalition arrived with signs and banners highlighting the right to bodily autonomy for all, but especially women and LGBTQ people. Though a few people from Mission Youth Philly showed up at 8 a.m., the clinic defenders showed up earlier to prevent them from setting up directly in front of the clinic, forcing them across the street where they could not access clinic-goers.

Mission Youth Philly arrived with life-sized wooden crosses, flowers and various other symbolic props. Over 100 of them began gathering on the sidewalk opposite the clinic and its defenders but eventually crowded into the street to pray and sing as a group.In response, organizers from the Philly Abortion Rights Coalition formed a wall of bodies and led chants to drown them out such as, “Pro-life, that’s a lie. You don’t care if people die” and “Abortion is healthcare, healthcare is a human right.”

After several hours, Mission Youth Philly began the second phase of their “mission” and had their members march throughout Center City with large wooden crosses, a reference to the crucifixion of Jesus. Some anti-abortionists reconvened at the Philadelphia Women’s Center on Appletree Street, where more activists stood in defense of the clinic.

At the second clinic, an organizer from the Philly Abortion Rights Coalition initiated a speak-out and encouraged participants to share their personal experience with abortion and why the right to bodily autonomy was important to them. One participant shared that the lack of access to a medical abortion nearly cost her life and that those events have affected her fertility permanently. Another participant shared that even though they are trans-masculine, they have still needed to access abortion care.

The abortion rights activists successfully kept both clinics open and accessible for patients. Though the focus of the counter-protest was clinic defense, organizers, activists and passersby held broader conversations about bodily autonomy, child welfare, and access to healthcare, identifying the bigger enemy, not in fringe groups like Mission Youth Philly, but in the wealthy reactionaries in power who seek to strip away abortion rights for all.

#PhiladelphiaPA #PA #WomensMovement #Abortion #ReproductiveRights

Madison, WI – On January 18, Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee (RJAM) stood at the forefront of the fight for reproductive freedom, participating in two powerful marches held simultaneously in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These events were part of the People’s March National Day of Action, which drew thousands to the streets, united in their support of women’s and reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, workers’ rights, global solidarity, and immigrant rights.

In Milwaukee, protesters filled the streets with chants and signs, calling for unrestricted access to abortion and an end to political interference in personal health decisions. Similarly, 75 miles to the west in Madison, marchers braved the cold to make their voices heard at the state capitol. Both events highlighted the growing outrage with the policies of the Trump administration, which many fear will intensify repression and further erode reproductive rights.

RJAM’s speakers at both events underscored the need for grassroots action, emphasizing that politicians regardless of party, cannot be trusted to protect abortion access.

“Both parties have let us down. That’s why our fight isn’t about relying on politicians – it’s about building a movement that puts power back in the hands of the people,” said Carly Klein, a founding member of Reproductive Justice Action- Milwaukee, to a crowd of 300 in Milwaukee.

“We are prepared to fight, not just for the next four years, but for as long as it takes. Because this isn’t just about one administration. It’s about building a society rooted in justice, sustainability and liberation for all of us,” stated Blake Jones, to the crowd of the hundreds of people who flooded the capitol building in Madison.

The marches were a resounding call to action, for attendees to mobilize further than just voting or attending protests. As threats to abortion access grow under the current political climate, RJAM and their allies are doubling down on their commitment to grassroots organizing, ensuring that the movement for reproductive rights remains strong and resilient in the face of mounting challenges.

The events in Milwaukee and Madison were a testament to the power of collective action, with hundreds of voices uniting to demand a future where reproductive freedom is non-negotiable.

#MadisonWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #RJAM #PeoplesMarch #LGBTQ #Trump

St. Paul, MN – On the afternoon of Saturday, December 14, Twin Cities community members came together to protest outside the offices of Pro-Life Action Ministries, an anti-abortion Christian organization. The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee held a vigil to remember those who have passed away due to restrictions on abortion care, then transitioned into a rally to show that the community does not welcome Pro-Life Action Ministries and its hateful rhetoric.

The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee hosted the vigil to honor and remember victims of abortion bans by holding a banner bearing the names and ages of those that have passed and commemorating the many others who have gone unnamed. Among those honored were Amber Nicole Thurman, Candi Miller, Nevaeh Crain, Josseli Barnica and Porsha Ngumezi, all women who have died since the overturn of Roe v. Wade after being denied abortion care. Attendees placed flowers and candles around portraits of the deceased to offer a heartfelt tribute to those women.

After an emotional vigil, the action transitioned into a rally against Pro-Life Action Ministries, an organization known for organizing “sidewalk counselors” to harass people seeking care at Planned Parenthood locations. Pro-Life Action Ministries also supports and funds “crisis pregnancy centers.”

June Gromis of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee talked about how pro-life organizations like Pro-Life Action Ministries are using the guise of religion to further their agendas and expressed that her own faith is rooted in love for all. Gromis sang the song Amazing Grace and the crowd joined in, honoring “everyone who has endured suffering as a result of anti-abortion legislation.”

In a similar vein, a member of Women Against Military Madness, spoke of her own story of ending pregnancies in the past and how “she is at peace with this.” She spoke about her mother, a devoted Christian, who taught her to be pro-choice, and affirmed that her dedication to the fight to “respect people’s choice!”

Michael Wood of the Climate Justice Committee connected the struggle to save the climate with the movement for abortion rights and emphasized the fact that pro-life organizations are not for the people. He spoke about his experience of growing up Catholic, but resisting the anti-abortion beliefs of the church. Wood said that instead, he now stands for reproductive justice for all, which includes “fighting for clean water and air for our children to breathe in!”

A member of the Anti-War Committee spoke about how the fight for reproductive freedoms is connected with the liberation of Palestine, touching on the fact that movements need to be connected. “We cannot be pro-choice here at home, while turning a blind eye to the horror the U.S. and Israel impose on Palestinians and their reproductive rights!” she said.

The emcees ended the rally with a reaffirmation of their commitment to the fight against anti-abortion laws and rhetoric, encouraging the community to keep up the struggle for bodily autonomy in memory of the dead and in honor of all of us still living.

#StPaulMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #WAMM #CJC

Minneapolis, MN – Around 50 people rallied for reproductive rights outside Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office on the brisk afternoon of Sunday, November 24. The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) organized the protest, which came at a pivotal time given the re-election of Donald Trump, whose first-term Supreme Court appointees voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Since the election, organizers with MNAAC have emphasized the need to take action against a familiar administration, one which promises to further do away with abortion rights. Addressing the situation in Minnesota, MNAAC member Maggie Moynihan told the crowd, “Clinics that offer real help and healthcare are few and far between in Minnesota, but the people who need their services are many.”

Organizers chose Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office as the location for the rally to draw attention to the bipartisan failures of politicians to codify abortion and to end the genocide in Palestine. While Klobuchar has a commendable track record speaking in favor of reproductive rights, she has failed to meaningfully pursue her campaign promise of “reinstating Roe.” She has also failed to uphold human rights at large, voting to continue military aid to Israel as recently as November 20.

Other groups at the protest included the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Climate Justice Committee and Anti-War Committee, as well as many supporters in the movement for women’s and reproductive rights.

While the rally primarily focused on the right to safe access to abortion, speakers also drew connections to the fight for a free Palestine. Crista Ocampo of the Anti-War Committee phrased this solidarity well, stating “The politicians who are sending bombs and military aid to uphold apartheid occupation are the same politicians who are stripping our rights away here in the states.” Ocampo went on to say, “It doesn’t matter if it’s here in the U.S. or in Gaza or the West Bank, when our rights are under attack, we will use everything we have to fight back.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #Trump #MNAAC

Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday, October 4, 30 abortion rights organizers, allies and community members gathered to mourn the deaths and celebrate the lives of Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller. Thurman and Miller tragically passed away because they were unable to access lifesaving reproductive care, as a result of Georgia’s draconian anti-abortion laws. Their stories just recently came to light after the state’s maternal mortality review committee ruled both of their deaths preventable.

The square in front of the Mayday bookstore, where the vigil took place, was bathed in the warm light of candles as the sun set. At the center of crowd, a tree was adorned with pictures honoring the two women, framed by bouquets of flowers.

The vigil, hosted by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC), began with organizer Kristen Bledsoe painting a more complete picture of Thurman’s and Miller’s lives, stating, “I want to talk for a moment about who they were as people, not just as redacted names on a state committee review but as the living, breathing people they were. Amber Nicole Thurman was 28 years old when she died.”

Bledsoe continued, “According to reports, she loved being a mother to her six-year-old son. She loved taking her son on trips to petting zoos, museums and beaches, and she posted to social media, ‘the talks I have with my son are everything.’ Candi Miller was 41 when she died. The ProPublica report on her death said that she had a soft spot for stray cats, nurtured a garden, and was known to break into dance at the sound of old-school funk like the Commodores.”

Bledsoe went on to discuss the difficulties and dangers that their pregnancies presented them with, and the ways in which Georgia’s legal circumstances surrounding abortion denied them care or prevented them from seeking it out in the first place, and stated, “These women both decided to have abortions to give themselves a better chance at life, and that’s where the story should have ended.”

The next speaker, Monique Cullors-Doty, representing Black Lives MatterMinnesota, BLM Twin Cities Metro, and the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice. She said, “This is truly a reflection of America’s government, it is a reflection of those who are in power, those who don’t care about Black people, those who don’t care about working-class people, who don’t care about the poor. This is very indicative of the actions that they take.”

After both speeches, MNAAC emcee Olivia Crull invited anyone present to come up and speak about their experiences and the impact these deaths had had on them. Several MNAAC members took to the mic to express their grief and the tremendous fear and anger they felt as people in their lives had been forced to navigate repressive abortion legislation or a lack of access to reproductive care.

The vigil ended with Crull leaving the audience with an impassioned call to action to fight back against the political forces behind the anti-abortion movement and join the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee in its grassroots reproductive justice work.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion

Minneapolis, MN – On September 10, 40 people rallied to protest predatory anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy center” First Care. This marks the fifth protest of a First Care facility organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) as part of their campaign to expose the deceptive and manipulative practices of these facilities.

During the protest, Jay Belsito, a member of UnRestrict MN and Gender Justice, recalled their experience with an anti-abortion center as a pregnant teenager in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They were misled about how far along they were in their pregnancy and given fake ultrasound images, a common tactic used to prevent people from making informed choices about their bodies and their health.

Belsito also said CPCs are funded by white Evangelical organizations and frequently target oppressed nationalities. She also drew attention to Keith Ellison’s August 2023 consumer alert in which he defined them as “private organizations that seek to prevent people from accessing abortion care as well as contraceptives.”

“It is absolutely essential that immigrants are not left out of this conversation,” said Sophie Breen, on behalf of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). “Crisis pregnancy centers that are in predominantly immigrant neighborhoods like this one are intentionally deceptive.” She called for accurate communication to be published in not only English but also in the languages of local communities such as Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

“Let’s look at the strategic placement [of First Care],” explained Sarah Berlin, representing MNAAC. “We are right in the center of Minneapolis and just a walk away from both Franklin and Chicago Avenues, two metro transit streets. This accessibility is not a mistake,” she continued.

Kristen Bledsoe echoed these sentiments, sharing that she was raised in an Evangelical family who supported the harmful messages of shame and fear employed by CPCs like First Care to rob people of their bodily autonomy. She demanded that the federal money still going to CPCs should be withdrawn and reinvested in more meaningful ways for communities.

“It’s important to work for justice whether it’s in Phillips or it’s in Palestine,” explained Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee (AWC). “Many people across the country tonight are watching the Harris-Trump debate, and one of the main topics will be abortion and healthcare. Tim Walz is on the ticket and it’s important to point out that he’s been an ally to this particular movement,” Aby-Keirstead said. “While we agree with him on that, we are discouraged, disgusted, and outraged that Tim Walz and Kamala Harris have been silent when children have been born and then bombed on the same day in Gaza.”

Robyn Harbison, representing the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), recalled that it was under Biden and Harris that we lost Roe: “They want to continue lining their pockets and making false promises to you.”

Harbison ended with a call to action, “We helped lead the march of 10,000 that took Washington Avenue when Roe was overturned, we marched on the DNC in the tens of thousands, and we will continue to lead the struggle to demand bodily autonomy for all and money for human needs, right in the Phillips neighborhood, right now!”

A small group of anti-abortion protesters were present, holding signs with religious messaging and signs claiming that abortion is an unambiguous evil.

Despite the counterprotest, the community responded positively to the pro-abortion messaging of the event. Motorists honked and cheered as they drove by, pedestrians expressed vocal support, and people in the park across from first care clapped and expressed positive sentiments about the protest.

This protest was organized by the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and endorsed by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), MN Anti-War Committee (AWC), UnRestrict MN, Gender Justice, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

#MinneapolisMN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC

Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, September 14, hundreds of activists from across the country gathered at Union Station lawn for the Gender Liberation March. The action brought into coalition local organizations, East coast regional groups, and national forces from the queer liberation, reproductive justice, feminist and Black liberation movements.

Beginning at noon, the primary organizers of the march and some important local Washington organizations addressed the crowd.

“Fuck Project 2025!” said Raquel Willis, a Gender Liberation Movement organizer from Georgia. “They want to erase all discussions of queerness and trans-ness in public life. They want the government to track abortions and monitor our reproductive health. They want to criminalize us for making decisions about our bodies and for supporting each other and for defending our freedoms, just like we’re about to do today.”

Organizers of the march further emphasized that the alliance between the movements for women's rights, reproductive justice and queer liberation is critical in building a united front of resistance. This alliance, they said, is what it will take to challenge repression and legal attacks on gender oppressed folks, regardless of who wins the upcoming presidential election.

Organizer NeeNee Taylor with the D.C. Black liberation organization Harriet’s Wildest Dreams also spoke on the intersection of reproductive justice and the autonomy of Black bodies.

“I’m here to welcome y’all as a Black woman,” Taylor said. “As someone who deserves bodily autonomy, as someone who chose to have an abortion—so many around the country do not have that choice y’all—we must hold the line!”

At one o'clock, the march took to the streets from Union Station and marched towards the U.S Supreme Court holding signs that read “Our Bodies, Our Choices, Our Genders, Our Futures” and “Abortion is Healthcare.” Chants of “When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “If we don’t get no justice, then they don’t get no peace!” filled the streets of downtown D.C. as the demonstrators took the roadway. They stopped in front of the Supreme Court’s steps to acknowledge the special threat the undemocratic and reactionary court has presented to gender liberation.

The protest then moved to the front of the Heritage Foundation offices, the far-right think tank that has engineered right-wing grand strategy since the Reagan Administration, including Project 2025. After some chanting, organizers blared loud Dancehall music at the building’s front facing windows, leading to an impromptu dance in front of the building.

The march concluded with more speakers, including movement veteran Miss Major, who spoke on the importance of uplifting the movement and continuing to grow the coalition into a national network of resistance against further attacks on women and LGBTQ people.

#WashingtonDC #LGBTQ #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights

Minneapolis, MN – On July 15, the Coalition to March on the RNC successfully brought more than 3500 protesters together in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to protest against the racist, reactionary agenda of the Republican National Convention. 100 of these protesters arrived on coach buses from Minneapolis organized by the MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee and the MN Abortion Action Committee.

This convention is where Republican delegates met to choose their party’s presidential nominee, Donald Trump, known for his anti-immigrant and misogynistic statements and policies. The thousands of protesters from around the nation marched within sight and sound of the convention center, thanks to the Coalition’s years-long fight against the city for a militant march route.

Meeting at Red Arrow Park in 90-degree weather, organizers stood out in the blazing heat and shared speeches on subjects such as immigration, abortion, climate justice and the genocide in Palestine. Not only were there lines of speakers, but also thousands in the crowd to listened and chanted in support.

MNACC member June Gromis spoke about how the Republican agenda impacts women and LGBTQ people, saying, “Republican politicians will try so desperately to convince you that they are virtuous faithful people but they have shown time and time again that their only religion is exploitation, subjugation and the control of all women and all gender oppressed people.”

MIRAC member Manny Pascual spoke on his experience regarding immigration, saying, “The U.S. will separate families every chance they get. If they’re not starting wars they’re funding them. They separate us because they know we are stronger than them. And we are fighting back!”

Walking a mile and a half route around the convention, many people held banners, flags and signs saying things such as “Legalization for all” and “Stop Trump and racist Republicans.” Voices also filled the streets as people chanted and shouted for the rights of all oppressed people. The Coalition united many on fighting against racism and for women’s, immigrants and LGBTQ rights, as well as calling out U.S. support for Israel’s genocide in Palestine.

Even with physical concrete barriers in the way of the march, people continued on, jumping over them and helping each other navigate around the obstacles.

Organizers from around the nation brought their own fiery energy to the RNC and successfully made a stance against the Republicans on the very first day of the convention. This was only a taste of the power of the people that will show out in full force regardless of who is elected in November.

Minneapolis organizers are now gearing up to march on the Democratic National Convention on August 19.

#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #PeoplesStruggles #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Trump #RNC #Feature

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!”

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #RJAM #RNC

Minneapolis, MN—On June 13, members of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and their allies gathered for an emergency rally after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on mifepristone. Mifepristone is one of the two drugs commonly used for medication abortion. The ruling affects women and others’ healthcare across the entire country.

30 people held banners and signs, “Defend medical abortion!” and “Safe and legal abortion for all.” The rallygoers listened to speeches from local movement leaders and waved to supporters who drove past.

The Supreme Court ruling on this case, known as FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, maintained mifepristone’s nationwide availability by mail. The court ruled that the anti-abortion Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine did not have standing to sue because they had not actually been negatively affected by the existing FDA regulations.

MNAAC member Carolyn Handke started the program, emphasizing that mifepristone has proven safe and effective for over 20 years. Handke explained there is cause to celebrate for pro-choice activists, but the legal outcome is more complicated than it seems.

Hanke said, “Conservative anti-abortion forces have been gunning for mifepristone ever since it was approved by the FDA, including with this totally bullshit case, where they’ve cherry-picked retracted studies in order to say that mifepristone isn’t safe!”

Handke continued, “They know that restricting mifepristone would be the biggest blow to abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and even though they haven’t succeeded this time around, they will be back for more! For now, know that the fight isn’t over!”

Members of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and the Anti-War Committee expressed solidarity with the reproductive justice movement. They made clear the connections between U.S. wars abroad and the fight for bodily autonomy at home.

“The issue of bodily autonomy is not just connected to reproductive healthcare, but it is also about reclaiming our power back, in order for all people from all nations and their bodies to be free from the threat of warfare and nuclear annihilation,” said Sarah Martin of WAMM.

Attendees held handmade signs reading “Genocide is not pro-choice” in solidarity with Gazans of Palestine who are currently facing a collapsed healthcare system and constant bombardment by the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide.

Anti-abortion forces have been clear that this will not be the last time they challenge abortion as an accessible medical procedure. In fact, this is already taking place with Idaho and Moyle, et al. v. United States, a case which calls into question the legitimacy of EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act)—a federal statute which mandates that hospitals provide the required care to stabilize a patient, including termination of a pregnancy if necessary, and protects doctors who perform emergency abortions in states where abortion is banned.

Bry Chipley of MNAAC spoke, “This portion of EMTALA is now being called into question in states with abortion bans where state legislators want to have the right to persecute doctors performing abortions in instances where the life of the patient is not in immediate danger.”

Chipley continued, “People who are being denied care for conditions such as ectopic pregnancies, are never going to deliver a healthy baby who is expected to live beyond the first few weeks of life. These people are being tortured and subjected to the potential for permanent disability or fertility loss by conservative lawmakers for no reason other than to exercise control over our bodies.”

A decision on the case concerning EMTALA is slated for release by the end of June, and at the end of the rally, activists with MNAAC promised to respond in the streets when the decision drops. For more on future events fighting for reproductive rights, you can follow MNAAC on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook at @MN_AAC.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #MNAAC #Mifepristone

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, May 10, members of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee (MNAAC) and their supporters protested outside of First Care Pregnancy Center, an anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy center” known for using deceptive tactics and spreading medical disinformation about abortion.

Crisis pregnancy centers, or CPCs, are operated by the anti-abortion right wing. They market themselves as legitimate medical facilities, but in reality, they exist to spread anti-abortion propaganda and manipulate people into keeping unwanted pregnancies. They outnumber real abortion clinics tenfold in the state of Minnesota, presenting a significant barrier to abortion access for Minnesota residents, as well as for the increasing number of people coming to Minnesota for abortion procedures.

MNAAC has protested several locations of First Care Pregnancy Center. However, anti-abortion forces in the Twin Cities, clearly rattled by the work MNAAC has done to expose the true intentions of CPCs, organized counter-protesters for a rally that MNAAC had called in December 2023 at the First Care location on University Avenue. These counter-protesters heckled attendees, held signs allegedly showing aborted fetuses, and filmed attendees even after being asked to stop. As a response to this show of intimidation, MNAAC orchestrated Friday’s surprise rally, assembling a group of trusted supporters to show First Care that they would not be discouraged by opposition.

On its website, First Care claims to provide pregnancy-related support with “No Pressure, No Judgment, Just Answers.” However, MNAAC member Rachel Storm called attention to First Care’s own self-contradiction, as First Care’s website also states that “while abortion often feels like the only option, we don’t believe it’s in the best interest of women.” Storm went on to highlight the dangers of such deceptive, ideologically-motivated messaging, asserting that “a pregnant person has every right to make an informed decision about what happens to their body.”

As protesters waved signs reading “We deserve real healthcare” and “This ‘clinic’ is against contraception,” Jay Belsito, a community organizer with Gender Justice, talked about their accidental encounter with a CPC as a teenager facing an unplanned pregnancy. They faced religious shaming and were forced to watch anti-abortion videos, they said, and this incident led them to oppose crisis pregnancy centers as an adult.

Robyn Harbison, director of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) and a member of MNAAC, called for the liberation of all bodies from state-sponsored control, stating, “An attack on one body is an attack on all of our bodies,” adding, “the opposition against reproductive healthcare is a declaration of war against us all.” MNAAC member Sarah Murphy stated, “The politicians, lobbyists and wealthy donors who are funding crisis pregnancy centers just like this one are the same people who are supporting the genocide against Palestinians.”

A member of Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota condemned the presence of a CPC so close to their university campus and spoke about their experience of having to obtain an abortion as a teenager after being assaulted. They felt lucky, they said, that there was a Planned Parenthood nearby instead of a CPC, emphasizing the fact that First Care’s location on University Avenue is inherently predatory toward young people.

MNAAC member Kristen Bledsoe closed out the protest by demonstrating the impact that CPCs have across the movements for immigrant rights, racial justice and LGBTQ rights. “The women’s movement has a direct connection to these struggles because all of these struggles stem from the same source – the ruling class,” she said. “When we stand outside of these CPCs and shout at the top of our lungs, when we educate our communities about the dangers of CPCs, when we fight for legislation that will restrict the ability of these places to continue harming people, we are striking at a target that reverberates across all of our movements and echoes all the way up to the top!”

Passersby cheered and honked car horns in response to the protesters’ chants of “Pro-life, that’s a lie! You don’t care if people die!” and “One, two, three, four! Abortion is worth fighting for!” making it clear that First Care is unwelcome in the Twin Cities and that abortion rights remain widely supported by community members.

MNAAC continues its campaign against crisis pregnancy centers via education and outreach, protests outside of “crisis pregnancy centers” and progress toward regulating CPCs at the city level. You can follow their work on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook at @MN_AAC.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #WomensMovement #ReproductiveRights #Abortion #CrisisPregnancyCenter #MNAAC