Milwaukee, WI – Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee (RJAM) organized an emergency rally to demand access to mifepristone, the abortion pill medication, on Monday, May 4.

After a recent appeals court ruling that would’ve banned the prescription of the pill through telehealth or mail order, Louisiana sued the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), attempting to reinstate mandatory in-person consultations to have the medication prescribed. The state claimed that mifepristone access undermines their abortion ban The Supreme Court blocked the suit temporarily, and the official decision will be made in the next week. The fight for bodily autonomy and reproductive health continues.

There is a slew of anti-abortion legal cases being pushed through courts nationwide.

Milwaukeeans still came together at a rally for abortion rights, with dozens of people gathering in downtown Milwaukee to call for access to mifepristone and chanting, “Not the courts, not the state, the people must decide their fate.”

RJAM hosted three speakers, then led some loud chanting on the corner of Red Arrow Park, their voices echoing through the city to nearby traffic, pedestrians and City Hall.

Abortion remains legal in Wisconsin, but there are only five abortion clinics, in the southeast region of the state and Madison, leaving the majority of the state and rural areas without services. Wisconsin also does not allow telehealth consultations for abortion, so their access is still very restricted. Meanwhile, the “pro-life” religious groups in Wisconsin operate 50-plus crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) around the state, working to deceive and deny women their rights.

The protest drew an energetic, multi-generational crowd.

RJAM kicked off the speeches with their founding member, Carly Klein, demanding, “Bodily autonomy for all. Unrestricted access to abortion care. Immediate mifepristone access. The right to telehealth abortion services. An end to politically motivated attacks on healthcare.” She added, “Reproductive Justice Action Milwaukee will continue to organize, mobilize, and fight because our lives depend on it.”

Klein continued, “This has never been about safety. Mifepristone is one of the most studied medications in the United States and has been used safely by millions. Anti-abortion politicians continue to spread misinformation to justify control over our bodies and our healthcare decisions.”

Jo Fox from Planned Parenthood-Generation Action at UWM stated, “Attacks on mifepristone are a steppingstone to the end-goal: a no-exception ban on abortion access nationwide.” The crowd chanted back “That ain’t right!” Fox also spoke on the unnecessary barriers Wisconsinites face when trying to access care, including a two-visit minimum requirement, and a prohibition on advanced care practitioners (RNs, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) to provide abortion medications to patients.

Andrea Waters from Freedom Road Socialist Organization told the crowd, “Wealthy people in the ruling class will still find a way. They can travel, they can pay, and get private care.” While the working class cannot do so easily. She added, “Capitalism wants our labor, it wants our children’s future labor. It wants us to carry the burden of care while the state cuts services, bosses keep wages low, landlords raise the rent, and healthcare becomes more expensive. The super-exploitation of women has never been more clear.”

RJAM reminded us that abortion care is still available for now. Whether or not mifepristone stays legal, there is still another medication, misoprostol, that can induce abortion.

Abortion is healthcare and women, and the people, need unrestricted access to it, lest they return to the dark ages of back-alley abortions, or the situation in states where it is banned, leading to criminalization and death for the lack of abortion care. Reproductive justice for all, now.

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

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 – On Sunday, September 28, over 80 people rallied at Dontre Hamilton Park in response to the recent attacks on abortion in Wisconsin. As of October 1, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin will be pausing abortion services at its three locations. This leaves only two independent clinics left in the entire state that offer abortion services, both located in Milwaukee.

Due to new stipulations in Trump and the Republicans’ reactionary Big, Beautiful Bill that was passed through Congress, funding is no longer available to Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. Organizations that receive Medicaid reimbursements and offer reproductive healthcare, including abortion, are no longer eligible for reimbursements if they continue to offer those services.

“We are here today to send a loud and unwavering message. Donald Trump and his regressive policies are not welcome in our city, in our state, or in our lives. We didn’t stay silent when our rights were stripped away with the fall of Roe in 2022, and we won’t stay silent now,” said Carly Klein of Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We will fight back – against every attack on reproductive healthcare, against every assault on our communities, and against every system that seeks to oppress us.”

The rally aimed to let the public know abortion is legal in Wisconsin, and that there are still options for patients seeking services. Care for All and Affiliated Medical Services are both independent abortion clinics that remain open in Milwaukee. Since they don’t depend on Medicaid funding, they are exempt from the effects of the Big Beautiful Bill.

Another organization endorsing the rally was the Milwaukee Fights Back Coalition, formerly the Coalition to March on the RNC. A representative of the group, Andrea Waters, remarked, “The Trump administration effectively changed abortion access forever. This was another direct attack on bodily autonomy for women. Trump and the Republicans use this tactic to divide us as well, activating people who normally wouldn’t even have an opinion on abortion by making it ‘The Right v. The Radical Left.’”

Other organizations that spoke at the event were Students for a Democratic Society – United With Milwaukee (SDS UWM), Madison Abortion & Reproductive Rights Coalition for Healthcare (MARRCH), Pro-Choice Milwaukee, Care for All clinic, Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Men4Choice.

Despite the uphill battle, the organizers are determined to expand abortion access in Wisconsin. “Wisconsin isn’t turning back,” said Andrea Waters. “If you feel charged up from this event today, join the movement, talk to one of the speakers you saw today. We cannot stand silent while these attacks happen, we must expand abortion access in Wisconsin. Lend a hand and help us build a better future, a better tomorrow for the generations to come after us.”

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #WomensMovement #Abortion #ReproductiveRight #MilwaukeeFightsBackCoaltition #SDS #MARRCH #PCM #MAARPR #Feature

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

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

New Orleans, LA – On April 9, a crowd of pro-choice activists rallied outside of the Louisiana Right to Life headquarters to protest the organization’s oppressive anti-abortion agenda.

Louisiana Right to Life (LARTL) actively works to introduce anti-abortion legislation at the state and federal levels. They profit off of misinforming the public, particularly minors, about abortion and villainizing people who are fighting for their bodily autonomy. LARTL claims Louisiana is the second most “pro-life” state in the country. On the contrary, the state ranks fourth highest in maternal mortality rates and fifth highest in infant mortality rates. 20% of Louisianans are also living below the federal poverty line.

“We all came out here today to call out the hypocrisy of places like this that claim to work on the basis of cherishing life. Let’s get one thing straight: you don’t cherish life, you’re not ‘pro-life,’ you’re pro-forced birth!” said Olivia Wagoner, an organizer with the Queer Trans Community Action Project.

The headquarters are located in a conservative suburb on the outskirts of the city. Many cars honked in support as they drove by in the rush-hour traffic.

The protest lasted over an hour, with chants such as “Right to Life is a lie, you don’t care if people die!” and “Not the church, not the state! People must decide their fate.” The crowd was amped up and showed their willingness to fight back against the state’s and Governor Jeff Landry’s attacks on reproductive rights.

As the crowd gained more attention, the people working in the office came out to antagonize the protesters. This did not work, as the chants only got louder and fiercer. Right before 5 p.m., the bigots retreated once their workday was over. The pro-choice activists remained. Molly Frayle, a member of the Queer Trans Community Action Project, called out their insincerity by stating “They were out here because they got paid to do so! We are out here because we care!”

The fight for reproductive justice is far from over, but the people will continue to push back. As the LARTL staff scurried away, protesters yelled “We will be back!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #WomensMovement #Abortion #QTCAP #Feature

New Orleans, LA – On April 7, over 20 students and faculty members showed up to protest Amy Coney Barrett’s talk at Loyola Law School. Barrett is a Supreme Court Justice appointed by Donald Trump in 2020. She is one of the most conservative justices, who pushed forward the overturn of Roe v Wade in 2022.

Students chanted, “Not the church, not the state! Women must decide our fate!” and “Church and state – there’s no connection, don’t mess with my contraception!”

Zach Dowling, a Loyola Law student and member of the National Lawyers Guild, named some of Barrett’s actions since being on the Supreme Court, stating, “On transgender rights, she notably remarked that, ‘we don’t have a history of discrimination against trans people’ and has argued that Title 9 should not apply to transgender people. As an appellate judge her history is no better. She blocked an Indiana law that would make it harder for a minor to have an abortion without parental notification.”

Mae Guidry, a member of Students for a Democratic Society, stated, “We are here to show Justice Barrett that we do not approve of her actions up till now, and [make it clear] what we expect of her in the upcoming months, as Donald Trump’s violent, bigoted executive orders are eventually heard by the Supreme Court. We demand she respect the separation of church and state and not use her religion or personal belief in place of precedent!”

Protesters made their way to the front of the Loyola Law School, picketing for an hour with chants like, “Abortion is our right! Fight fight fight fight!” and “Right to life, what a lie! You don’t care if women die!”

As the demonstration came to an end, Guidry emphasized the importance of this action, stating, “Going forward, we hope Justice Barrett remembers the message we sent today. That she steps out of line and stands for the people of this country. We have to get organized so we can be loud. They will give us justice or they will not know peace!”

#NewOrleansLA #LA #StudentMovement #WomensMovement #Abortion #LGBTQ