REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ANNOUNCE MASS MOBILIZATIONS IN NYC AND NATIONWIDE

Planned Parenthood and 100+ organizations will lead marches in all 50 states and D.C. to show the strength of the movement to defend abortion access.

NEW YORK — On Monday, a coalition of reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations in New York City announced the “Bans Off NYC” march slated for Saturday, May 14, 2022. The event is part of a larger mass mobilization across the country, with anchor marches in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Chicago, and Austin.

The New York City event will begin with a march and culminate in a Welcome Village where participants can learn more about protecting abortion access in New York and how to provide practical support for those seeking care.

The main goals of the action are to: (1) engage abortion access supporters in the local fight, (2) ensure that New York remains an access state that centers equity in healthcare delivery, (3) educate as many supporters as possible so that when the final Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision drops, they are ready to take action, and (4) voice collective outrage over the Supreme Court's intent to overturn 50 years of precedent established by Roe.

The march comes off the heels of last week’s rally at Manhattan’s Foley Square, which drew thousands of New Yorkers in response to the leaked draft Supreme Court majority opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

The primary organizers of the New York mobilization are:

• Abortion Access Front
• Jahajee Sisters
• Girls for Gender Equity
• New York Civil Liberties Union
• The Latina Institute New York
• National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
• Thank God for Abortion
• National Institute for Reproductive Health
• New York Abortion Access Fund
• Malikah
• Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

Below is a copy of their letter, including signup links for both attendees and those who wish to contribute to the Welcome Village:

Dear New York Movement Community,

As you know, on Monday, May 2, Politico published a leaked draft Supreme Court majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that would overturn Roe v. Wade. The draft majority opinion, written by Justice Alito, openly overrules Roe and Casey,alleging that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start” and “we hold that Roe and Caseymust be overruled.”

The threat is here. This opinion is as unprecedented as it is dangerous. If it holds, 26 states are poised ban abortion, meaning millions of people – over half the country – could immediately lose local access to abortion care. We know that Roe has never been enough to guarantee access. Due to cascading and overlapping restrictions and systemic barriers to care, abortion has for decades been unfairly kept from Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian women and all people of color like us. Millions have already been living in a post-Roe reality. Especially in Southern states. A widespread abortion ban would only further the negative impact on our communities who need the most support.

It is important to note that abortion is still legal. But we now know that SCOTUS is prepared to go with the worst case scenario: upholding Mississippi’s 15-week ban and explicitly overturning Roe, which has protected the constitutional right to abortion for nearly 50 years. The time to act is now!

On May 14, reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations along with our cross movement allies, and partners will mobilize across the country.
We believe that through mass action and mobilizations, the justices on the Supreme Court will hear our outrage that they are insulting the vast majority of people in this country who believe abortion should be safe, legal and accessible to all people who need it. These mobilizations will send a clear and powerful message to supporters and opponents alike that a robust and dedicated cross-racial, cross-class movement is standing up to defend abortion access.

Here in New York, we must not take access for granted. This decision would impact our health care providers as our state sees an influx of patients. It will impact us as federal lawmakers are emboldened to pass a national abortion ban. Now more than ever, we must fight to ensure that New York remains an Abortion Access State for people seeking essential health care. Abortion is health care. New York has an opportunity to set a national example of what radical care, compassion, and welcoming can look like and we have the opportunity now to begin building a truly intersectional movement across the full spectrum of our issues to do it.

We, the undersigned organizations and repro movement leaders, invite you to join us in action on May 14:

• Join us at 12PM on Saturday, May 14 in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn;
• We will march across the Brooklyn Bridge in a mass display of support for abortion access. People are encouraged to bring pots and pans to bang on in the style of Latin American “Cacerolazo” protests, and the use of the color green in clothing and bandanas is requested to show solidarity and alignment with the La Ola Verde / The Green Wave abortion movement;
• We will conclude at Foley Square for a “Welcome Village,” a live activation embodying the spirit of New York State serving as an access state where all people seeking an abortion can get one. In capturing New Yorkers’ energy, we want to direct them to organizations working on the ground right here in New York that are connecting people to care, while providing attendees with a grounding experience. Imagine food, music, pop up booths with our organizations, healers and community educators engaging folks in the local fight.

All New Yorkers and organizations are invited to join us!

• If you are an individual supporter, RSVP here;
• If you are an organization and want to affirm your support and potentially run a booth at the Welcome Village, sign up here;
• If you are an elected official, community or civic leader or member of the clergy, please activate your constituents, membership or faith community to join us on Saturday, May 14th. Please modify the language in this letter and the graphics below to invite your community;

See you in the streets,

Lizz Winstead Founder, Chief Creative Officer, Abortion Access Front
Shivana Jorawar & Simone Jhingoor, Co-Directors, Jahajee Sisters
Breya Johnson, Deputy Director of Organizing, Girls for Gender Equity
Donna Lieberman, New York Civil Liberties Union
Elizabeth Estrada, NY Field and Advocacy The Latina Institute New York
Becca Asaki, NY Organizing Manager, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
Viva Ruiz, Thank God for Abortion
Andrea Miller, President, National Institute for Reproductive Health
Ambika, Chelsea, Julia, Karla, Maddy, Puja: Board of Directors, New York Abortion Access Fund
Deena Hadhoud, Program & Operations Manager, Malikah
Joy D. Calloway, Interim President & CEO, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

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Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) is a leading provider, educator, and advocate of sexual and reproductive health care in New York State. PPGNY offers a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services at its 23 health centers across 65% of New York State. PPGNY is a trusted source of medically accurate, evidence-based information that allows people to make informed decisions about their health and future. As a voice for reproductive freedom, PPGNY supports legislation and policies that ensure all New Yorkers have access to the full range of reproductive health services and education.