Advocating for equality: Fighting for our patients by standing beside them

In our current hostile and divided political landscape, it’s more important than ever that PPMM uses our voice to advocate for equality — beyond reproductive rights and health care access — in order to support the communities we serve.

With you by our side, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (PPMM) is able to mobilize and advocate for issues like immigrants’ rights, voter rights, and LGBTQ rights that directly affect the daily lives of people we serve in our health centers and education programs.

Partnerships with organizations like Fresno’s Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) leverage the grassroots power of our patients and supporters. Together, we win immediate and long-term health care policy and advocacy victories at the local, state, and federal levels.

“PPMM has been working closely with our efforts with the DREAM Act,” said Daniel Penaloza, community organizer at CHIRLA, (pictured above). “They have been working with us and with Mi Familia Vota to ensure that we can create a just society for our immigrant community.”

These coalition partnerships are also critical when confronting challenges such as the Trump administration’s so-called “public charge” rule, which allows the government to deny citizenship to any documented immigrant that has used public benefits over a certain period of time. Though immigrants have a legal right to these benefits, including health care and food programs, the rule would bar many of those who use them from remaining in the country.

“Public charge is an issue that is affecting our patients closely. They are worrying about signing up for Family PACT because they’re afraid it might have an effect on their legal status,” said Lupe Rodriguez, PPMM director of public affairs for Silicon Valley and the Coast. “There is confusion and fear in many communities. It’s important for donors to know we’re trying to be on the front lines of supporting our patients and allies in fighting things like the public charge rule that keep our patients from getting the care they need.”