Image above: Judy Waxman alongside fellow PPMW Board Member Eden Shiferaw
PPMW: Tell us a bit about your background?
Judy Waxman (JW): I grew up in Philadelphia. I was an elementary school teacher, then a stay at home mom — I was following the traditional path. But my husband saw an ad that the National Women's Political Caucus was forming a chapter in Montgomery County and he said, "You would be interested in this." And then my world changed. I got involved in the chapter and began working on Shirley Chisholm’s run for President in 1972. Later on, I joined the National Organization of Women and became the president of the chapter.
I always thought I would be a lawyer, but girls didn't do that at the time. But suddenly I was meeting all these women that were doing all kinds of things. So, I applied to law school and got accepted. After I became a lawyer, I began working with the National Health Law Program where our focus was expanding access to healthcare and health insurance for low income people. Later on, I worked at the National Women's Law Center, where I was head of health and reproductive rights.
PPMW: What was it like for a woman trying to get access to abortion pre Roe?
JW: I really can't say it from my own experience, but I have interviewed many women for a project I'm working on and invariably I have heard the story, "Well, I was in college and there was this woman on my floor that needed help." And the person I am talking to would say, "'Oh my gosh, I got to figure out how to help her.'" In one case, a woman found a doctor in her area and then she started getting calls from other women in need of abortion all the time. And finally she said, "Just ask for Jane." And this whole project called the Jane Collective started. They had a whole system in place where they could take women in a way that was safe. They hired a doctor and there was a whole network of people to talk to. That project continued until the Roe V. Wade decision happened in 1973.
PPMW: What do you see as some of the leading issues in the field of reproductive and women's health?
JW: There's so many issues that are needing assistance. We’re obviously facing the Supreme Court that may do extreme damage to the right to have an abortion. And many people say they're coming after birth control next. Another major issue is Black maternal and infant mortality rates which are abhorrent in the U.S. and in DC in particular. The Build Back Better framework that President Biden is pushing includes a bunch of bills including the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act which would address these disparities. It's also just got a lot of great stuff to provide resources for things like doulas and research and also deals with climate change because extreme heat is a very serious deterrent for a healthy pregnancy and infant.
PPMW: The future of Roe is looking uncertain. Many think that, following the Supreme Court decision on a case in Mississippi banning abortion at 15 weeks, the end result will be a patchwork of abortion access across the nation. Some in our area may feel that "Well, the house isn't quite on fire here. Pregnant people in DMV will have protected access to abortion." What are your thoughts around this?
JW: I'm not so sure Virginia is going to be okay. Anti choice legislators took over the House and the Governor’s office. And some 26 states, if given the opportunity, will ban or restrict abortions. It is a dire situation. And the women who need help, many who are financially vulnerable, may have to come to places like DC for care. PPMW is going to need a lot of support to help people learn and navigate this new reality. Some folks may be able to get care through telemedicine but there always will need to be onsite providers for backup and support.
PPMW: What do you do in your role as the head of the Development Committee?
JW: I'm there to support and be a sounding board for the Development team on efforts like the launch of the Liberty Circle campaign. I consult with staff and serve as a reference for funders. And I jointly lead committee meetings with Vice President of Development Mamie Jackson Williams. For large scale events like the Gala, I help get the word out, making sure folks in my network know and take part.
PPMW: What do you see as the future for PPMW, given the challenges that you outline but also knowing the kind of resolve and the strength of the board and staff?
JW: PPMW does a lot of things, and does them fabulously well. I believe we’ll be able to raise the money to expand and bring health centers into other locations like Northern Virginia. And, with what’s happening politically, we need to be prepared for more people coming to PPMW for care. The Guttmacher Institute said women are not necessarily going to a nearby state — they're going where they can get to. Or people from areas like Texas may go to places where they have relatives they can stay with. In both cases that may mean coming to the DC area. So, PPMW will need to step up to the plate and figure out other ways that we can help women across the country on this issue while we continue to do all the fabulous things we do locally.
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