PHILADELPHIA, PA –– Today, Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija joined advocates and community leaders at Free & Just’s “Ride to Decide” national bus tour event in Philadelphia to highlight what’s at stake as extremist lawmakers work to ban abortion nationwide. The Ride to Decide bus tour comes as attacks on reproductive freedom escalate across the country. Support for legal abortion has increased since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, but that hasn’t stopped anti-abortion extremists and conservative lawmakers from continuing to undermine Americans’ access to abortion care, birth control, and IVF treatment. 

At the event, Commissioner Makhija, health care providers, and community members shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Pennsylvania and across the country.

“I am the son of an OBGYN who practiced in a small town, and I saw thousands of patients trust my dad with their most personal and private decisions,” said Commissioner Neil Makhija, who serves as Montgomery County Commissioner and chairs the local Board of Elections. “The work that doctors are doing in service of their patients and their communities is being attacked by those who want to bring government in the way of the most fundamental, personal decisions that a person can make. As public leaders, we have to stand up and make sure that we give individuals the space to make the decisions that are best for them.”

“All families are sacred – and the choices around how those families come to be are sacred, too,” said Rev. Kevin W. Jagoe, a Minister at the BuxMont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship who highlighted the faith community’s historic role in assisting women seeking abortion care before Roe v. Wade was decided. “My faith compels me to advocate for the freedom to choose abortion, as well as comprehensive and affirming reproductive health care throughout the lifespan.”

“Abortion is still legal in Pennsylvania, but as all abortion providers know, legal does NOT mean accessible,” said Lizbeth Rodriguez, who serves as a patient advocate and Community Engagement Coordinator at the Philadelphia Women’s Center. Rodriguez urged Pennsylvanians to continue speaking out against restrictions that make providing and accessing abortion care difficult across the state. “We still face significant barriers and restrictions like forced parental involvement, mandatory 24 hour waiting periods, and others that further stigmatize abortion in the name of ‘patient safety.’” 

“Doctors experience infertility and often seek IVF treatment. Many of us put building our families on hold and choose not to attempt pregnancy while we go through our medical training,” said Dr. Megan Raymond, a Philadelphia native and OBGYN who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to train and practice medicine in her home state, but warned that attacks on access to abortion affect all types of reproductive health care, leaving doctors with limited options when choosing where to practice and plant roots. “Even if you are not someone who requires abortion care, you will be affected. I have friends who are looking to practice in states where they will have access to IVF and can build their families as they want to.”

“Everyone deserves respect and dignity and we have to fight to protect those rights,” said Jack Minnick, a mentor with Men4Choice, an organization dedicated to educating and engaging young men in the fight for reproductive freedom. “I believe in bodily autonomy, I believe in freedom, and I believe that the right to make personal and private decisions with your loved ones should never be questioned by people who are not involved.”

The “Ride to Decide” tour is headed to Harrisburg next, where local storytellers will spotlight the real-life impacts of abortion bans and attacks on reproductive freedom and share why federal action to protect access to abortion and reproductive health care has never been more important.

You can watch the event here. If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

Free & Just is committed to fighting for reproductive freedom. Join us in sharing stories, raising voices, and securing our future. 

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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.