Free & Just Condemns Extremists’ Exploitation of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller’s Tragic Deaths in Ongoing Attacks on Medication Abortion

Despite Ongoing Disinformation Campaigns, Medication Abortion Remains a Safe and Proven Option for Women

WASHINGTON, DC –– Tomorrow, September 28, marks the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Food and Drug Administration's approval of medication abortion in the United States. For nearly a quarter of a century, access to safe, effective medication abortion care has been essential to ensuring people’s freedom to make decisions about their bodies based on what’s best for their circumstances. Mifepristone is a safe, effective FDA-approved medication used for early abortion and is now used in more than half of all abortions. Mifepristone is also recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for use in miscarriage management. If left untreated, miscarriage can put women at risk for severe infection, infertility, or even death.

Medication abortion is overwhelmingly popular with Americans, accounting for over half of all abortions in the United States. New data from Navigator Research finds that 62% of Americans support allowing women to legally access medication abortion to end an early pregnancy at home. Still, anti-abortion extremists are committed to restricting access to all types of reproductive health care, including medication abortion.

From baseless legal challenges and efforts to manipulate an obscure law from the 1800s to restrict access to medication abortion, extremists across the country are finding new and vicious ways to roll back our rights even further. Some have gone so far as to exploit the tragic deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of Georgia’s harsh abortion ban, which left both women without timely access to medical care.

Ahead of the twenty fourth anniversary of the FDA’s approval of medication abortion, health care providers from Georgia released statements responding to the latest attacks from anti-abortion extremists.  

“Misoprostol and mifepristone are safe and effective, and a reliable option for many patients – these medications are also standard of care for treating miscarriages,” said Dr. Juhi Varshney, an emergency medicine physician in Atlanta. “What is unsafe is delaying or denying care to patients in need. Amber and Candi should be alive today. The extremists spreading misinformation about their tragic deaths and the safety of medication abortion are putting more lives at risk.”

“After the deaths of Amber and Candi, my anxiety is even worse. I worry for every single patient that I refer to the hospital,” said Suki O, an ultrasound technician in the Atlanta area who testified before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee earlier this week about the dangers of abortion bans. 

“Medication abortion is safe – extremist politicians intervening in medical treatment is not,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “The extremists seeking to capitalize on the horrific deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller and spreading dangerous misinformation about medication abortion are being reckless, cruel, and dishonest. As we mark the twenty-fourth anniversary of the FDA’s approval of medication abortion, we must continue to amplify the stories of real people affected by these attacks and be clear about what’s at stake right now for abortion access and reproductive freedom.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the storytellers quoted above, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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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.

Patients and Providers from Wisconsin and Georgia Spotlight Harms of Abortion Bans and Attacks on Reproductive Freedom at Congressional Hearing on Project 2025

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, two women whose lives have been upended by attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom traveled to Washington to share their stories with the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee at a hearing on Project 2025 and what’s at stake for communities across the country. 

Project 2025 lays bare what conservatives and extremists plan to do next on abortion and reproductive freedom. These plans include using federal power to ban abortion nationwide and restrict access to contraception, reversing FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in about half of US abortions, requiring states where abortion access is legally protected to report when patients travel from out of state for care, and prohibiting “embryonic research” which could put access to IVF treatment at risk.

At the hearing, Gracie Ladd, an oncology nurse from Nashotah, Wisconsin shared how she was forced to travel out of state for abortion care earlier this year when she learned that her son, Connor, was developing without a bladder or functioning kidneys, and had several serious heart defects that meant he would not survive more than a few minutes if she carried the pregnancy to term. Out of love and compassion for their son, Gracie and her husband chose to terminate the pregnancy, sparing Connor suffering. 

Gracie described feeling angry that attacks on access to abortion in Wisconsin meant she had to travel out of state for medical care, and frustrated that lawmakers who would never know her or understand her situation had so much power over her experience.

“I’m angry that I had to drive to Chicago for care with a medical team I had never met, for a procedure that took two days and was quite literally the worst two days of my life. I’m angry that although I could take the time off of work, could find childcare for my living son, and afford to make the drive to another state, not all women can. But mostly, I’m angry that people who weren’t in that ultrasound room with me while I received the news that tore my world apart get to decide whether or not the medical choice on how to best move forward is not mine to make.”

Gracie also warned that if anti-abortion extremists get their way, people like her would have an even harder time accessing the care they need.

“Today I’m here to share that I’m angry because if Republicans get their way and pass Project 2025’s national abortion ban, I wouldn’t have even had the freedom to leave my state for the health care that is my right to receive.”

Suki O, an ultrasound technician in the Atlanta area who helps people seeking abortion care described finding “her home” in the abortion care community, but grew emotional when discussing the deaths of fellow Georgia women Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of the state’s harsh abortion ban. 

“Amber's death hit me hard as she was a part of my community. A community that I've called home for 22 years. She died in a hospital where I've worked and a place where I watched my grandson be born. If these bans hadn't been put in place I might have been the person to perform Amber or Candi’s ultrasound. I might have been able to make them smile, give them a hug or listen to them tell me thank you. How many more Black women have to die or have died as a result of abortion bans?”

Suki shared that in her role as an ultrasound technician, she wears many hats and often finds herself comforting patients who have received devastating news about their pregnancy and are faced with few “options” thanks to Georgia’s restrictive abortion laws.

“I'm tired of seeing women being forced to travel out of state to have an abortion. I'm tired of wiping away tears after being forced to tell women they are too far along under Georgia’s abortion ban. These women deserve to have autonomy over their bodies to make decisions that are best for them.”

If you are interested in speaking with Gracie Ladd or Suki O. about their testimony, their experiences, or what’s at stake for abortion access and reproductive freedom, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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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.

Free & Just Statement on the Preventable Deaths of Georgia Mothers Amber Thurman and Candi Miller

WASHINGTON, DC – This week, ProPublica reported on the preventable deaths of two mothers from Georgia, Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, who lost their lives as a result of the state’s harsh abortion ban. Details included in reports from Georgia’s maternal mortality review committee, which investigates pregnancy-related deaths in the state, confirm that both women’s deaths were preventable, and the result of limited access to timely medical care. 

In Georgia, abortion is banned after 6 weeks, and while extremists attempt to hide behind the so-called “exceptions” that could allow women experiencing medical emergencies to receive care, the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller confirm that emergency exceptions create confusion for doctors and patients and don’t work when people need to access care. 

Today, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement in response to the new reporting: 

“The tragic loss of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller is heartbreaking, and we extend our deepest condolences to their families and the communities grieving their deaths. Georgia’s leaders failed these women, who deserved better from our country. Abortion bans are deadly, and we know that Amber and Candi’s families are not alone. People across the country are enduring devastating loss and fear because of ongoing attacks on access to reproductive health care, and there is no excuse for the trauma inflicted on these families. We must tell the truth about what life is like for women and families in post-Roe America, and be clear about what’s at stake as anti-abortion extremists find new and cruel ways to attack our reproductive freedom.”

If you are interested in speaking with local patient storytellers, health care providers, or families impacted by ongoing attacks on access to abortion care, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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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.

Extremist Lawmakers Block Legislation to Protect Access to IVF Treatment…Again

One week after Trump claims to be a “leader on IVF,” Vance and anti-abortion extremists block legislation to expand access to IVF treatment

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, anti-abortion extremists in the Senate blocked the Right to IVF Act, legislation that would protect access to IVF treatment and make the procedure more affordable for families across the country. Conservative lawmakers claim to support IVF, yet every time they have an opportunity to protect and expand access to treatment, they vote against it. Over the summer, extremists in the Senate voted three times to block the Right to IVF Act, and attacks on access to reproductive health care continue to escalate. Today’s vote comes just one week after Donald Trump boldly claimed to be a “leader on IVF,” despite making IVF treatment less accessible as president, and openly embracing anti-IVF leaders. 

Millions of people across the country rely on IVF treatment to build strong, healthy families. A third of Americans say they know someone who has used IVF to help their family have a baby (32 percent), and recent polling shows 4 in 5 Americans believe IVF should be legal. 

Following today’s vote, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

“Anti-abortion extremists like Senator JD Vance want it both ways – they want to continue attacking access to reproductive health care, while claiming that they support access to IVF treatment. It doesn’t work that way. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade jeopardized access to all types of reproductive health care, including IVF, and extremists have proven time and again that they are not serious about supporting families going through fertility treatment. It’s more important than ever that we spotlight the real-life impacts of these attacks and tell the truth about what's at stake for families across the country.”

If you are interested in speaking with IVF patient storytellers, health care providers specializing in fertility treatments, or families impacted by ongoing attacks on access to IVF treatment, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. 

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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.

Patients, Doctors, and Advocates Nationwide Expose Trump’s Enduring Commitment to Passing a National Abortion Ban and Launching Further Attacks on Reproductive Freedom

As Trump celebrates his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, patient storytellers spotlight harms of ongoing attacks on reproductive freedom

WASHINGTON, DC – Former President Donald Trump continues to brag about his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, while downplaying the threat of conservatives passing a national abortion ban and further restricting access to all types of reproductive health care, including IVF treatment and birth control. Despite their rhetoric, anti-abortion extremists like Donald Trump and JD Vance have made it painfully clear that they will stop at nothing to restrict our freedom to make decisions about our lives and families. 

Patient storytellers, health care providers, and advocates from across the country released statements to set the record straight about what life is like for women and families in post-Roe America, and what’s at stake as extremists work to roll back our rights even further. 

“When anti-abortion extremists like Donald Trump say they want to ‘leave abortion up to the states,’ what they really mean is that they want millions of people across the country to be denied access to health care,” said Samantha Casiano, a Texas-based mother of four who was forced to give birth to her daughter, Halo, in 2023, despite knowing that she would survive just a few hours due to a congenital defect. Casiano joined a group of women suing the state as a plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, though their challenge was recently rejected by the state’s Supreme Court in a devastating blow to patients across Texas. “We know what happens when abortion is ‘left up to the states –’ families like mine endure unimaginable cruelty.” 

“I made the difficult, but loving decision to terminate a wanted pregnancy when my baby was diagnosed with severe microcephaly at 24-weeks. Every new attack on access to abortion and reproductive health care feels like a stinging indictment of my choice as an experienced OB-GYN and as a devoted parent,” said Dr. Anna Igler, an OB-GYN based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “The opportunity to continue growing our family through IVF treatment has helped my husband and I grieve the loss of our daughter and move forward, but ongoing attacks on all types of reproductive health care mean we can never truly rest easy. I won’t let extremists like Donald Trump off the hook for what they’ve done to families like ours.”

“Anti-abortion extremists like Donald Trump have made my job as a physician more difficult and extremely dangerous,” said Dr. Callie Cox Bauer, an OBGYN from Milwaukee. “There is no room for politicians in the exam room, and when doctors with years of medical training and expertise are sidelined by lawmakers, patients suffer. We have no reason to believe Trump when he says he won’t roll back access to abortion and reproductive health care even further, and we have every reason to fear what his party has planned next.” 

“Trump and anti-abortion extremists know that they’re out of step with the majority of Americans who support protecting access to abortion and reproductive health care, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stop looking for new and cruel ways to attack our rights,” said Kat Duesterhaus, the founder of Bans Off Miami and the Legislative Director of the Florida State Chapter of the National Organization for Women. “We have to be honest about what is at stake for people in Florida and across the country right now. Attacks on access to abortion and all types of reproductive health care, including birth control and IVF treatment, will continue to escalate and lives are at stake.” 

“Louisiana’s abortion ban left me feeling dehumanized and stripped of my basic rights when I needed abortion care,” said Nancy Davis, a mom from Baton Rouge, Louisiana who was forced to travel nearly 1,500 miles to receive care in New York, when she learned that the baby she was pregnant with had acrania, a rare, but fatal condition. “I won’t let extremist lawmakers ignore what happened to me, or pretend like these laws don’t devastate families like mine.” Following her experience, Davis founded the Nancy Davis Foundation, which supports those who have endured trauma due to a prenatal developmental defect during pregnancy and advocates for reproductive justice.

“Donald Trump and anti-abortion extremists want it both ways – they want to ban abortion nationwide, but they don’t want to tell us that’s what they plan to do because they know it’s dangerous and deeply unpopular,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Exciting and important measures to protect access to abortion care and reproductive freedom are advancing at the state-level, but extremists have made it painfully clear that they want to ban abortion nationwide. This is why we need national protections for reproductive freedom. The stakes are too high.”

If you are interested in speaking with any of the storytellers quoted above, 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.

Congressman Greg Landsman and Advocates Spotlight Harms of Abortion Bans and Demand Federal Action to Protect Reproductive Freedom at “Ride to Decide” Bus Tour Event in Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH –– Today, Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01) and local community leaders joined Free & Just’s “Ride to Decide” national bus tour in Cincinnati, the tour’s final stop before traveling to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The Ride to Decide bus tour comes as attacks on reproductive freedom escalate across the country, and has traveled nearly 9,000 miles and elevated the voices of over 100 storytellers with personal connections to abortion bans and reproductive freedom 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. 

Speaking about the Dobbs decision, Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01) said “this is the first time in American history where a constitutional freedom was taken away from the American people.” Regarding his own family’s experience, Congressman Landsman shared that his wife has had two miscarriages, saying “in the middle of the night she lost so much blood in the bathroom that she fainted, hit her head, and that’s where I found her at 2am: unconscious and in a pool of blood. We went to the hospital immediately and we got medical care. That was years ago, and I’m pretty sure she would be turned away today.”

On the threat of a national abortion ban and the responsibility that Congress has to protect reproductive freedom nationwide, the Congressman said that “All over the country, citizen-led efforts are restoring these freedoms in their states, however it is on Congress to codify that freedom. I hope to be part of a U.S. congress that does just that. But there is a very real possibility that the opposite is true – that a U.S. Congress would ban all abortions, would take reproductive freedom away from every single woman and girl and their doctors. There wouldn’t be a corner in America where this freedom still existed.”

“There is often no one in the hospital more at risk of an acute event than a pregnant woman. Everything can be fine until it is not, and the time between there being options and no options can be short, unbearable, and catastrophic” said Dr. Nicole King, a critical care anesthesiologist who routinely sees some of the sickest pregnant women in the area. Speaking about abortion bans like the one in effect in Ohio before Issue 1 was passed, she said “That time in between is where we as physicians, midwives, nurses and other medical professionals know there are no words printed in black and white that can accurately describe the shades of gray we practice within. No abortion ban, even with exceptions, allows for the safety of all women and the freedom of practice by health professionals.”

“Before I joined the Free & Just team, I served as the Campaign Manager for Issue 1 in Ohio, the campaign that codified abortion rights in the state,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaign Director for Free & Just. “Since Issue 1 passed, anti-abortion lawmakers have spent the last year in Ohio ignoring the will of the people. They’re trying to change the rules, manipulate the system, and abuse their authority to try and stack the deck against us and prevent women from getting care.” Speaking about the threat of a national abortion ban, Ingham said “they have made it clear time and time again they will stop at nothing to pass a national abortion ban, ignoring the will of the people and banning abortion across the country. That’s why we need to protect abortion on not just the state level – but the federal level.”

The “Ride to Decide” tour is headed to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, IL next, where advocates 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 ashley@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.

HHS Director of Office for Civil Rights, Doctors, and Students Spotlight Harms of Abortion Bans and Demand Federal Action to Protect Reproductive Freedom at Ride to Decide Bus Tour Event in Cleveland

Cleveland, OH –– Today, the Director for Office for Civil Rights Melanie Fontes Rainer joined doctors and students at Free & Just’s “Ride to Decide” national bus tour in Cleveland 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, the Director, health care providers, and community leaders shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Ohio and across the country.

“After lots of infertility treatments I became pregnant with twins, and I suffered a miscarriage and I had a DNC which is an abortion. To some it’s miscarriage management, call it whatever you want, it’s healthcare” said Melanie Fontes Rainer, the Director for the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. Fontes Rainer went on to describe that she was able to receive the standard of care that every single person across the country should receive and now cannot because of the Dobbs decision. Following two physicians at the event who described fearing prosecution while Ohio had a near-total abortion ban in place, Fontes Rainer highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to protect reproductive freedom and shared that “During that time, I was working on a rule that the Biden-Harris Administration has since put out to protect your privacy. That means law enforcement and other actors cannot just target your medical records to see what kind of healthcare you’re getting and target you and your provider for criminal, administrative, or civil liabilities. They can’t go after your doctors to threaten them.”

“Every single day there are extremist politicians who think that they know what my patients need better than my patients themselves, and who think that they know medicine and medical care better than I do,” said Dr. Maria Phillis, an OBGYN in Cleveland. She went on to highlight how difficult it is for providers to practice under abortion bans, sharing that “In Ohio, we know all too well the effects of a near total abortion ban because for about three months, we practiced with a near total abortion ban. We practiced while looking over our shoulders, trying to make sure that we saved our patients’ lives, that somebody wasn’t going to question it, send us to court, prosecute us, charge us with a felony, make us lose our license. We ended up turning away patients who had lethal fetal anomalies, who had complications serious enough to warrant an abortion under these bizarre standards that are set by these extremists who don’t really understand medical decision making or health care.”

“Prior to issue 1, abortion bans had affected young people both at my college and in Ohio because students did not feel safe and protected with attacks against their reproductive freedom and their right to reproductive and sexual health care,” said Ashley Grant, representing Planned Parenthood Generation Action Chapter at Case Western University. Speaking about how critical it is that young people are aware of resources that are available to them as attacks on our reproductive freedoms escalate, Ashley said “education and awareness of resources for students is powerful. We can and will make a change as young people not only in Ohio but nationwide” 

“I went into medicine knowing I wanted to take care of people, I really wanted to empower women through their health and share in the relationship only doctors and patients do,” said Dr. Tani Malhotra, a maternal fetal medicine specialist. “51 years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that decisions about abortion belong to patients and their doctors. The Dobbs decision took that away from me and from patients.” Speaking about who decides how much risk is worth taking in a pregnancy, Dr. Malhotra went on to say that “risk calculation belongs to the patient. Not only risk, but the decision to have a child, to grow a family – all those decisions belong to the people who are pregnant themselves. We have to trust women to make the best decisions for themselves and their families. The Dobbs decision took away personal, life affirming decisions from patients and gave it to lawmakers who have never had to sit with patients and share in the worst moments of people’s lives”

The “Ride to Decide” tour is headed to Cincinnati, Ohio next, where local storytellers and Congressman Greg Landsman 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 ashley@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.

Student Leaders and Patient Storytellers Demand Action to Protect Reproductive Freedom at “Ride to Decide” National Bus Tour Event On Ohio State Campus as Students Move In

COLUMBUS, OH–– Today, Free & Just’s “Ride to Decide” national bus tour arrived on campus at Ohio State University 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, student leaders and patient storytellers shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Ohio and across the country.

“When the Dobbs decision first came out, I talked to doctors, patients, parents and legal advocates across the country, and there was a general sentiment of chaos and fear at the lack of health care,” Melanie Fontes Rainer, the Director for Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. “We know that in Ohio, despite anti-abortion extremists’ efforts, the right to abortion is enshrined in the state constitution. But we know that's not the case for women across the country and for a lot of women, especially women that have to travel here and other places, it's very difficult to access health care.” Fontes Rainer also highlighted the Biden administration’s ongoing efforts to expand access to reproductive health care.  

“As we continue our fight for reproductive justice, it's essential that we listen to those most impacted. We must acknowledge survivors of sexual violence and understand their unique relationship to reproductive justice,” said Tate Madison, who serves as President of Sexual Assault Prevention & Support (SAPS) at Ohio State University. “It is our responsibility to ensure everyone has full autonomy over their bodies and be able to make decisions on their reproductive health free from violence, coercion and fear, to work for the future where everyone has the power and resources to make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”

“Just this morning, there was a hearing in Franklin County Court about the 24 hour waiting period that requires every patient in Ohio to wait at least 24 hours and have two separate appointments to access care,” said Sam Woodring, who leads communications for the Abortion Fund of Ohio. Woodring reminded the audience that help is available to those who are struggling to afford abortion care, and encouraged Ohio State students to share information about local abortion funds with their friends and folks on campus.

“These attacks threaten not only our reproductive rights, but also our access to medical care and the medication necessary for us to live healthy and happy lives,” said Laila Ritter, the head of Marketing & Communications at Sexual Assault Prevention & Support (SAPS), who shared that she was diagnosed with PCOS as a teenager, and relies on hormonal birth control to manage the otherwise debilitating condition. “They are not only trying to take away our right to choose, but also our right to health and medical intervention. As human beings, we all deserve the right to treat our illnesses and our health issues, and those rights should not be limited due to the government's desire to control our bodies and our choices.”

“Anti-abortion extremists didn't stop at reversing Roe v Wade, they are targeting critical aspects of reproductive health care, including access to IVF, access to medication abortion, and critical contraceptive options. These aren't just abstract issues. These are tangible consequences for families like mine, who may rely on services like these to build their families,” said Dr. Lis Regula, an Advocacy Associate with Men Having Babies. “As a trans man, I know firsthand how reproductive justice intersects with the fight for LGBTQ rights. The same extremists who seek to control others’ bodies are often the ones pushing anti-trans legislation and trying to roll back the hard-won rights of LGBTQ individuals.”

“Black birthing people are more likely to suffer from inadequate care, contributing to a higher risk of maternal mortality,” said Jules Dunlap, who serves as Black Student Engagement Chair of Sexual Assault Prevention & Support (SAPS). Dunlap shared her mother’s dangerous and traumatizing birth experience, and demanded action to ensure access to quality reproductive care for all Ohioans. “We must both engage with policymakers and push reform to ensure ethical care for all.”

The “Ride to Decide” tour is headed to Cleveland, Ohio 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.

Congresswoman Summer Lee and State Rep. Arvind Venkat Join Patients and Community Leaders to Demand Action to Protect Reproductive Freedom at “Ride to Decide” Bus Tour Event in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA –– Today, Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) and State Rep. Arvind Venkat joined local storytellers, faith leaders, and community members at Free & Just’s “Ride to Decide” national bus tour event in Pittsburgh. 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, local patient storytellers, health care providers, and community members shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Pennsylvania and across the country.

“Let's be clear, these abortion bans have created the most life threatening conditions for pregnant people in America in the last 50 years, in a country that already has the highest rate of maternal and infant mortality of any developed nation. These bans are endangering lives every single day for black women, the stakes are even higher,” said Congresswoman Summer Lee, who represents Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. “Make people who want to strip our rights uncomfortable, make them know that it is unacceptable for them to continue on with this crusade to erode and further erode our rights and harm our people.” 

“Two years ago, when the Dobbs decision came down, I recognized immediately that this was going to have a tragic effect on my patients,” said State Representative Arvind Venkat, a practicing emergency medicine physician who represents the 30th Legislative District. “Efforts to overturn abortion rights are costing women their health, their fertility and their lives. And, I have colleagues in other states who are calling lawyers on a regular basis to ask ‘is this woman sitting up for me to do my job?’ We can’t allow this to happen.”

“No health care provider should be burdened with the dual role of delivering exceptional, patient centered care while also managing the overwhelming logistics and emotional support required by so many of our patients,” said Nikkole Terney, the director of abortion care at Allegheny Reproductive Health Center. “We step into these roles because we know how vital it is to ensure patients receive the care that they need.”

“My faith as a Unitarian Universalist, says that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was profoundly, utterly wrong,” said Rev. Dr. Kate R. Walker, a Minister at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh. “Every part of our body belongs to us, and no one else can make those decisions.” 

“I have heard from hundreds of women and people born with reproductive organs about what the fall of Roe has done to them,” said Alliyson Feldman, an organizer with Red Wine and Blue Pennsylvania, a community of women standing up to extremism across the state. “This fight requires more than our work here in Allegheny County and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – we have to work together across this great nation.” 

“There's nothing in the Bible that prohibits a woman from ending a pregnancy. In fact, the Bible repeatedly takes the position that human life begins at the first breath,” said Rev. Lee Anne Washington, a pastor at the Universalist Unitarian Church of the North Hills, who encouraged people of faith to engage in friendly dialogue with those who don’t support abortion. “Help them see a better way and that they can be good human beings, good Christians and followers of the Bible and still support women's reproductive freedom.” 

“I did what was right for my son, myself, and my family, and chose to have an abortion at 22 weeks into my pregnancy. I could not and would not carry my son for four more months, knowing his life would likely be filled with pain and suffering,” said Kelsey Leigh, who chose to terminate her pregnancy after receiving a devastating fetal diagnosis. “I chose to have an abortion and it's a decision I'm proud of. It's a choice that was only mine based on the information I had at the time, where I was in my life, and what I wanted to do.”

The “Ride to Decide” tour is headed to The Ohio State University campus in Columbus next, where local storytellers and campus leaders 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.

Doctors, Patients, and Community Leaders Spotlight Harms of Abortion Bans and Demand Federal Action to Protect Reproductive Freedom at “Ride to Decide” Bus Tour Event in Harrisburg

HARRISBURG, PA –– Today, local health care providers, patient storytellers, and community leaders joined Free & Just’s “Ride to Decide” national bus tour event in Harrisburg 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, local patient storytellers, health care providers, and community members shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Pennsylvania and across the country.

“I want to be able to do my job, and I want my patients to have access to care,” said Dr. Annahieta Kalantari, a board certified emergency medicine physician who practices in the area. Dr. Kalantri explained how attacks on reproductive freedom affect doctors and patients experiencing pregnancy complications. “In the emergency department, we take care of everyone – we welcome everyone with open arms. Attacks on reproductive rights compromise our ability to do that.”

“Less than two years ago, extremist lawmakers here in Pennsylvania launched an attempt to add language to our state’s constitution that says there is no right to abortion at all,” said Ronna Dewey, the Program Director of Red Wine and Blue Pennsylvania. Dewey explained that while abortion is currently legally protected in Pennsylvania, anti-aboriton extremists continue to look for new ways to attack reproductive freedom across the state.

“Without IVF, I would not have the grandchildren that I have,” said Rev. Joan M. Sabatino, who serves as the Director of the Unitarian Universalist Justice PA (UUJusticePA). Reverend Sabatino grew emotional while describing her daughters’ experience growing their families with IVF, a treatment anti-abortion extremists are targeting in states across the country. “I am opposed to our government attacking my daughters’ choice to have a family. Laws that regulate women’s choices don’t make any sense.” 

“In Pennsylvania, providers are playing the part of travel agents as well when patients come from out of state,” said Adam Hosey, who serves as Policy Director for Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates. Hosey highlighted how abortion restrictions in Pennsylvania, including mandatory waiting periods and “counseling,” limit access to care and harm patients. “We have a vision for a future in Pennsylvania where abortion is not only accessible, but affordable and folks do not feel stigmatized because of their health care choices. It’s something we can do, but we have to work together.” 

“We know that 8 in 10 Americans support abortion rights – that is why this fight is far from over,” said Annie Wu Henry, a popular content creator and digital media strategist who grew up in Pennsylvania. Henry, who was adopted from China, also criticized anti-abortion activists who push adoption as an alternative to abortion. “It’s infuriating to me when people speak on behalf of the adopted community.”

The “Ride to Decide” tour is headed to Pittsburgh next, where Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) and State Representative Arvind Venkat will join local storytellers to 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. 

###

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.