Free & Just to Host “Summer Storytelling Series” with Patients, Doctors, and Advocates Across the Country to Highlight Latest GOP Attacks on Abortion Access

Lawmakers and advocates to join Free & Just at events in Texas, Washington, Georgia, North Carolina, and more!

WASHINGTON, DC –– Throughout the month of August, Free & Just is partnering with patient storytellers, local partners, and lawmakers in communities across the country for a “Summer Storytelling Series” to amplify the stories of real people impacted by attacks on abortion and reproductive freedom. 

With events in Texas, Washington, Georgia, and North Carolina, Free & Just “Summer Storytelling Series” is an opportunity for patients and advocates to highlight how Trump-era and Republican-led attacks on abortion access are ending women’s lives and harming families — even in states where abortion remains legal. Together, they’ll set the record straight on what’s at stake as Trump and GOP lawmakers push for a nationwide ban on abortion. 

“Abortion bans are killing women across the country, and instead of working to expand access to care, Trump and extremists in Congress just jammed through a disastrous budget with dangerous cuts that will strip millions of people of access to health care, leaving millions more lives at risk,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Since returning to office, President Trump and Republican lawmakers have waged a coordinated campaign to roll back reproductive rights and weaponize the government against patients, providers, and facts. From slashing Medicaid to attempting to illegally close down Planned Parenthood, Trump and his allies are targeting our health and our freedom. Now more than ever, we must be clear about what’s at stake as extremists work to ban abortion nationwide – even in states where it is still legal.”

The event series follows the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit which brought more than 100 storytellers from 39 states across the country to our nation's capital to amplify the human cost of abortion bans. Equipped with powerful new advocacy skills and a meaningful sense of community, patient storytellers, doctors, and local leaders will highlight what’s at stake for their families.

For more information about Free & Just’s “Summer Storytelling Series” and event details, contact Kelly Rimar (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.

ICYMI: Heather Martell Addresses House Members on the Dangers of Extreme Abortion Bans at Spotlight Hearing

The hearing on “Republican Attacks on Reproductive Freedom” marked three years since the deadly Dobbs decision.

Washington, DC –– Today, Free & Just storyteller, Heather Martell, joined House Leadership, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, the Democratic Women’s Caucus, and the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, at a spotlight hearing on the devastating consequences of abortion bans following the deadly Dobbs decision.

The hearing follows the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit, where Free & Just hosted more than 100 patient storytellers including Heather, health care providers, and advocates from 32 states across the country to amplify the human cost of abortion bans and mark the third anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

During the hearing, the Supreme Court ruled that states can block people relying on Medicaid from choosing Planned Parenthood as their trusted health care provider, a devastating blow to abortion rights and reproductive health care – specifically, the freedom of millions of people who use Medicaid to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider. 

At the hearing, Heather shared her story with House Democratic members and highlighted the need to fight for reproductive freedom, defend against government overreach, and keep extremist politicians out of decisions made between doctors and their patients.

Watch full remarks here, Highlights below:

“2006 was the first time I was pregnant. I wanted to keep my baby. I had named my baby Lucy. I miscarried. My OBGYN, unknown to me at the time, was a member of a professional organization of Pro-Life doctors. She refused to treat my miscarriage. She refused to see me while I was still bleeding. She refused to refer me to another doctor – in fact, she went as far as to cancel an appointment I made with another OBGYN at the same clinic. 

When asked what would happen if I went to the ER, I was told that my OBGYN would be called, and I would be discharged. I had an incomplete miscarriage. I bled for weeks – From March 17 until mid-May. Giant clots. Bleeding through at least a pad an hour at times. I was so weak, I often couldn’t get out of bed. I called my OBGYN and begged for help, a D&C, medication, anything. I was met with hostility and told not to call again until I was no longer bleeding. I could have died, because of a Pro-Life OBGYN. These are the same doctors that advise the GOP and support abortion bans. They don’t care about their patients. They don’t care if we live or die. Mine certainly didn’t. I was barely 19 years old at the time. 

In 2008, I had my son. A beautiful baby boy. The people in my life, my mother, and the man that impregnated me, tried to pressure me into an abortion. I stood my ground, and I thank God every day that I did. Being Pro-Choice doesn’t mean aborting every pregnancy. It means “mind your own business.”

“After years of struggling with infertility, and the costly, invasive infertility treatments, we conceived, naturally, in 2021. His name was Oliver. A mother knows when something isn’t right. The entire pregnancy, I felt as though something was off. So, we tested. 

—---

“If our baby made it to delivery, he would suffer a horrible, prolonged death, and we would bankrupt ourselves – financially, mentally and emotionally – to try to make Oliver’s only moments with us less physically painful for him.

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“We made the choice, as Oliver’s parents, that we could not let him suffer. That it would be better for all of us, Oliver included, if we provided him with a good death, a quick death, before his brain had a chance to develop pain receptors. Oliver would never know pain, discomfort, hunger, cold, loneliness, or fear….

Fetal death was quick. A shot of digoxin to the heart and he was gone in seconds. The next day, he was surgically removed from my body. We had to leave our home, our community, our State, to receive medical care. If I could not access abortion care, I was prepared to kill myself to prevent my son’s suffering.”

“Shame on Republican lawmakers for even suggesting that because I did the right thing for my son, Oliver, I should be imprisoned or, according to some politicians, even put to death. Shame on them for attempting to criminalize abortion and miscarriage. Shame on the American people for allowing this. My plea today is that you fight government overreach and interference, and you let mothers be mothers. They know what is best for their children, their families and themselves.”

If you are interested in speaking with Heather Martell about her experience in DC during the hearing or summit, or as a storyteller based in Wisconsin living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@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.

BREAKING: Supreme Court Rules States Can Deny Medicaid Funding to Planned Parenthood

SCOTUS paves the way for states to defund Planned Parenthood and deny millions of Americans essential reproductive care  

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, the Supreme Court issued a ruling that allows states to block people relying on Medicaid from choosing Planned Parenthood as their trusted health care provider. Nearly three years to the day after the deadly Dobbs decision, the Court dealt yet another blow to abortion rights and reproductive health care – specifically, the freedom of millions of people who use Medicaid to choose Planned Parenthood as their health care provider. The decision comes as anti-abortion extremists double down on efforts to restrict access nationwide. 

KEY POINTS

• Medicaid is a critical source of health coverage for over 70 million people in America. It is also extremely popular — According to recent data from Navigator Research, an overwhelming majority of Americans have a favorable view of Medicaid.

• Nearly 17 million women of reproductive age receive health coverage through Medicaid, and more than 40% of births in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid. 

• Excluding Planned Parenthood from Medicaid means millions of people won’t be able to see their trusted provider for birth control, STI testing and treatment, annual exams, and cancer screenings. 

“Today’s decision from the Supreme Court puts millions of Americans' essential right to reproductive care at risk,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Almost three years to the day after the deadly Dobbs decision, conservatives have once again used the highest court in the land to effectively ban access abortion care, all while Republicans in Congress are trying to gut Medicaid for millions more Americans. This decision will devastate communities across the country.”

The decision, penned by conservative Trump appointee Justice Neil Gorsuch solidifies efforts in South Carolina to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding. But, Medina v. Planned Parenthood is part of a larger, coordinated attack on Medicaid, Title X, Planned Parenthood, and other health care providers that offer abortion and reproductive health care. The consequences of this case could lead to other restrictions that strip access to other abortion and reproductive health care and jeopardize a person’s right to see any health care provider of their choice. 

If you are interested in speaking with patient storytellers or health care providers who may be impacted by this decision, 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.

On Third Anniversary of Deadly Dobbs Decision, 100+ Abortion Patients, Providers, and Advocates Join Free & Just in DC

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, more than 100 patient storytellers, health care providers, and advocates from across the country joined Free & Just in Washington, DC to mark the third anniversary of the deadly Dobbs decision, which ended Roe v. Wade and upended the lives of millions. 

With special guest appearances from powerful advocates for reproductive freedom, including Vice President Kamala Harris, the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit brought storytellers from 32 states across the country to our nation's capital to amplify the human cost of abortion bans.

Today, Free & Just spent the day on Capitol Hill with all 100+ storytellers to meet with more than 60 members of Congress and share why three years after the deadly Dobbs decision, access to abortion remains a priority for millions of Americans. 

“The third anniversary of the deadly Dobbs decision is painful, and it comes amid escalating attacks on our communities,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “From stacking our courts with dangerous new extremist judges, to gutting protections that guarantee access to lifesaving medical care, President Trump and Republican lawmakers are trying to roll back our rights even further. This week, more than 100 powerful voices from across the country pledged to stand up to these attacks and continue telling the truth about life in post-Roe America. Free & Just is honored to work with so many courageous storytellers, and we are ready for the fight ahead.”

Interested in connecting with storytellers who participated in the Summit or accessing footage from the three day Summit?

Please complete this media request form and we will be in touch to coordinate. 

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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.

State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes and Local Advocates Join Free & Just to Mark Third Anniversary of Deadly Dobbs Decision

Austin, TX –– Today, Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Austin Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, and local patient storytellers joined Free & Just for an event to mark the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s deadly Dobbs decision, which ripped away the right to safe and legal abortion. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have continued to escalate, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.

Throughout June, Free & Just is partnering with storytellers, advocates, and local organizations to amplify the human cost of attacks on access to reproductive health care, honor the lives of those lost to cruel abortion bans, and highlight what's at stake as Trump and Republicans in Congress work to roll back our rights even further.

At the event, patient storytellers and community leaders shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Texas and across the country.

“Three years ago, the Dobbs decision gutted Roe v. Wade and ushered in a wave of cruel, calculated attacks on reproductive health care, especially in states like Texas. The consequences have been devastating,” said Austin Mayor ProTem Vanessa Fuentes, who is leading the effort to support women forced to travel out of Texas for abortion care. “Here in Austin, we will still do everything we can at the local level to uphold our values, to support our people, and to make clear that the medical decisions belong to you and your doctor, and only you and your doctor.”

“We've entered an era where our government no longer seeks to reflect the will of the people. Our state leadership gleefully stripped us of our right to bodily autonomy, a right that is overwhelmingly supported in a bipartisan fashion,” said State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, who represents District 14. “There is nothing patriotic about increasing the fertility rate by force…there is nothing Christian or compassionate about withholding basic life-saving medical treatment from a pregnant person.”

“I was fortunate to receive the care I needed, which allowed me to go on to have healthy pregnancies. Yet in Texas today, that critical care is not always guaranteed,” said Jessica, a patient and mother from Austin. “Pregnancy demands the unwavering support and expertise of doctors, nurses, midwives,and doulas - to ensure every woman receives compassionate, comprehensive, reproductive health care. Texas public policy must champion these protections, not dismantle them.”

“When I think of the Dobbs decision and all of the things that have happened in the last three years, I think of women like Adriana Smith, who cannot make her own decisions, and is currently being violated by the government. Although these are horrible details to face, it is the reality that we are facing not only in the South but across the United States because of the Dobbs decision,” said Joslynn Sanchez, a Policy and Advocacy Manager with Deeds Not Words, an organization dedicated to empowering Texas youth. 

“When I was pregnant with twins, I learned that one of the babies had a fatal fetal anomaly which made a hole in his heart so big that doctors told me that no ethical surgeon would ever operate. Our only choice to reduce the risk to me and my surviving son was to have an abortion. But Texas Republicans had already decided that I would not get that care,” said Sarah Harrison, a patient from Texas who spoke candidly about how so-called "exceptions" to the state’s cruel abortion ban do not actually work. “Instead, Texas Republicans forced me to find a new doctor out of state, make arrangements to travel there, and endure a difficult procedure far from home. Texas Republicans are no doubt aware of circumstances like mine but they did not legislate an exception into the law. Why? Because their laws are fundamentally about the control of women, not the protection of babies.”

“My baby had a lethal genetic anomaly and I was told that if he made it to birth, he would suffocate. But because of Texas law I was denied the ability to take care of my child the way his father and I felt was the most compassionate and aligned with our values,” said Katilyn Kash, a patient from Austin and former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas. “We are living proof of what happens without federal protections. This isn't about choice. It's about access. It's about a government deciding what health care you can get based on its own morality, not medical need.”

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.

Patient Storytellers and Local Advocates Join Free & Just to Mark Third Anniversary of Deadly Dobbs Decision

Madison, WI  –– Today, Rev. Tim Schaefer, Dr. Nike Mourikes, Sydney Andreson, and Megan Kling joined Free & Just and A Better Wisconsin Together, Appleton Area NOW chapter, Committee to Protect Health Care, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL), Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals for an event to mark the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s deadly Dobbs decision, which ripped away the right to safe and legal abortion. In the years since, attacks on reproductive freedom have continued to escalate, and women across the country have lost their lives as a result of abortion bans and restrictions.

Throughout June, Free & Just is partnering with storytellers, advocates, and local organizations to  amplify the human cost of attacks on access to reproductive health care, honor the lives of those lost to cruel abortion bans, and highlight what's at stake as Trump and Republicans in Congress work to roll back our rights even further.

At the event, local patient storytellers, health care providers, and community members shared how attacks on reproductive freedom harm women and families in Wisconsin and across the country.

“U.S. House Republicans voted to cut Medicaid and ‘defund’ Planned Parenthood, putting nearly 200 health centers at risk of closing nationally, including numerous centers here in Wisconsin… I want to be clear: this is intentional and they won’t stop there. Republicans have said the Dobbs decision was not the end. And today, we’re seeing exactly what they meant. Anti-abortion lawmakers are willing to throw our most vulnerable members of the community to the wolves so they can eliminate access to safe abortions,” said Sydney Anderson, a Government Relations Specialist with Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. “We can't let a few politicians take away our freedoms because of their personal beliefs. Without all of us, we risk taking more and more steps backwards.”

“The moment Dobbs went into effect in June of 2022, an archaic 19th century law was resurrected by the legislature here in Wisconsin, resulting in an abrupt halt to abortion care in our state, creating chaos, chaos that lasted over a year,” said Dr. Nike Mourikes, an Internal Medicine Specialist practicing in the area. “Extremists have forced their ideology into our exam rooms and we have all paid the price. After three long years of politicians, judges, and the government interfering in health care, we need to bring these decisions back to where they belong: in the hands of patients and medical professionals back to the privacy and sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship.”

“In 2023, Sam and I became pregnant with our third child, but a more in-depth ultrasound reading confirmed our worst fears – our baby had Bilateral Renal Agenesis, and because I was 22 weeks pregnant by the time we received a confirmed diagnosis, it was illegal for my doctors to help me. I was forced to flee my home state of Wisconsin in order to access care,” said Megan Kling, a patient from rural Wisconsin. “The women of Wisconsin deserve better than this so get the hell out of our doctor's office because pregnancy is too complex to legislate. Exceptions do not work. Please allow women to seek care when they need it the most because abortion restrictions can impact anyone.”

“It has now been 3 years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and Wisconsinites have made it clear time and time again that they support safe and legal abortion access and believe politicians have no business in decisions that ought to be made between a patient and their doctor. Yet, Republicans in our state Capitol all the way to Washington D.C. are still obstructing a path to protecting and expanding abortion access in Wisconsin and meddling in private health care decisions where they have no business. Wisconsinites deserve better, and it’s time that these Republicans start doing their job, listen to their constituents, and protect access to safe and legal abortion in Wisconsin.”  Lucy Ripp, communications director at A Better Wisconsin Together.

“As a Baptist, I must speak clearly: no government has the right to impose a narrow religious doctrine on an entire state or nation. The decision to seek an abortion is complex, moral, and personal. It is a decision made with great care and consideration. And yet, politicians around the country continue to override the wisdom and agency of individuals with one-size-fits-all legal bans rooted in a singular, rigid interpretation of Scripture,” said Rev. Tim Schaefer, Wisconsin Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. “Let’s be honest: these laws are not about protecting life. They are about controlling women’s bodies – they are about silencing their voices and shrinking their choices.”

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.

Ahead of Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Reproductive Freedom for All, Demand Justice, Patients, and Advocates Join Free & Just to Expose Trump Nominees’ Anti-Abortion Extremism

**WATCH THE EVENT HERE**

WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO, Reproductive Freedom for All, Maggie Jo Buchanan, Interim Executive Director of Demand Justice, and patient storytellers joined Free & Just to expose how President Trump and Republican lawmakers are trying to stack our courts with dangerous new extremist judges. The Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for a handful of these nominees is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4. If they are advanced out of that committee, confirmation votes could come before the full Senate in mid- to late-July.

Trump has been explicit that his top priority for choosing judicial nominees is not their dedication to the rule of law, but to his agenda. These extreme nominees could open the floodgates for more attacks on the rights of American families to make their own health care decisions, and cement federal government control over Americans’ freedoms and our economy.

“It is a completely intentional act by the Trump administration, in collusion with some of the most extreme anti-abortion activists in this country, to stack the courts with young jurists who are ideologically out-of-sync with the majority of the country,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “The majority of Americans are supportive of abortion access right now. They don’t want abortion restrictions, they don’t want to see limitations on medication abortion, and yet we expect these nominees to be on the side of restricting access to care.”

“The overall record of these nominees speaks plainly to the Trump administration’s desire to see reproductive rights ripped away from women across the country,” said Maggie Jo Buchanan, the Interim Executive Director of Demand Justice. “A lot of the judicial process can feel far removed, but we have to focus on how these judicial nominees will impact people. Our rights and our wellbeing are at stake.”

“Missourians worked tirelessly to protect abortion access by ballot initiative after the Dobbs decision, but extremist judges are already working to overturn the will of the people by banning abortion once again in our state,” said Carrie Frail, an airforce veteran from Missouri who credits her abortion with helping her escape an abusive relationship, and ultimately, saving her life. “Every new slot filled by an extremist nominee chips away at our constitutionally protected rights, and it is vital that we stand up against these nominees now.”

“I have practiced in Knoxville for more than twenty years, and I have seen how taking access to abortion care away impacts my patients and the learners I am trying to teach the full spectrum of OB-GYN care to,” said Dr. Nikki Zite an OB-GYN and educator based in Knoxville, Tennessee. “We need legislators to stay out of the exam room, and judges, who clearly don’t understand how confusing these laws are, to stop interfering with health care.” 

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

You can watch the virtual press event here. 

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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.

On Third Anniversary of Dobbs Decision, Free & Just to Bring 100 Storytellers from Across the Country to DC for Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit

WASHINGTON, DC –– This June, Free & Just will bring 100 storytellers from across the country to Washington, DC for the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit. The three-day Summit will run from June 22-24 and coincides with the three-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and rob millions of women of the freedom to make their own decisions about their families, futures, and lives.

Featuring high-profile patient storytellers like Time Magazine Women of the Year honoree Amanda Zurawski, co-plaintiffs from the landmark Zurawski v. Texas lawsuit, and other notable advocates like Hadley Duvall the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit comes as reporting confirms that abortion bans are killing women and devastating families across the country.

Attendees include patients, providers, and advocates who have been impacted by abortion bans from 32 states across the country, including Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Wisconsin. Some have experience sharing their stories publicly, others will be sharing their stories for the first time. 

Now, three years after the Supreme Court's deadly Dobbs decision, Free & Just is bringing storytellers to our nation's capital to amplify the human cost of abortion bans, equip participants with powerful advocacy tools, and mobilize public support for reproductive freedom. Research confirms that storytelling is a powerful tool to educate and engage communities on abortion and reproductive freedom, and together, these 100 voices will share their stories to highlight what's at stake as attacks on fundamental health care rights across the U.S. escalate. 

“Extremists are trying to distance themselves from the deadly consequences of rolling back access to abortion care while launching new and even more dangerous attacks on our freedom. Now more than ever, we must amplify the stories of people affected by these attacks,” said Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just. “Free & Just is committed to equipping storytellers with the tools and resources to tell their stories, educate their communities, and drive change. We look forward to expanding our network and harnessing our collective power at the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit.”

Our Post-Roe Reality 

• Since Roe was overturned in 2022, more than 22 million people across the country have been stripped of the right to make personal, private decisions. 

• Nineteen states ban abortion or restrict the procedure earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade, which governed reproductive rights for nearly half a century until the Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2022.

• Trump’s second term has already been chock-full of new and vicious attacks on abortion access and reproductive freedom. 

• From strengthening the Hyde Amendment, which restricts coverage for abortion care for people on Medicare and Medicaid, to reinstating the “global gag rule” and appointing radical anti-abortion extremists to his cabinet – President Trump is executing on his plans to ban abortion across the country. 

For more information about the Our Voices, Our Stories, Our Future: Free & Just Storyteller Summit and opportunities to connect with storytellers visit https://www.freeandjust.us/storytellersummit, or 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.

ICYMI: New Research Highlights How Abortion Ban in Georgia Forces Doctors to Delay Care for Patient

Survey data confirms abortion bans put doctors and patients at risk.  

WASHINGTON D.C.  – This week, new data from the latest survey released by U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff highlights the ramifications of the near-total abortion ban in Georgia citing confusion and delay of care for patients from their physicians across the state. 

Senator Ossoff, with assistance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), released the new report finding that Georgia doctors are being forced to wait for women to develop life-threatening infections before terminating nonviable pregnancies due to the State of Georgia’s abortion ban. 

In response to the release of the report, Veronica Ingham, Senior Campaigns Director for Free & Just released the following statement: 

“These recent findings only reaffirm why uplifting the stories of women and patients impacted by abortion bans in this post Roe world is essential towards fighting against these anti-abortion attacks. Abortion bans are killing women and Republican politicians are more focused on pushing their extreme agenda than ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of their constituents. Free & Just commends Senator Ossoff for conducting this important survey and fighting for reproductive freedom in his state and nationwide.”

Key Findings

• Georgia OBGYNs are being forced to send women home to await life-threatening infections before providing necessary care for nonviable pregnancies.

• Georgia OBGYNs report that Georgia’s abortion ban prevented them from following best medical practice, specifically regarding treatment of preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (“PPROM”) — a serious complication that occurs when a pregnant person’s water breaks before a fetus is viable, typically before 24 weeks.

• Georgia’s abortion ban prevents OBGYNs from caring for their patients, including the fear and uncertainty created by the vague language in Georgia’s abortion law. 

Additionally, new data from the Gender Equity Policy Institute shows that pregnant people living in states with abortion bans are almost twice as likely to die during pregnancy or soon after giving birth. The risk is greatest for Black women in states with bans, who are 3.3 times more likely to die than White women in those same states.

If you are interested in speaking with Free & Just storytellers based in Georgia, health care providers or patients about their experience living in a post Roe world, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us. If you are interested in learning more about the research gathered regarding state-level abortion bans and federal activity, please contact malachi@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 Who Sued Texas Over Abortion Ban Set the Record Straight as Dangerous Abortion Bills Move Through State Legislature

**WATCH THE EVENT HERE** 

TEXAS –– Today, a handful of women denied medical care under Texas’ extreme abortion ban joined Free & Just to speak out against dangerous bills moving through the Texas Legislature — measures that would further harm patients and providers across the state.

Ashley Brandt, Kaitlyn Kash, Lauren Miller, Taylor Edwards, Samantha Casiano, Jessica Bernardo, and Hollie Cunningham called out Texas lawmakers for rebranding Texas’ cruel abortion ban while quietly pushing new laws that go even further — punishing patients, providers, and families seeking care. On Friday, plaintiffs from the landmark Zurawski v. Texas lawsuit and their families sent a letter to the legislature urging lawmakers to take their concerns about bills celebrated as a “fix” to the state’s deadly abortion ban seriously. 

“When these bills (SB31/HR44) were filed, some of us thought that there was hope, and that maybe our stories did something – and then we read them,” said Kaitlyn Kash, a mother based in Austin and a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who was denied care in Texas. “We realized this legislation is not what it is being sold as, and as storytellers who have come forward publicly, we knew we had to speak out. We are fed up and tired of the state treating us this way.” 

“I am worried that lawmakers are not listening to the people who are actually impacted by these laws,” said Taylor Edwards, an Austin-area mother and former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who was forced to travel to Colorado for care when she learned that her baby had a severe brain abnormality. Edwards and others have testified at hearings on SB31 and HB44, but worry that  lawmakers are not taking their concerns seriously. “I don’t feel that I can trust what’s being said, and I fear that lawmakers’ true intentions are to make empty promises and distract from the actions taken to trample on the rights of women in Texas.”

“The average Texan doesn’t realize that so-called ‘medical exceptions’ don’t work until someone they love ends up in an impossible situation,” said Ashley Brandt, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, who was forced to travel out-of-state for care when one of the twins she was pregnant with was diagnosed with a fatal condition that threatened both Ashley and the healthy baby she was carrying. Brandt warned that the legislation moving through the Texas legislature right now would criminalize patients and families like hers, making a devastating loss even more painful to navigate. “If Texas politicians want our trust, they need to trust those who have experienced these situations and know what this legislation would mean for us and our loved ones. Texas can do better.”

“Texas has become a dangerous place for pregnant women and the people who love them,” said Hollie Cunningham of Dallas, who was forced to leave the state twice in one year for two non-viable pregnancies with the same fetal diagnosis. “Lawmakers have heard our stories and seen our tears, and still they have nothing. Our pain is being met with silence. No family should be pushed to the brink or threatened with prosecution because lawmakers refuse to act.”

“We are real people, and we are standing together because we want to protect other families from the trauma we’ve suffered,” said Samantha Casiano, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, and a mother of four who was forced to give birth to her daughter, Halo in 2023, despite knowing that she would survive just a few painful hours. According to Casiano, the legislation some are celebrating as an effort to protect women would not help patients like her or prevent the suffering that her daughter was forced to endure. “These are private family matters, and it’s scary that lawmakers want to intervene, and even potentially punish patients like me.”

“The way these bills are written right now force women like me to endure the torture of nonviable pregnancies,” said Lauren Miller, a former plaintiff in Zurawski v. Texas, and a mother who described feeling “hunted” by the state of Texas when she traveled to Colorado for care she was denied at home. Miller blasted extremist lawmakers for attempting to distract Texans with SB31 and HB44 while advancing dangerous legislation that would criminalize patients and doctors. “We are fighting for scraps here. How many times do we have to stand up and beg for our most basic rights?”

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

You can watch the virtual press event here and read the letter sent by the plaintiffs in Zurawski v. Texas to Texas lawmakers last week here. 

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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.