The fight continues for reproductive justice after the devastating overturning of Roe vs Wade

Detroit, MI — In response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization striking down the constitutional right to abortion protected under Roe v. Wade, Mothering Justice, Birth Detroit, GADES (Grassroots Activism Direct Emergency Support), and SASHA Center, are partnering together to continue to be a voice and support in fighting for body autonomy for all women:
“Women should not have to ask permission on what to do with our bodies. These are fundamental freedoms our government is taking away from us. We must stand united during this time and fight for our right to bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.”
-Eboni Taylor, Mothering Justice

“Abortion is health care, and bodily autonomy is critical for keeping our communities safe. We will continue to fight for reproductive justice for everyone. This ruling amplifies the critical need for increased support of Black, Indigenous, people of color-led organizations whose communities will be most adversely impacted and for large-scale efforts to increase access to midwifery care."
-Leseliey Welch, MPH, MBA Co-Founder & CEO, Birth Detroit

“Roe V Wade has been overturned. This will set us back at least 50 years. However, this will not end abortion as a whole. There will be unsafe back-alley abortions, leading majorly Black women, people in poverty as well as non-gender-conforming persons to have major complications and deaths. We have to join together to fight and ensure that our lives will not be at risk just for the sake of having bodily autonomy. March, write your government officials and let your voice be heard. Let the government know that we will not have this.”
-Dee Woods (they/them), GADES (Grassroots Activism Direct Emergency Support)

“It is very likely that all across this country, abortions will be unsafe and unregulated due to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade. This decision has set this country back and it will put black women and girls at specific risk of harm. Our bodies deserve dignity, respect, and autonomy!”
-Kalimah Johnson, LMSW Founder & Director of SASHA Center

“I am perplexed at the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Individuals who are never going to be impacted by this law are making decisions about other people's bodies based on /their/ personal beliefs— which is even more perplexing, that this decision was made in the highest court in the land where there is supposed to be a separation of church of state. First this… what’s next?”
-Tieanna Burton, Ms. Hotter than July of LGBT Detroit


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About Birth Detroit
Birth Detroit is led by Black women and shaped by community voices with the mission of midwifing safe, quality, loving care through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Birth Detroit Care opened its first neighborhood midwifery clinic in the fall of 2020 and provides prenatal care, postpartum care, and childbirth education. Birth Detroit will open Detroit's first freestanding community birth center and Michigan's first Black-led birth center in 2023. Learn more at www.birthdetroit.com

About GADES (Grassroots Activism Direct Emergency Support)
GADES (Grassroots Activism Direct Emergency Support) is a coalition that is dedicated to providing mutual aid to Black and Brown transgender and non-gender-conforming persons and adjacent communities.


About SASHA Center
Our mission at the SASHA Center is to increase awareness, provide resources and educate the public about sexual assault, provide culturally specific peer support groups to self-identified survivors of rape, and to increase justice and visibility for African-American survivors in Southeast Michigan. www.sashacenter.org


About Tieanna Burton
Tieanna Burton is a Detroit native and graduate of Lewis Cass Technical High School. She holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Alabama State University. Burton serves as the Project Manager + Content Designer for LGBT Detroit, a 501(c)(3) organization.


About Mothering Justice
Mothering Justice is a grassroots policy advocacy organization that provides mothers of color in America with the resources and tools to use their power to make equitable changes in policy. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for families in America by empowering mothers of color to take action on American policy on behalf of themselves and their families. Learn more at motheringjustice.org.

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