A group of women from Colorado and across the country plan to gather for a virtual meeting in honor of what would have been the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
Hosted by the Women’s Collaborative, the Jan. 23 meeting participants will discuss how women can take action in this year’s legislative session.
YWCA Boulder County CEO Debbie Pope, who is part of the collaborative, said the Roe v. Wade advocacy is not just about healthcare.
“It is a racial justice issue as well, because the women who are being most impacted by these decisions are predominantly women of color,” she said.
The U.S. Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion June 24, with its conservative majority overturning Roe v. Wade. Colorado organizations, healthcare clinics and government agencies immediately began preparing for an influx of women from states that subsequently banned abortions.
“Now we have lots of women from other states who are also traveling here, so we’re really intent and focused this year on making sure that we can protect healthcare providers who are providing this service,” Pope said.
Full abortion bans are now in effect in Idaho, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to the New York Times.
“We have other women traveling from other states to our demonstrations and marches because there maybe wasn’t something in their state in particular, and they felt so adamantly about it to take action,” Pope said.
The YWCA, the Women’s Collaborative and other local organizations are doing all they can to support Colorado Planned Parenthood and other healthcare clinics, Pope said.
“We know that our clinics in Boulder County right now are extremely overwhelmed, and do just incredible work that make sure they’re able to provide services for women in Colorado and beyond,” she explained.
“What we want to make sure we do is that women and people who believe strongly in reproductive rights are able to know how to take action and be able to connect together.”
The local organizations that are participating in the virtual meeting include the Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center, Cobalt, Zonta, AAUW, League of Women Voters, Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley, MESA, United Nationals Association, SPAN, YWCA, The Reentry Initiative, BPW and ECHO.
A Roe v. Wade rally is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 21 in Longmont at 6th Avenue and Main Street.
