Gretchen's List: May 2022
Abortion Edition
Dear Friends,
This one is going to be quick.
I had written an entirely different draft for May, but you all are going to get it in June instead because, of course, this happened.
Though unofficial, this decision isn’t a surprise — which didn’t stop me from literally bursting into tears upon reading it (and I’m not a crier).
I am lucky in that the work that I am doing is exactly the work that I feel compelled to do in this moment, and that I have the company of so many of you in that work.
Below are the places and people I think need your money right now. I hope you’ll send them some.
If you’re in San Francisco, please join me at Manny’s on Monday night. Details below.
In solidarity always,
Gretchen
P.S. In the midst of all this, I am writing a book on adoption, abortion, and reproductive justice; it was acquired last week and will be published in January 2024. If you feel that you do not already get enough email from me, please sign up here for updates on when Relinquished will be available for preorder. And special thanks to Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett for the book deal.
Where to Send Money Right Now
Nonprofit Organizations
Self-Managed Abortion, Safe and Supported. Abortion pills are a safe and effective way to end an unwanted pregnancy, with or without a clinician. If a person chooses to self-manage their abortion, this website is a source of accurate, up-to-date information to help them be medically and legally safe.
Abortion Funds. Find a pin on this map and send money to a local fund. These funds send money directly to people who need resources to access abortion care. You can send money to the National Network of Abortion Funds, but I think it’s better to send it directly to a local fund. Need help finding a fund in a specific state? Feel free to email me or ask in the comments. Looking to donate time? Most abortion funds are volunteer-run. Volunteering for an abortion fund changed my life. You can also look at the Apiary Collective, which is helping abortion funds build their capacity for practical support.
We Testify. We Testify does culture-changing work nationally to elevate the leadership and representation of people who have abortions, increasing the spectrum of abortion storytellers in the public sphere, and shifting the way the media understands the context and complexity of accessing abortion care.
All-Options. All-Options is the only organization in the reproductive justice movement dedicated to supporting all choices and experiences around pregnancy, parenting, abortion, and adoption. This is another option for those looking to volunteer time.
Abortion Care Network’s Keep Our Clinics Open Fund. Most abortions in this country are not performed at Planned Parenthoods, but at independent abortion providers. These small, community-based clinics rely on individuals and communities to keep their doors open, often lacking the financial support, name recognition, and fundraising reach of national health centers or hospitals.
Most of the 501c3 nonprofit recommendations above are pulled from the giving guide that I partnered with the San Francisco Foundation to develop; you can see the full guide here.
Political Efforts
State Governance. You all are tired of hearing from me about state governance (I wrote about it in December and again just in April), but it’s the answer once again. Governors, secretaries of states, and attorneys general. Here’s your slate for all the competitive races.
US Senate. Look. Am I happy with the Senate right now? No. They are sitting on the Women’s Health Protection Act, and they will not pass it; they are also the reason we got this fucking Supreme Court in the first place. Whatever; if we don’t try to win Senate races, we’ll be screwed even more so after 2024. Here’s your slate if you’re feeling inspired.
State Legislatures. Let’s go win some state legislatures. Good for voting rights! Good for abortion access! More to come on this from me, but here’s to get you started: States to Save Roe from the DLCC; Forward Majority.
Upcoming Event
May 9, 6pm PT. Please join me, California Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, ACCESS Reproductive Justice director Jessica Pinckney, and abortion provider (and my boss) Dr. Dan Grossman at Manny’s next Monday evening to discuss California’s Role in a Post-Roe v. Wade World. RSVP here.
The U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. While this historic ruling is unsurprising given the conservative composition of the court, it will fundamentally reshape abortion access across the country, leaving many states with little to no access to legal abortion care.
What does a post-Roe world look like? What will our responsibility be to Californians, and to folks who may travel here for care? What policies are currently in place and being worked on in Sacramento to ensure California is serving as a model for other states?
Even though this leaked opinion in a draft, and not the final decision of the Court, those working in abortion access have believed this to be coming for a long time. How have we been preparing for this moment, and what work comes next?
How can all of us channel our money, energy, knowledge to this issue, and to those people and communities who will be most affected by this ruling?
Come ready to get informed and get involved.
Need a complimentary ticket? Just email me.
Donor, sociologist, researcher. Board member at WDN Action and Emerge America, and steering committee member at Electing Women Bay Area -- but all content here is mine alone and not on behalf of any organization or business. My goals are to help others find their networks and feel more comfortable and informed participating in the political giving space.
Currently reading: Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America by Kathleen Belew.
Gretchen, I wanted to encourage a friend to sign up for your newsletter, but I cannot find a subscribe link. Can you please share it? (And perhaps add it at the end of each newsletter for the future.) Many thanks.