Reproductive Freedom Day 2012

For the past two years now I've participated in a much anticipated event hosted by the California Coalition for Reproductive Freedom at our State Capitol in Sacramento--Reproductive Freedom Day (RFD).

This day is a day that women can come together to listen to each other's stories, get an update about what's going in Washington and celebrate our recent and past victories regarding issues like abortion, women's health and current bills that have passed.

This year was the event's 10th anniversary. Some of these bills I've lobbied on in the past include AB 499 (Atkins), which gives minors the consent to preventative STD services. A small victory at best, as it did pass the state Senate.

However, we have faced much harder challenges throughout the year in other states as women's health seemed to take the forefront of many legistators' minds. Thankfully, we can count on California as continuing being a leader in protecting women's health.

I work as an advocacy activist and practical support volunteer for an organization in Oakland called ACCESS Women's Health Justice. Our focus is based on helping underprivileged, minority women find resources regarding abortion and health services.

Many of these women come from all over California and must travel to the Bay Area just to receive these services. Services that are directly affected by the issue of access.

This year at RFD, people from many organizations, including ACCESS Women's Health Justice lobbied on its first abortion bill ever in the event's history. Under current law only doctors can perform early aspiration abortions. Under a new bill, SB 1501 (Kehoe), nurse practitioners, physician's assistants and certified midwives would be able to perform this procedure.

For women who have to travel from far distances just to get abortion care, this would mean a world of difference including being able to see the nurse practitioners in their community they feel most comfortable with, saving money since they can get the first trimester early aspiration procedure that is less costly than a second trimester procedure and it is completely safe under the nurse practitioners' current skill set.

After breaking out in groups throughout the day, we were on our way to lobby at the Capitol and our state legislators about the importance of this bill and its effect on access for women in California.

I was surrounded by women in the medical field, women who do research on procedures described above, women majoring in political science and women who have worked in the women's health field for years. We visited two representatives offices, both of which were positive visits. We listened to guest speakers at the convention center who honored the women who have lighted the ways for us future generations fighting for women's health.

The one thing I love about RFD is the experience of being able to talk with the people who represent our communities in the Bay Area and abroad. Someone said to us this year that our representatives want to talk to real people like us who lobby for bills such as the one I've shared with you.

My job is to tell them what my story is while still connecting to important bills we lobby. I tell them I represent the mothers who have children who want choice to be a part of their lives when they get older. That's just one issue on top of so many others I choose to be vocal about.