Black women leaders urge Supreme Court to protect Roe V. Wade after Kennedy retirement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUN 27, 2018
Contact: Alexa Mauzy-Lewis, Camino PR alexa@caminopr.com / 212-255-2575

Statement by In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and Executive Director Marcela Howell
WASHINGTON – Today, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy announced that he will be retiring from the Supreme Court, paving the way for President Trump to push the court further to the right and jeopardize reproductive rights. In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda Founder and Executive Director Marcela Howell issued the following statement about the decision:

“Justice Kennedy’s retirement hands Trump an opportunity to put another right-wing judge on the bench, impacting the balance of the U.S. Supreme Court for decades to come. Another Trump appointment all but guarantees the continued erosion of human and civil rights.

“The administration has made it clear that it will stop at nothing to restrict our reproductive freedom, the rights of immigrant families, voting rights, religious freedoms and so much more. This week alone the Supreme Court allowed abortion opponents permission to promote their anti-abortion political agenda disguised as health care. Black women and all women of color will suffer the most from this shift. We already face systemic barriers to accessing health care – especially reproductive health services – we don’t need another hurdle.

“We cannot stand idly by and let Trump further imprint his horrible legacy on the bench. We must reject another anti-choice nominee. We. At In Our Own Voice will continue to fight and ensure that every woman has the resources to make decisions about her own body and live healthy lives. ”

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In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national reproductive justice organization focused on lifting up the voices of Black women at the national and regional levels in our ongoing policy fight to secure reproductive justice for all women and girls. Our eight strategic partners include Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Sisterlove, Inc. SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, The Afiya Center and Women With A Vision.