Photo: KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images
For: Lupe M. Rodriguez
Posted Jan 23, 2023, 0:22 am EST
Last year, the Supreme Court overturned the case of Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision that gave the American people the federal right to an abortion.
Since then, 14 states now outright ban abortion and are currently considering a nationwide ban.
We are fighting for our access to reproductive health, and it is our duty to empower and raise the voices of the millions of Latina women who will undoubtedly be affected if we lose.
Within the 26 states that have prohibited (or probably prohibited) abortion, there are almost 6.5 million Latinas. That’s 42 percent of this age group of Americans 15-49. Among those Latinas, almost half are already mothers and almost 3 million consider themselves financially insecure.
Women who are denied access to abortion have been found to be more likely to fall deeper into poverty. We have seen it firsthand within the communities we support.
And while the recent decision has hurt millions of people, the barriers to accessing abortion within the Latino community existed long before. Women of color are less likely to have health insurance and more likely to struggle with long-term financial hardship.
Latinas in particular face more significant obstacles, from government restrictions and limited income to fear and stigma, and in turn experience worse health outcomes. However, we believe that all people, regardless of ethnicity or socioeconomic status, should be able to access safe abortion care. InLatin Institute
we are working to change the narrative around abortion and transform the systems that influence our ability to make decisions about our bodies and our lives.
We do this by building power within Latino communities; advocating for local and national policies to ensure that everyone has access to the health care they need, including abortion. We also build relationships with the community so we can change our culture and fuel a broader reproductive justice movement. We are fighting today so that women can exercise their right to a deeply personal choice tomorrow. We also know that we are not the only voice advocating for reproductive justice. Over the years, Latin Institute has received significant funding and support from partners who share our mission, including major institutions like the Ford Foundation and organizations like the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum YIn Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda
. These contributions have helped us further advance our work across the five states we currently serve. And now that the case of Roe v. Wade, it’s more important than ever to join this cause. I have dedicated my entire career to fighting the complex systems that limit resources for women in our country and I will continue to do so with
Latin Institute.
We have to stand step by step with the communities we serve and provide these critical services to the people who need them most – because where we live and how much money we have in the bank should not dictate our access to abortion. Lupe M. Rodríguez is the executive director of the organization
National Latina Institute forum Reproductive Justice.