Reflecting on the devastating decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Thrive NJ Coalition recommits shared support for racial, economic, environmental, and immigrant justice and gender equality as part of a broader reproductive justice and access framework:
“As we mark one year since the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court, which stripped millions of people across the country of their fundamental right to abortion care, we are reminded that now, more than ever, the fight for freedom, equity, and justice for our communities is an intersectional one,” said ACLU of New Jersey Campaign Strategist Alejandra Sorto. “None of us are free until all of us are free. We are grateful to join our many partners across the state to celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month and make our voices heard loud and clear. We call on our state lawmakers to enact polices that advance racial and economic justice, including the Reproductive Equity Act, which has been stalled for far too long, and move us toward a New Jersey that works for all of us.”
“For decades, Latina women have been robbed of their bodily autonomy through forced hysterectomies and sterilizations. It is imperative that we stand up against all forms of violence against women. We believe in allowing birthing people to make choices about their bodies without coercion or discrimination. This is why we advocate for comprehensive reproductive healthcare and policies that protects the autonomy and dignity of ALL Latina and immigrant women, including affordable access to basic reproductive health care for undocumented women,” shared Latino Action Network Foundation.
“We support today's 'Trenton Takeover;' challenging our legislative leaders to ensure that our freedoms are secured. Reproductive freedom is a Jewish value and like issues of immigration, voting rights, economic justice and all forms of discrimination; they are also moral concerns shared by many. Working side by side with the confluence of organizations represented here, we can affect the changes these issues demand,” said Paula Star, Co-President of NCJW Bergen County Section.
Jami Thall & Carol Loscalzo, UU Faith Action Reproductive Justice Task Force Co-Chairs reflected, “Unitarian Universalists unequivocally support the right and access to abortion care for all. We know that the people who are most adversely impacted by all of the many restrictions on abortion care that have been put in place since the Dobbs decision are those with the least access to care. The most vulnerable, people who are uninsured or underinsured, BIPOC people, young people, immigrants without documentation and our rural neighbors are the ones for whom abortion access is often impossible. It is our moral duty as Unitarian Universalists to speak out against these discriminatory policies and to advocate for change. We call on Governor Murphy and our NJ state legislators to take action immediately to expand access to abortion care here in NJ.”
“The egregious Dobbs decision has made clear the full realization that abortion is healthcare, that Roe was never enough, and that over half the population has been erased from the Constitution. Young and old, rich and poor, all genders and colors have been energized as never before to ensure that full rights, equity and access to reproductive healthcare and abortion care are a reality, both here in New Jersey and across this country. NCJW, with our partners, will continue to fight to make the meaning of 'We the People', 'All the People',” said Phoebe Pollinger, New Jersey State Policy Advocate with National Council of Jewish Women-Essex County Section.
“New Jersey has a long history of leading on reproductive rights, yet abortion care remains out of reach for far too many due to high costs and a lack of providers. These barriers are compounded by increased demand for reproductive health care here in New Jersey as more states pass laws to restrict and ban abortion,” explains Brittany Holom-Trundy, Senior Policy Analyst with New Jersey Policy Perspective. “If New Jersey wants to serve as a true safe haven for reproductive health, lawmakers have to act now so everyone who needs abortion care has access.”
During the Trenton Takeover rally Vanesa Cabezas, organizer with The Abortion Justice Committee of New Jersey, shared a powerful testimony:
“We, on behalf of The Abortion Justice Committee of New Jersey, a collective of immigrants, undocumented individuals, women, and LGBTQ+ people, have fought to protect and expand access to abortion and reproductive health within our own local communities. Although abortion is legal in NJ, it remains unaffordable for communities like ours due to high costs, lack of credible information, language barriers, and much more. One year after the anniversary of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and a disappointing lack of action on this issue in NJ, we demand that our leaders, Governor Murphy, Senate President Scutari and Assembly Speaker Coughlin work to pass legislative, regulatory, and budgetary solutions to address the needs of our communities to access abortion, if we choose, and reproductive health services as a whole.
"Nosotrxs, de parte del Comité de Justicia del Aborto de Nueva Jersey, un colectivo de inmigrantes, indocumentados, mujeres y personas LGBTQ+, hemos luchado por proteger y ampliar el acceso al aborto y a la salud reproductiva dentro de nuestras comunidades a nivel local. Aunque el aborto es legal en NJ, debido a los altos costos, la falta de información creíble, las diferencias en el idioma y mucho más, resulta completamente inasequible para comunidades como la nuestra. Después de un año del aniversario de Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, nosotrxs exigimos que el Gobernador Murphy, el Presidente del Senado Scutari y el Presidente de la Asamblea Coughlin trabajen para aprobar soluciones legislativas, regulatorias y presupuestarias que respondan a las necesidades que tenemos en nuestras comunidades para acceder al aborto si así lo decidimos, así como a servicios de salud reproductiva en su totalidad.”
