A coalition of reproductive health, rights and justice organizations announced a “Bans Off NYC” march scheduled for this Friday, May 14. The event is part of a larger national effort to lead marches for abortion access in all 50 states.
The main goals of the march are to engage pro-choice supporters in a local effort to support reproductive rights, ensure New York remains an access state that centers equity in healthcare and educate as many supporters as possible as well as voice collective outrage at the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The march – organized by Abortion Access Front, Jahajee Sisters, Girls for Gender Equity, New York Civil Liberties Union, The Latina Institute New York, National Asian Pacific American, Women’s Forum, Thank God for Abortion, National Institute for Reproductive Health, New York, Abortion Access Fund, Malikah and the Planned Parenthood of Greater New York – will begin at 12pm in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn and end at Foley Square.
These groups issued a collective open letter on May 9 to inform interested individuals of the march, but also to remind New Yorkers of the importance of protecting reproductive rights.
“We believe that through mass action and mobilizations, the justices on the Supreme Court will hear our outrage that they are insulting the vast majority of people in this country who believe abortion should be safe, legal and accessible to all people who need it,” the letter read. “These mobilizations will send a clear and powerful message to supporters and opponents alike that a robust and dedicated cross-racial, cross-class movement is standing up to defend abortion access.”
The letter also prompted New Yorkers to understand the privilege of abortion access, as many states throughout the United States have already rolled back on the access to abortion.
“This decision would impact our health care providers as our state sees an influx of patients. It will impact us as federal lawmakers are emboldened to pass a national abortion ban,” the letter continued. “Abortion is health care. New York has an opportunity to set a national example of what radical care, compassion, and welcoming can look like and we have the opportunity now to begin building a truly intersectional movement across the full spectrum of our issues to do it.”
Those interested in attending the march, or to potentially run a booth at Foley Square should visit the “Bans Off NYC” and Planned Parenthood website to RSVP.
