ACCESS News
The Quarterly E-Newsletter of ACCESS
Dear Friend,
President's Day is right around the corner, and this
year President Bush plans to celebrate by reducing
funding for much-needed social programs--especially
those related to health, women, and family planning.
On this President's Day, we're asking you to send
Bush a message--he's not giving women and children
everywhere the resources they need, but you will!
Support reproductive freedom, access to health care,
and abortion rights with a donation to ACCESS! Your
donations will do the job that our president and
government aren't doing--providing women and men
with accurate and respectful information, referrals,
support, and advocacy on all of their sexual and
reproductive health care needs.
So, what's the president doing with your
money?
- Abstinence-Only Education could receive $206
million/year under Bush's proposed
budget
- Prohibitions on funding needed for family planning
and HIV/AIDS services abroad are being expanded
under the Global Gag Rule
- A funding "freeze" has been placed on Title X
family planning services in the U.S.
For every contribution we receive over the next few
weeks, ACCESS will send the president a postcard on
your behalf with a loud and clear message:
Mr. President--
My money is going towards reproductive freedom,
access to health care, and abortion rights because
you're not giving women the resources they deserve!
We hope you enjoy this month's e-newsletter, and
thank you for supporting ACCESS!
Click here to
make an on-line donation...
IN THIS ISSUE...
Reflections on Roe
Volunteer Voices
Choose to Act
Making Choice a Reality...Haciendo Realidad La
Opcion
Choose to Shop
Reflections on Roe & the future of reproductive choice
By (Jennifer) Parker
On Saturday, January 22nd, the 32nd anniversary of
Roe v. Wade, anti-abortion groups organized a 'Walk
for Life' in San Francisco to demonstrate against legal
abortion. Emboldened by the current political climate -
the unapologetic attacks on women and
reproductive rights by our federal government, and
the weak-kneed (if any) response from moderates
and progressives - these anti-abortion, anti-gay,
anti-women's rights groups decided to bring their 'no-
choice' message to the virtual capitol of progressive
values, our own City of San Francisco.
Aware of the challenges inherent in coming to San
Francisco, the anti-choicers did their best to present
a moderate image. Marchers were told to leave their
traditional gory signs and baby-killer rhetoric at
home, instead focusing on the message that 'abortion
hurts women' and 'women deserve better' than
abortion.
Outraged by the boldness of the antis and the
deceitful messages of the Walk for Life, a diverse
coalition of more than 35 progressive groups came
together to mobilize a response and counter-
demonstration. Our goal was to show in no uncertain
terms that the Bay Area is pro-choice and will defend
the right of every woman to make her own choices
about pregnancy, birth control and abortion. In a
show of support for the SF Area Pro-Choice Coalition,
the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley all
passed resolutions establishing official positions that
their municipalities are pro-choice and
commemorating January 22, 2005 as Stand Up For
Choice Day.
With the exception of some serious eyeballing and
competitive chanting of slogans, the event was
largely peaceful and non-confrontational - not that
you would know it from the news coverage! The San
Francisco Chronicle presented a distorted and
stereotypical picture of the event, choosing to run
only one photo of the pro-choice side - an image of a
woman being arrested - and failed to mention that
she was arrested just for trying to cross the street
during the anti's march. Fortunately, many of the pro-
choice marchers (including our own board member
Jerrie Meadows) wrote great letters to the editor
chastising The Chronicle for its inaccurate reporting.
Now Roe is over for another year, and while the rest
of the world all but forgets about the abortion issue,
we are left to reflect on what lies ahead for the
reproductive rights movement. Perhaps our most
important challenge is to find a way to counter the
anti's very savvy messages and learn to talk about
why abortion is a positive option for women. In
particular, we must find a better way to support
women who have abortions and allow them to voice
their feelings in all their complexity, while still
validating abortion as a responsible, moral and valid
choice, and a right that is fundamental to ensuring
women's freedom and self-determination as human
beings.
It is no accident that the antis have begun using
warm and fuzzy messages focused on how abortion
is 'bad' for women rather than how it is 'wrong'. They
know that the majority of people in the United States
believe women should have the right to safe and legal
abortion, but that many people also have
ambivalence about abortion and see it is as
something of a necessary evil. By appealing to this
ambivalence, and by manipulating the emotions of
women who have struggled with their own decision to
have an abortion, the antis deflect attention away
from their real agenda - taking away women's right to
make our own choices and imposing a particular set
of moral and religious beliefs on all of us.
Unfortunately, the antis are also able to take
advantage of some of the gaps left by the
mainstream pro-choice movement. Feminists for Life,
for example, asserts that women would not
be 'forced' to choose abortion if they had adequate
economic and social support for becoming mothers.
This argument resonates with many people, especially
when they have not always seen pro-choice groups
taking a stand for prenatal care, welfare rights, a
living wage, child care and other pro-motherhood
issues. We have to walk the talk and make sure we
are active and visible in supporting the full range of
reproductive choices for every woman.
We also need to defend having an abortion as a
decision that every woman has the right to make,
based on whatever reasons and values are most
important to her. Of course it is true that no woman
should feel she must have an abortion purely because
she does not have the financial resources to support
a child. But it is equally true that no woman should
feel she must have a child simply because she has
the financial means to do so. Unless, like Feminists
for Life, you believe that the primary purpose and
aspiration of women is to become mothers, then you
know that even under the best circumstances, there
will always be women who get pregnant when they
are not ready or willing to have a baby.
In an imperfect and often unjust world, having
options is good, even when those options are
difficult. Women make difficult, complex decisions all
the time, and to imply that we cannot be trusted to
make our own decisions about abortion is nothing less
than an insult. Yes, it is hard to take responsibility for
our life decisions. Ambivalence and doubt are the
natural consequences of freedom, and many of us
would prefer that someone or something else just tell
us what to do and take the burden of free will off our
shoulders.
But be careful what you wish for, because there are
some scary folks out there just waiting for the
chance.
Volunteer Voices
Three Volunteers Talk About Their Experiences
My Small Part By Mary Jane Weatherbee,
Practical Support Volunteer
I have been a practical support volunteer for about
two years. I came to ACCESS after being frustrated
with my attempts to volunteer with other more
mainstream reproductive rights organizations. They
were unresponsive to my efforts, or I would go
through the whole process of signing up, only to have
them decide they weren't taking any new volunteers.
Being your basic lefty, I really liked the direct action
aspect of practical support, and that is what
attracted me to ACCESS.
I have been interested in reproductive rights since I
was in high school, almost 20 years ago. I saw plenty
of my friends struggle with getting to a clinic and
keeping it secret. In my Catholic high school, one
friend got caught skipping school to get an abortion
and was forced to apologize to her parents and the
nuns. In college, I learned about the Jane collective,
and heard lots of stories from professors about their
experiences seeking illegal abortions.
As a practical support volunteer, basically what I do
is meet the women at the clinic or hospital and take
them home after their abortion appointment. These
women have ranged from professional women to
teenagers to homeless women. Sometimes
unexpected things come up, like the time the client
had her children with her at the clinic and I wasn't
expecting it. That day, I took all 4 of them back to
the homeless shelter they were staying at, and cried
most of the way home. Another client had prepared a
bouquet of flowers from her garden to say thanks.
Okay, I cried then too! I really love to do it. I like
being able to help these folks do what they need to
do, and be a friendly face to them. It seems like
often we are the only people who know what they
are going through.
The staff at ACCESS is really great. I deal most often
with Alma, who is always so warm and sweet. The
one time I complained about the difficult person I had
given a ride to, I got a thank you card and note
signed by the whole staff. I also particularly enjoyed
this year's Open House, where I got all sorts of
strokes and a bag of gifts, along with being the lucky
recipient of one of the door prizes.
At the Open House, Alma was showing me the map of
where abortion providers are in California and it was
so depressing. I am afraid these services are just
going away, and today I saw that 'Jane Roe' is asking
to have Roe V. Wade reconsidered. Unfortunately,
the kind of services ACCESS provides seems to be
getting more necessary, not less. I am happy to be a
small part of people who are working to make this
right truly available.
On Board With ACCESS
By Ellen Schwerin, Board Member
When I called my friend K [Kaufmann, former ACCESS
board member and author of The Abortion Handbook]
to ask about volunteer opportunities at ACCESS, I
never thought I'd be asked to apply to be a board
member. I had taken some time off work to reflect on
what was important to me and kept coming back to
my desire for more pro-choice volunteer work. I had
been volunteering at a Planned Parenthood clinic as a
pregnancy testing and options counselor, and I
thought I could do something similar or help with
office work at ACCESS. But when K suggested I apply
to join the board, I was surprised - it never occurred
to me that someone under 40 years old who had to
work for a living could do that!
What I learned is that the ACCESS board welcomes
all kinds of people with all kinds of talents and
contributions to offer, so long as they are passionate
about reproductive freedom and willing to work hard
for the success of the organization. After going
through an important but relatively painless
application process (filling out a detailed
questionnaire, interviewing with Parker and board
members), it became clear to me that I had a lot to
offer a board - this board - and that I wanted to do
whatever I could to help such a great organization.
Now, after being on the board for a year and a half,
I can easily say it's one of the best decisions I've
made (especially since I went back to work full time
and can no longer volunteer during work days). I've
learned so much about what it takes to run a
successful nonprofit: a kick ass staff, a dedicated
and diverse board, flexibility, and fundraising,
fundraising, fundraising! As a board member, I'm
directly involved in strategic planning, financial
management, governance, public relations, and of
course, fundraising. Not only am I helping to keep
such an amazing, necessary organization alive and
kicking, but I've gotten so much out of the
experience, the least of which is the confidence to
talk to complete strangers about my passion for
ACCESS.
Volunteering as a board member is something that
I would recommend in a heartbeat, especially for
people who already know and love ACCESS (this
means you!) and are looking for a way to give back
to the pro-choice community. And wouldn't you
know - the ACCESS board is currently looking for
additional members! Right now we are especially
interested in people with financial skills, nonprofit
legal expertise and/or previous experience serving on
a nonprofit board. Our bylaws require the board to be
majority women of color and diverse in age, so we
encourage women of color and folks under 25 or over
45 to consider applying. And as a practical
consideration, you must be able to attend monthly
meetings in Oakland or San Francisco.
If you're interested in more information about how to
join me and the other fantastic volunteers on the
board, please just drop us a line here at ACCESS! Or
come see us in person at The Volunteer Center's
Board Match event on Tuesday, March 1st in San
Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts from 5-
7:30pm!
Ellen Schwerin is currently acting Secretary on the
ACCESS Board of Directors and an oncology clinical
trial coordinator at Genentech, Inc. She dedicates
her volunteer efforts to her mother, Susan L. Stone,
an original Jane member in Chicago during the
1970's.
Life On the Line By Janet O'Connor,
Hotline
Intern
I began working at ACCESS in the summer of 2004. I had returned to college to finish my BA in Hispanic
Studies after my marriage of 18 years ended. I was having a difficult time trying to figure out what my
next best step was in terms of getting on with my life-my kids were getting older, one was off to
college, and they needed less of my time. Although I
had no problem filling my day with activities that
interested me, a feeling to be of service to others in
need continued to nag me. And that's where ACCESS
comes in.
One of the more gratifying experiences I have had as
an intern at ACCESS is the appreciation expressed by
many of the people who call the hotline. By the time a caller reaches the hotline they have sometimes
been given wrong information, misinformation or misleading phone numbers. They
have waded through seemingly endless phone menus
looking for help. Oftentimes, women that call the
hotline will express their fears and worries over
whatever situation they are in. But by taking the
extra time to listen to and validate callers' concerns,
some of their fear and uncertainty begins to melt
away - the ease of their anxiety can be heard in their
voice. The sense of relief a caller gets once she
realizes that we are here to offer information and
support, not manipulation and judgment, is amazingly
fulfilling for me as a hotline worker. And whatever
information I can offer that is accurate and unbiased
helps to curb the continued erosion
that the women's health rights movement continues to
suffer in our country today.
The women calling the hotline have given me many
blessings - I've learned to listen with a little more
open-mindedness, whereas before I may have been
quicker to judge. As the mother of three children
(two daughters and a son), I am reminded on a daily
basis that we are all part of a whole-and although
my family has been blessed with a certain economic
advantage, I am keenly aware that many others have
not. My children are proud of the work that I do and
listen with great concern and interest when I talk
about my day. The admiration and respect of my kids
and the appreciation expressed by them makes the
time I dedicate to ACCESS completely worthwhile.
Choose to Act--
Volunteer with ACCESS!
Are you hoping to give more of your time to support
an important issue or cause in 2005? Well, consider
impacting women's access to sexual and reproductive
health care by volunteering with ACCESS! Every
month ACCESS gives out information, referrals,
counseling or practical support to almost 200 women.
This work could not be done without the important
help of our volunteers.
You can help make sure that women everywhere will
always have information and support for their
decisions by joining ACCESS as a volunteer in one of
the following ways:
- Join the Practical Support Network! When
transportation, housing, childcare or translation mean
the difference between obtaining an abortion or
carrying out an unwanted pregnancy, volunteers step
in to give women the practical support they need to
obtain their abortions without delay. Practical
Support volunteers live throughout Northern and
Central California, and provide practical support when
they are able to do so. We are especially in need of
additional volunteers in the Sacramento, South Bay
(esp. San Jose!), and San Francisco areas, and are
always looking for bilingual volunteers!
- Work on the hotline! Interns who answer calls to
our hotline learn new skills, become familiar with a
range of reproductive health issues, and help other
women with their reproductive health care needs.
Training is provided, and no former experience is
needed. If you can work in our office in Oakland 8-10
hours per week and can commit to interning for at
least 3 months, consider working on the hotline!
- Become a board member! By joining the ACCESS
Board, you can contribute your professional expertise
to help shape the direction and leadership of the
organization. Currently, ACCESS is in need of
volunteers with previous nonprofit Board experience,
public relations or media skills, financial management
skills, enthusiasm for raising money from individuals,
and familiarity with reproductive health care and
freedom issues. And since we strive to represent the
diversity of the communities we serve, women of
color, women from rural areas, and young women are
especially welcome!
- Donate a special skill or talent! ACCESS could use
your expertise to improve our web site and
brochures, plan events, and help with fundraising
activities. If you are a graphic or web designer, event
planner or professional fundraiser, contact us about
any of our special projects!
For more information, or to request a volunteer
application, email us at volunteering@whrc-
access.org.
Making Choice A Reality...
...Haciendo Realidad La Opcion
"Marco" called the Spanish hotline asking about
the "morning-after pill" (emergency contraception or
EC) for his girlfriend. When Alma began to describe
how EC works, Marco explained that he already knew
how EC works-he had heard Alma talking about EC
on a Spanish-language radio program one morning
and he just wanted to have EC on hand in case he
and his girlfriend needed it one day! Alma told him
about the state insurance program called
FamilyPACT, which covers emergency contraception
and other reproductive health services, and gave him
referrals to clinics. She also encouraged Marco to
give the hotline number to his girlfriend so she could
call with any questions of her own.
"Marco" llamo a la linea directa de espanol para
averiguar donde podia conseguir las PAE (pildora de
anticoncepcion de emergencia) para su novia en caso
de un dia necesitarlas! Alma le explico que las PAE
son un metodo seguro y eficaz para evitar el
embarazo si se usan dentro de las 120 horas despues
de haber tenido relaciones sexuales sin proteccion o
cuando el metodo regular ha fallado; Marco ya habia
escuchado sobre estas en un programa radial donde
Alma hablaba de ese tema. Se le explico sobre Family
PACT - programa estatal que ofrece los servicios de
planificacion familiar incluyendo las PAE y tambien se
le refirio a clinicas; asi mismo Alma le invito a que su
novia llamara por si tenia cualquier pregunta.
Eighteen-year old "Sunita" was 8 months pregnant
when she talked to Janet about putting her baby up
for adoption. She wanted to know how to go about
the adoption process, so Janet gave her some
referrals for adoption services. Janet was worried
about whether Sunita had been seeing a doctor for
prenatal care, and learned that she had only been to
a doctor once-months ago. It turned out that Sunita
had been hiding her pregnancy from her parents, and
did not want to use their health insurance because
they would find out. Janet told her about the
confidential services offered through Medi-Cal, which
would not require parental consent and would cover
prenatal care and delivery.
Janet recibio una llamada de una joven
llamada "Sunita" la cual tenia ocho meses de
embarazo y estaba interesada en dar a su bebe en
adopcion. Janet con mucho tacto le informo sobre el
procedimiento y la refirio a agencias de adopcion; asi
mismo descubrio que "Sunita" no habia recibido
atencion medica y solamente una vez habia ido al
doctor. Ella habia estado ocultando el embarazo a sus
padres, y por eso no queria utilizar el seguro medico.
Se le informo sobre su derecho a la confidencialidad
y como solicitar Medi-Cal bajo el programa servicios
confidenciales; el cual cubre cuidado prenatal y el
parto. Janet le sugirio que hiciera una cita lo mas
pronto posible.
"Neoma" needed transportation to and from her 2-
day abortion appointment in San Francisco. She was
homeless and had been staying with friends and
family. Becca and Alma tried to help, but were unable
to find a volunteer who could drive her to either
appointment. On the second day of her appointment
Neoma called ACCESS again, desperate for a ride.
Becca left the hotline and went to San Francisco to
drive her to and from her appointment. Neoma was so
grateful, and told Becca that she had convinced a
bus driver to let her ride for free in order to get to
her first appointment, but she didn't know what she
would have done if Becca hadn't been able to help
her get to her second appointment.
"Neoma" llamo a ACCESS porque no tenia manera de
trasladarse al Hospital General de San Francisco para
una cita de dos dias para los servicios de aborto. Ella
no tenia casa y aunque se estaba quedando en casa
de amigos y familiares no habia quien la llevara a su
cita. Alma y Becca intentaron conseguirle transporte
por medio de la red de voluntarios de ACCESS sin
exito alguno. Neoma desesperada llamo desde el
hospital el segundo dia de su cita porque no tenia
como regresar a casa de sus amigos. Al ultimo
momento Becca pudo ir a recogerla y durante el
trayecto Neoma comento como el dia anterior
convencio al conductor del autobus para que la
llevara gratis al hospital -ella estaba de lo mas
agradecida por la ayuda de Becca.
Choose to Shop
ACCESS goodies now available online!
Wear your commitment for reproductive freedom with
a
t-shirt, hoodie, messenger bag, and more from
ACCESS!
Each time you shop at our on-line store, ACCESS will
receive a portion of your purchases. Choose from
different sizes and styles, or find a special gift for a
friend, child, or your dog!
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phone:
510-923-0739; 510-923-0822
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ACCESS Mission Statement
ACCESS exists to make reproductive health and
freedom a concrete reality for all women. We are on
the front lines of the reproductive justice movement,
working to bridge the gaps between our rights and
the reality of access to reproductive health care.
Board:
Shailushi Baxi, MPH
Raquel Donoso, MPH
Erin Kiernon
Jerrie Meadows
Ellen Schwerin, MPH
Andy Shie-Kee Wong
Staff:
Alma Avila-Pilchman
Joan Flores
(Jennifer) Parker, MSW
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