Last Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending federal protection for the right to abortion and leaving it up to the states.  Illinois is safe for now, but existing state laws made abortion illegal in 13 states, including Wisconsin, Missouri, and Kentucky.  Indiana and Iowa are likely to follow with bans this year.  (The Democratic governor and attorney general of Wisconsin said they will not enforce the ban.  They are both up for reelection this year.)

For months, I expected it was only a matter of time before Roe was overturned, and I was sure that the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision would do it.  Still, it was an emotional shock when the news came on Friday – I cried tears of rage.

So, what can we do?  There are things an individual can do.  Donations to abortion funds are urgently needed.  And there are things we can do as a congregation and community beyond what an individual can do.  Working in a team has the added benefit of providing mutual support and reinforcement that dispel the “what can one person do?” blues.

The UUCUC Reproductive Justice Team needs you!  Do you have one hour a week to facilitate our monthly meetings, motivate and organize project teams, and keep them on the effective track?  

Or do you want to plan an event, write a letter, do outreach at the farmers’ market or on campus, or conduct a community reproductive healthcare survey with an OWL class?

If you simply want to donate to an abortion fund, we can provide a list of worthy causes to choose from.

To be looped into our UUCUC Reproductive Justice Team discussions, send an email to reprojustice@uucuc.org and say “add me to the listserv.”  You will receive news, event announcements, and meeting invitations.

Success is not final.  Failure is not fatal.  It’s the courage to continue that counts.