Abortion Action Missouri Foundation

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS EDUCATION

IN 2021 NARAL PRO-CHOICE MISSOURI FOUNDATION DISAFFILIATED FROM OUR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND ONCE AGAIN BECAME AN UNAFFILIATED STANDALONE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION: PRO-CHOICE MISSOURI FOUNDATION (PCMF). THROUGHOUT THIS TRANSITION PCMF HAS CONTINUED A TRAJECTORY OF GROWTH STATEWIDE, EXCELLING IN VIRTUAL OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION. PCMF HOSTED 24 EVENTS IN 2021, MAJORITY VIRTUAL, EDUCATING MORE THAN 1400 PEOPLE ON ISSUES OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RIGHTS, AND JUSTICE. . FOR 35 YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS TRAINED PATIENT ESCORTS AT TWO LOCAL CLINICS PROVIDING ABORTION CARE. IN 2021, PCMF'S SIGNATURE CLINIC ESCORT PROGRAM HELD NINE TRAININGS, AND CURRENTLY HAS 104 ACTIVE CLINIC ESCORTS WHO ACT AS PHYSICAL BARRIERS FOR PATIENTS FROM HOSTILE ANTI-ABORTION PROTESTERS AT CLINICS THAT PROVIDE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING ABORTION CARE. . PCMF HAS A THRIVING HIGH SCHOOL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2020. DRAWING FROM DIVERSE ST. LOUIS AREA HIGH SCHOOLS, THE ORGANIZATION HAD THREE SUMMER AND TWO FALL INTERNS WHO WORKED ON GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, ADVOCACY, AND COMMUNICATIONS. WORKING WITH STAFF, THEY MANAGED A VERY IMPRESSIVE SOCIAL NETWORK PRESENCE AND EDUCATED THEIR COMMUNITIES ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND INTERSECTIONAL ISSUES. STAFF, FELLOWS, AND VOLUNTEERS HELD REGULAR VISIBILITY EVENTS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT A VARIETY OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RIGHTS, AND JUSTICE TOPICS, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WAGE EQUITY, WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION, AND ABORTION ACCESS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL BRIEFING PAPERS TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT CRITICAL HEALTH ISSUES AND LEGISLATION. . OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH ABOUT YOUTH ACCESS TO ABORTION, CONTRACEPTIVE ACCESS, RAPE SURVIVORS' ACCESS TO EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION IN EMERGENCY ROOMS, ACCESS TO TITLE X SERVICES, THE EFFICACY OF CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS, THE LANDSCAPE OF SEX EDUCATION IN MISSOURI, AND A HOST OF OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. . THE ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO BEING AN ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION SUPPORTING AND LIFTING UP THE VOICES OF ALL THOSE MOST DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE DANGEROUS ABORTION BAN THAT PASSED IN 2019. WITH SOME 20 ORGANIZATION ALLIES, ALL WORKING FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF MISSOURI WOMEN AND FAMILIES, WE SOUGHT TO PROTECT INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS OF FAMILIES, WORKED WITH FAITH-COMMUNITY ALLIES, AND ORGANIZED AGAINST THREATS POSED BY THE LEGISLATURE, POLICYMAKERS, AND IN THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY.