If Roe falls, California must be a "safe haven state”

OPINION - By Meghan Macaluso, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Chief Development Officer

"This is something central to a woman's life, to her dignity. It's a decision that she must make for herself. And when government controls that decision for her, she's being treated as less than a fully adult human responsible for her own choices." – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte’s Chief Development Officer, Meghan Macaluso stands with the community in the #StandwithPP campaign to rally support against the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Next year, when the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, we may see the end of the federal right to have an abortion in this country. You read it right. This is not a drill. It’s a four-alarm emergency for our right to control our own bodies.

The ruling on the Mississippi case will likely mean that the Supreme Court’s landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision will be overturned or made irrelevant, denying abortion care to millions of people in more than 20 states – especially people who have low incomes, few resources, and little or no health insurance. Meanwhile, a new Gallup poll shows public support for abortion-rights at an all-time high: Eight out of 10 surveyed support the right to safe, legal abortion.

So, how did we get here, who is most affected, and what can we, the Seismic Sisters community, do now to help?

First, the most recent major salvo in the attack on abortion rights can be traced back to October 2020, when the Senate confirmed ultra-conservative Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court, where she joined two other extremely conservative justices that had been nominated by Donald Trump.

But the new “Supreme majority” – which, in fact, reflects a distinct minority of public opinion -- is only the latest twist in a decades-long campaign to curtail the right to abortion. For many women and non-binary people in states throughout more than half of the country, access to safe and legal abortion is already out of reach. In 2021 alone, state legislatures, emboldened by the new makeup of the Supreme Court, have introduced more than 500 abortion restrictions in nearly every state in the country -- 60 of which have already been passed and signed. 

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott just signed an extreme ban that prohibits abortion at six weeks -- before most people know they’re pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest, and the bill would allow anyone to sue any person. The language is so broad that it would allow an abuser to use the legal system against their victim’s counselor, physician, or family. It’s right out of a dystopian novel.

The challenge of Roe v. Wade at the U.S. Supreme Court poses a threat to women’s health care and to organizations like Planned Parenthood that are at the forefront of providing much needed services. Planned Parenthood’s breadth of services also encompasses gender affirming care, sex education, STD testing, treatment, and vaccines, and general health care for men, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Their team is photographed here, hosting a peaceful #StandForEquality rally outside the California State Capitol. 

And, let’s be clear: the avalanche of restrictions on abortion care is one of the most obvious barriers to achieving health care equity across the nation, disproportionately harming communities of color and people with low incomes. 

At Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the affiliate where I work that covers 42 counties across mid-California and northern Nevada, the good news is that both places are “safe haven states” for abortion rights. As the largest Planned Parenthood in the country, we believe now is the time to expand health care access. We are fortunate that we stand on the shoulders of many who fought hard to enshrine access to abortion into the California state constitution and for laws that protect abortion rights in Nevada. 

We are certain that abortion patients in other states will come to us because they already are. Consider these snapshots of patients that came to our Oakland health center, which PPMM CEO Stacy Cross wrote about in the San Jose Mercury News:

A woman from Missouri had been ecstatic when fertility treatments resulted in her first pregnancy – but she was devastated later to discover there were profound health complications. Heartbroken, she and her husband decided to end the pregnancy, but she had no way to access abortion within hundreds of miles. She flew to California and received care here.

A college student in Atlanta discovered she was pregnant and not ready to have a child. It was easier for her to borrow money for a flight to the Bay Area than to find safe, legal abortion services in Georgia.

A woman from Texas, who was a victim of domestic violence, was terrified when she learned she was pregnant. Determined to end the pregnancy, she was unable to find services. She had just enough money for a flight to the Bay Area if she didn’t stay overnight. She arrived at our health center with her suitcase and a standby reservation to fly back to Texas only hours after her abortion.

The fight for women’s right to health care is a life-long commitment, as seen in one of its staunchest advocates, Meghan Macaluso, Chief Development Officer at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.

Stories like this are the reason that California and Planned Parenthood must continue to serve as refuge from states that are, or are perilously close to becoming, abortion-access deserts.

And we are ready. Bolstered by deep commitment to our mission and a strong base of supporters that have our back, we are not only addressing the health care challenges in California and Nevada, but are expanding care to meet this perilous moment. We have implemented telehealth services and gender affirming care services at all 35 of our health centers. We have expanded services to include not just sexual and reproductive health care, but primary care and behavioral health services, too.  This means in one exam room a patient can receive a cancer screening, while in the next exam room a patient is receiving a diabetes-check, and in the next room a patient can receive a medication abortion. This not only meets the needs of more people in one safe and trusted environment, it destigmatizes abortion care and shows what it truly is – health care.

If you are interested in helping us in our mission, join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and consider becoming a volunteer to help us with our campaigns and more. Of course, we always appreciate donations to serve our patients and advocacy work, but your voice – online and in person – is one of the most powerful tools we have to let our legislators and community leaders know what’s at stake for our patients and our communities. It’s never been more important to ensure that California is the strongest safe-haven state it can be for people who may very well have their rights stripped away in the states where they live.

Get loud, be proud, and stand with us now. Together, we can ensure all people are truly cared for, making their lives, their families – and even the world – better and healthier.  

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Meghan Macaluso is Chief Development Officer at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.
Seismic Sisters thanks Meghan for being a bold advocate for reproductive rights and contributing this opinion as a special Guest Columnist in our June 2021 edition of The Jolt newsletter.

Rob Bonta for the People

By Sydney Williams

California Attorney General Rob Bonta brings a social justice perspective to his new role leading the state’s Department of Justice. Bonta was born in Quezon City, Philippines to mother Cynthia and father Warren, who were serving as missionaries at the time. Two months later, his family moved to La Paz, headquarters of the United Farm Workers of America movement, located in the foothills of California’s Tehachapi Mountains. Growing up surrounded by members of United Farm Workers, he learned his first lessons about equality. “At the Farmworkers headquarters, every family was equal. It didn’t matter your race, where you were from, or the role you played. Everyone was part of the movement and was treated with dignity and respect,” said Bonta. The lessons of equality, fairness, and justice for all people remained with him and continue to influence him and his values today.   

Attorney General Rob Bonta speaking at the Filipino Farmworkers site. Photo courtesy of Attorney General Rob Bonta. 

Bonta recalls his parents as activists to their core and fierce forces for fairness, serving on the frontlines of some of America's most powerful social justice movements. He recalls, “Their fight for justice has been hardwired into who I am, ultimately why I decided to become an attorney — to help right historic wrongs and to fight for people who have been harmed.”

Rob Bonta as a child with his father Warren Bonta and older sister Lisa. Photo courtesy of Attorney General Rob Bonta.

In a family where serving others is believed to be the highest calling, Bonta watched his parents put principle into action from a very young age, working alongside social justice giants such as Dolores Huerta, César Chávez, and Philip Vera Cruz to fight injustices and right historic wrongs. Bonta says, “From them, I learned that an injustice against one, is an injustice against all.” He continues to share:

“Everything I do is motivated by the pursuit of more opportunity, equity, justice, and inclusion for Californians. That is what drove me while I was serving in the California state legislature, and that’s what drives me as California’s Attorney General. As Attorney General, Californians’ fights will be my fights. Right now, there are still too many who are wronged in California. Too many who become victims of trafficking, abuse and mistreatment. Too many who are treated unfairly by the many broken parts of the criminal justice system, and deserve more justice, more humanity, and a second chance. Too many who have been cheated by big corporations or lied to as part of an organized scam or fraud. As Attorney General, I will use the tools of the Department of Justice to fight for each and every person who calls California home. That being said, criminal justice reform, environmental justice, and addressing hate crimes will be my top priorities.”

As a person who has been a part of a family that faced and overcame immense struggle and injustice, Bonta is truly a product of the people and for the people. His unique perspective and ability to see from the viewpoint of those being affected most is what California needs; someone who will prioritize criminal justice reform and make long lasting changes.

“Criminal justice reform has long been a focus of mine, and that won’t change now that I am the Attorney General. As we reckon with racial injustice in California and across the country, we must rethink policing and work to rebuild trust between law enforcement and our communities. Law enforcement officers are invaluable parts of our communities, and the vast majority of them do want to build back or earn that trust. But you can’t have trust without accountability,” said Bonta. 

Bonta and his team are not just talking about what needs to be done. They are taking action. From implementing legislation that will foster safety in communities statewide, to expanding environmental justice efforts, fearless defenders of justice in California will have the tools they need.  

Attorney General Bonta stands by a picture of his mother, Cynthia Bonta, a lifelong activist. Photo courtesy of Attorney General Rob Bonta.  

“One of the most important things my office is going to do in the coming weeks and months is implementing AB 1506, a law I was proud to co-author as an Assemblymember. It requires the Attorney General’s Office to conduct outside, thorough investigations of all officer involved shootings that result in the death of an unarmed Californian. We also have to do better at supporting and training law enforcement so they are better equipped at things like de-escalation, identifying and investigating hate crimes, and reducing and removing implicit and explicit bias,” he shares. They are building on the Department of Justice’s environmental justice efforts. Earlier this month, his office announced the expansion of the Department’s Bureau of Environmental Justice. With more attorneys and resources, California will be able to strengthen enforcement and better protect communities who live at the intersection of pollution and poverty. 

Not only did Bonta take a page from his parents’ book in his social justice and equity pursuits, but also in his parenting style. He follows in his own parents’ footsteps in modeling the same passion, strength, and dedication that he was fueled by for his own kids. While he is a lifelong public servant committed to racial, gender, and social equality, Bonta shares that, “The most important titles I’ll ever have are husband and dad. When in doubt, I shower my three amazing children with love and unconditional support.” 

Attorney General Rob Bonta with his wife, Mia Bonta, and children. Photo courtesy of Attorney General Rob Bonta. 

Fatherhood is a multifaceted role, especially with daughters. Modern day feminism is a call to action for all people, including men, to get involved in the movement and to speak out in support of women’s rights and gender equality for all. No one should be discriminated against on the basis of gender, race, or status – a concept that Bonta has been facilitating since stepping in as California Attorney General in April 2021 and seeks to push forward throughout his time in office.

Bonta’s time in office began amidst global chaos brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This period in history has come with a unique set of challenges that were unforeseen in many ways. In light of these unprecedented times, racially motivated hate crimes have dramatically increased across the state. Bonta says, “Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in attacks against the API community. For example, a recent study from the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism reports that Anti-Asian hate crimes in the city and county of San Francisco rose 140%. That is not only outrageous, it is unacceptable. Members of the API community are being attacked, spit on, and even murdered. Our children are suffering from racist bullying and our beloved elders can no longer enjoy life’s daily routines without fear of being attacked or assaulted. All communities deserve to be seen, to be valued, and to be protected.” He says the matter is personal to him and that he will not be standing on the sidelines. He shares, “I intend to use my position as the people’s Attorney to help law enforcement better identify and investigate hate crimes, strengthen services that help people heal, and improve the reporting and tracking of hate crimes.”

OUT TO LEAD us towards a LGBTQ+ and Feminist Future

By Karen Gullo

“OUT TO LEAD: Pride 2021” by IGNITE is a virtual event celebrating LGBTQIA+ leaders, activists, and more. The event on June 22, at 3pm PT, is open to all. Register at: https://hubs.la/H0PmFrH0

Shay Franco-Clausen, West Coast Region Program Director at IGNITE, is an activist and political organizer with a passion for ensuring that disenfranchised people are heard, empowered, and respected. As a long-time champion for women and girls, people of color, LGBTQ+ rights, and marginalized communities, Franco-Clausen’s mission has been to be a voice for those experiencing the challenges she herself had growing up in San Jose: homelessness, incarceration, and a struggle to be seen and heard when no one wanted to listen. She is a powerhouse who has earned a decision-making seat at the table of many boards and commissions, where she is a fierce advocate for those following in her footsteps. In January she joined IGNITE, which works in communities across the country to train and mentor young women to run for office and build a new generation of female political leaders.

Shay Franco-Clausen, West Coast Region Program Director at IGNITE

Franco-Clausen has fought discrimination and prejudice against women based on race and gender in the areas of housing, employment, education, and community services. She has served in leadership positions at the Association of California Commissions for Women, Silicon Valley PRIDE, Women’s March San Jose, the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission, the Santa Clara County Democratic Party, and the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women. In addition to serving at IGNITE, Franco-Clausen is the vice chair of the board at the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. In 2020, she led the successful grassroots “Yes on Prop 17” advocacy campaign, which restored voting rights for over 70,000 Californians on parole. She lives in San Jose with her wife and their five children.
Seismic Sisters sat down with Franco-Clausen to talk about PRIDE Month and her activism.

Tell us a bit about your career/life before joining the IGNITE team. 

I am a community and political strategist, as well as a mother, elected official, and community healer. Life before IGNITE was running political campaigns, working in partisan groups, preparing women to run for office, and empowering and advocating for more youth voices and people with lived experience in places of power for change. Last year, before joining IGNITE, I ran the historic California Prop 17 campaign, changing the California Constitution to restore the voting rights of over 70,000 people on parole. This year, I’m working to remove slavery from our constitution with ACA 3 (Assembly Constitutional Amendment 3, the California Abolition Act, which will amend the state constitution to end involuntary servitude, or forced labor, of incarcerated people).

How do you commemorate/celebrate Pride Month with friends, family, and personally?

I love celebrating PRIDE month. I celebrate all the brave and courageous souls who have fought for me to be free to love who I want. I usually attend all the PRIDE celebrations—I’m a DJ, so many times I am spinning, or just dancing and loving on my friends. I always host "OUTdoors with PRIDE" hikes with other LGBTQ organizations and I do get a lot of speaking engagements. With my wife of 14 years, we cook dinner for our family and close friends to express gratitude that we can love freely. 

What LGBTQ+ programming can we expect to see coming from IGNITE throughout this month?

I am really excited to host IGNITE's first LGBTQ event on Tuesday, June 22nd, at 3pm PST, which includes a fireside chat with Congressmember Sharice Davids of Kansas, and an LGBTQ panel of political operatives, including Georgia state Representative Park Cannon, Victory Institute Director of Domestic Programs Sarah Pope, and influencer and activist Amber Whittington. I am having a DJ set and ending with a "Queer Call to Action,” advocating for the Equality Act! (H.R. 5 prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. The bill defines and includes sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation.)

What change does IGNITE hope to affect through Pride Month programming? 

I love the work that IGNITE does and have always been a friend of the organization. But this being the first time we are hosting an LGBTQ event, I hope it lets everyone know that we support all leaders who identify as women. Just in hosting this event, several young women reached out and shared with me who they are, and that's important. I always say representation matters—you never know who might be inspired to action if they see someone like them doing the work.

How does IGNITE perpetuate an inclusive and equal opportunity approach to politics, year-round?

IGNITE is dedicated to bringing many voices and experiences into leadership, bringing in young women who we train and mentor. I felt that hiring me was a statement of change and bringing more community-focused members to the IGNITE team. The IGNITE members are organizers and very unapologetic as they bring all young women's voices to the decision-making table. I feel IGNITE is keeping its ears to the ground and fingers on the pulse, so that we are meeting the current needs of many communities and creating diverse partnerships with a community-focused approach.

What are some of the legislative initiatives that you're a part of that are representative of the LGBTQ+ community? 

IGNITE will be advocating for U.S. House bill H.R. 5—the Equality Act, at our upcoming event. As a representative of the community myself, a few weeks back I created, with the Open Space Authority Board, where I’m vice chair, a resolution acknowledging June as PRIDE Month. In honor of Natalia Smut, an Afro-Latina trans woman who lost her life to a senseless act of violence, we also will be putting LGBTQ signs throughout our preserves, so everyone knows that our spaces are for everyone. And, as part of Measures I and J, which I worked on, we’re helping to support the Foothill-De Anza Community College District—with the leadership of President Thuy Nguyen, Professor Scott Lankford, and members of the Gay/Straight Alliance—to create more gender-neutral restrooms on campus.

Shay Franco-Clausen with her wife and youngest son Joshua after speaking at a San Jose graduation ceremony. Also pictured are the youth they supported and mentored at Job Corps in San Jose that ran their FREE Nice Play Nice Basketball camp. Find out more about Play Nice Productions here.

What event or experiences in your life led you to be such a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community?

I have had so many, but when I met my wife and experienced more visible discrimination and lack of access, it really forced me down a different path. When I finally came out, and when Proposition 8 was on the ballot, it really opened my eyes. I was so driven to find ways to make change at the legislative level. It became the impetus for my advocacy. I left my job, enrolled in college since I had never gone and became engulfed in politics and community organizing. With that, I have been successful with many campaigns, legislation, and ballot measures, and with training the next generation how to carry this work forward.

As a mom, what are some important early lessons, viewpoints, and values that you believe are important to teach your children? 

I have been raising kids and teenagers for most of my life, coming from a large family of brothers and raising my own and other kids we have taken in. Honestly, a hard work ethic and determination to succeed is what we model for our kids.

If you could share a message with the LGBTQ+ community fighting for respect and their rightful place in society, what would it be?

You deserve the same as anyone else. Who you love has nothing to do with how you show up, the work you do, and how you serve. Life will bring challenges and trust me, it's hard. But be authentically you, just smile and keep pushing. They don't determine your happiness.

Karen Gullo is a freelance writer.

Complex, Endlessly Curious, Broken and Beautiful

Written by Tumay Aslay

Jess Semaan, photo by Tumay Aslay

Jess Semaan is a queer author, activist, performer and a psychotherapist. Since the day she set foot in the United States at the age of 24, she has not stopped stretching the boundaries of her creative mind. It was 2010 when she first arrived in the United States with a big suitcase, average English, and a full scholarship to attend Stanford Business School. Growing up during the Lebanese Civil War, Semaan found comfort in her own imagination. “I never felt safe growing up. It was not the classic safety we refer to, as in not dying. It was more, the safety of feeling loved and seen.” Semaan writes in one of her articles on Medium, “When you grow up in violence, you often rely on your imagination to survive. In return, it develops your creativity.”

Jess Semaan, photo by Tumay Aslay

Semaan’s Arabic background and deep roots in Maronite Catholicism, a small religious minority in Lebanon, plays a major factor in who she is today. After years of trying to absorb herself into the American culture, Jess is exhausted from what feels like a constant act of performance. “I recently started a group for Lebanese immigrants to explore our identity. It has been immensely healing, making me proud of my ancestors, my culture, and my roots. I am more aware of how the collective trauma has shaped me,” says Semaan. “I describe myself as complex, endlessly curious, broken, and beautiful.” she adds. “I now also identify as a queer. I am always questioning the gender expectations and the binary, as they have kept me trapped for so long. To me, being queer is saying no to heteronormativity as being the only way. It is a way to express myself radically as I am in a constant process of liberation.”

Jess Semaan, photo by Tumay Aslay.

Semaan was twelve years old when she first started writing French poetry. “I think I was born a writer. My dad is a writer and my great-grandfather was a poetry professor in Lebanon,” she tells us. It wasn't until she was in her 20s that she revisited writing again. Feeling depressed and burned out by the high demands of her earlier career in tech, she found emotional escape in writing. With the success of her article Fuck Working Hard on Medium, Semaan felt encouraged to invest more into writing. 

Child of the Moon, an illustrated poetry collection, was released in 2019. In her book, Semaan touches on themes such as her journey through fear, shame, and despair, and the unconditional love that helped her begin to heal from childhood trauma.

 “in between being your mother and father

I forgot to be your daughter

and became the child of the moon”

Jess Semaan

The complexity of Semaan’s creativity continues to show up in different phases of her life. Healing is a form of art and an everyday practice for her. After the journey of her own healing through psychedelic-assisted therapy, Semaan recently decided to embark on a career in psychotherapy to help others explore relief from their past traumas. Her own background shapes her to be a sensitive therapist for all cultures and identities, especially with BIPOC, immigrants and LGBTQ patients. “It feels as if it’s my duty to support people who look like me, help them find their voices and power, and contribute to dismantling the toxic system we live in that is literally bringing us and the planet disease.”   

So what’s next for Jess Semaan? “Loving myself, and perfecting my self-care plans. This includes having better internal boundaries, as a start. For example, how do I take care of my younger anxious part, so they do not have to go on Instagram and instead, I invite them to meditate before bed to calm the anxiety? Another challenge that came up in the pandemic, is sitting a lot and not moving enough. In turn, it would get my emotions and my client’s emotions stuck in my body. Getting off my couch and going on a walk has been revolutionary.”

“I am also exploring whether I want to be a mother and how to go about it. Being in my mid 30s and unpartnered has posed its own unique questions and challenges. But the process of navigating my fertility has been a growth experience to come more into my power, own my body, and uncouple motherhood from romantic partnership. Would I have loved to be raised in a community and not in a nuclear family? A million percent. And I am hoping that for my unborn child. Maybe imagining a world where I can have both? Why not.”

Tumay Aslay is a Seismic Sisters writer and photographer.

The Fight for Abortion Rights: Resistance through Art & Humor

By Polina Smith

The 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling was a landmark decision that recognized women’s autonomy in an incredibly meaningful way. It ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a woman’s choice to have an abortion, in any state, up to around 24 weeks of pregnancy. The ruling also sparked an ever-growing divide in American politics, with one side of people vehemently opposing the ruling and the other, supporting it. 

The fact that now, in 2021, Roe v. Wade is being called into question with the possibility of being overturned is absurd and infuriating, to say the least. Texas Republicans have come up with a new strategy to ban abortions after 6 weeks as part of a larger plan to limit reproductive rights overall; another harrowing plan involves a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks. The Supreme Court will be reviewing the Mississippi case, and if the court decides to uphold this law, access to abortion in the South and Midwest will become extremely limited.

As we all know, when abortion is made illegal or inaccessible, abortions do not stop—instead people may become desperate and risk their health and safety pursuing illegal abortions, or try to scratch together enough money to travel to a safe abortion state, which many cannot afford. The fact that there is a 6-3 majority of conservative appointees on the court makes the potential for widespread abortion restriction very real. In the wake of these possible restrictions, our lives—and our rights—are at stake.

There are ways to fight against the destruction of abortion rights, and one of them is through art. Unlike any other medium, art can get to the heart of a matter and get to the heart of the viewer. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Abortion Access Force (AAF) is an organization that advocates for reproductive rights through comedy, culture and digital media.

Images courtesy of www.aaforce.org/shareables/

Abortion Action Force understands the impact art can have on abortion rights and utilizes art—often comedic, tongue-in-cheek art that simultaneously enrages the viewer and makes them laugh—to reach their audience and ultimately raise awareness. From uterus GIFs to images of puppies with sayings like “Hey Pence, Everyone Fucking Hates You,” the art AAF creates is powerful because it uses comedy, a connecting force, to drive the message home. It’s been said that art can transform stereotypes and influence cultural attitudes. If that’s true, AAF’s art is changing the game.

Eunice - Abortion AF activist puppet - is fierce in the fight for reproductive rights, showing up in skits, videos and protests. Image courtesy of www.aaforce.org/shareables/

In addition to raising awareness through art, AAF hosts ‘The Feminist Sleeper Cell Podcast’ where the hosts and guests discuss current events surrounding reproductive rights. In their recent episode “Mess-issippi,” hosts Moji Alawode-El and Lizz Winstead and guest Julie Rickelman go over the recent developments around abortion restrictions, including the threat from the Mississippi law as well as the senseless proposal in Texas that anyone who has gotten an abortion or anyone who has assisted another in getting an abortion could be sued by abortion opponents.

Julie Rickelman, senior litigation director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in the podcast about the Mississippi law: “It is deeply alarming that the Supreme Court agreed to hear this case… The lower courts struck it down as unconstitutional and that is clearly correct.” Rickelman emphasizes the importance of recognizing how dangerous it is that the Supreme Court is even considering this case after nearly 50 years of Roe v. Wade being in place. The hosts ask Rickelman how this is even happening—if the lower courts struck the case down, it is confusing why the Supreme Court is even considering it—and Rickelman says, again, that the situation is deeply alarming and appears to be a “test case” from conservatives who essentially want to see how far they can get in cutting off abortion access and overturning Roe v. Wade.

There aren’t any real conclusions to come to yet, since SCOTUS hasn’t yet reviewed the case. It’s hard not to panic and feel like we’re regressing backwards in time, erasing all the progress we have made regarding abortion rights. Though the current situation is daunting, there are organizations and activists who relentlessly resist the conservative leaders infringing on our rights. According to Rickelman, the Center for Reproductive Rights is working on a bill called the “Women’s Health Protection Act” that would create additional federal protections to access abortion and hopefully counter the conservative agendas currently being pushed.

In the meantime, we can take a big, collective deep breath, stop doom-scrolling news sites, and raise awareness of the current threats to abortion access by supporting art and media created by AAF and other abortion rights activists. Check out the Shareables on the AAF website to explore some of their powerful and humorous art pieces - it’ll make you feel better!

Polina Smith is a Seismic Sisters writer.

Mayor London Breed announces The Women and Families First Initiative

By Kim Christensen

On the steps of City Hall, San Francisco Mayor London Breed was beaming as she announced The Women and Families First Initiative in May. It would provide targeted job training for 300 women in industries that are expected to grow during the city’s economic recovery from the COVID crisis. Childcare is also an important part of the recovery strategy, and the initiative would support approximately 800 children with childcare tuition credits.

Mayor Breed is proposing to allocate $6 million in her proposed budget for the next two years to support The Women and Families First Initiative. The Mayor’s budget was introduced on June 1 and if approved in the budget process, the initiative will launch in late summer.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed announces Women and Families First Initiative on May 26, 2021. Photo by Seismic Sisters.

“Women, and particularly women with children, have experienced higher rates of unemployment throughout the course of the pandemic. Even before COVID-19, women were getting paid less than men doing similar work,” said Mayor Breed. “As we move forward on our recovery, we have an opportunity to make San Francisco a more equitable and supportive place for women and their children. With this initiative, we’re working to make sure that women have employment opportunities that can get them on a path to a fulfilling career, and that more families can access high-quality, affordable childcare so their kids are taken care of and parents can return to work.”

The Initiative would be done in partnership with the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, Human Rights Commission, Office of Economic and Workforce Development and non-profit service providers, offering training programs for 300 women that can lead to career opportunities in the fields of healthcare, technology, construction, hospitality, and emerging industries.