URGE Launches Multimedia “Abortion Bans are Racist” Campaign on MLK Day
(Atlanta, GA) – Today, a day when we reflect on the dangerous legacy of white supremacy in the United States, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is launching a multi-faceted media campaign to educate Georgians about the inherent racism at the foundation of abortion bans. This campaign will run throughout January and include social posts, pandora ads, street decals, posters, and two billboards in the Atlanta area that state: Abortion Bans are Racist. “In Georgia, we know all too well how harmful abortion bans are to our Black and brown communities, pushing essential health care out of reach. It was this way before last year’s Supreme Court decision, and now the situation is even more dire,” said Toni Watkins (she/her), Georgia resident and Voter Engagement Director at URGE. “Last November and… Read more »
Statement From URGE on the F.D.A. Expanding Access to Abortion Pills to be Offered at Retail Pharmacies
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration announced that retail pharmacies can offer abortion pills with a prescription from a certified healthcare provider, and the Justice Department cleared the Postal Service to carry abortion pills into states with bans. These decisions will expand reproductive care options for some individuals across the country. However, abortion bans take precedence, and fears of criminalization regarding mailing the medication cannot be overlooked. In response, URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity released the following statement. Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella), Executive Director of URGE, said: “The F.D.A.’s decision to lift some of the restrictions on abortion pills is a step in the right direction. Mifepristone is a safe and effective medication and many people’s first choice for abortion care. Allowing people to receive mifepristone at retail… Read more »
Introducing Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a Cohort to Secure Explicit Abortion Access in the State Constitution
OHIO – Today the coalition, Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, issued a press statement to introduce a ballot exploration committee, formed by the ACLU of Ohio, Abortion Fund Ohio, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Ohio Women’s Alliance, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Preterm-Cleveland, Pro-Choice Ohio, and URGE, to make abortion access explicit in the State Constitution. Collectively, these organizations represent Ohioans from across the state and key constituencies, including frontline providers, abortion funds, young people, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, and decades of deep investment in Ohio community, care, and power. The reproductive rights, health, and justice organizations are trusted institutions that have been working in partnership for decades to protect and expand abortion access and have formed an official partnership to get a measure on the… Read more »
Statement from URGE on the Passing of the Respect For Marriage Act
Tonight, Congress has passed the Respect for Marriage Act, protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. This historic bill will federally require the government to recognize and protect these types of marriages in the United States, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. It is now headed to President Biden’s desk. In response, leaders from URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, released the following statements. Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE, said: “We are thrilled that Congress has taken the necessary steps to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, and the Respect for Marriage Act will head to President Biden’s desk. Today, we celebrate that even more people across the country will be able to marry who they love and feel protected in doing so. “However, we recognize that this is both… Read more »
Statement from URGE on the 2022 Midterm Elections
As ballots get counted across the country, and with abortion rights hanging in the balance in several key states, a clear message has already emerged: young people – particularly young Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color – are exercising their power to radically transform our political landscape. In response, Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, has released the following statement: “Today, folks across this nation exercised their right to vote. Some were blocked or turned away. Some had a harder time than they should have, because voter suppression remains rampant. But so many persisted, and their voices rang loud and clear at the ballot box. “As we await the results, one thing is clear: young people, young voters will decide the… Read more »
URGE Condemns Court Ruling on DACA
(Washington, D.C.) On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in the case Texas v. United States, which challenges the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Court held that DACA is unconstitutional and sent the case back to the District Court for further consideration. This decision continues to dismantle DACA completely, threatening the livelihoods of a generation of DREAMers who call the United States their home. URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity strongly condemns this decision and supports the rights of all people to live and migrate freely, without fear of deportation, family separation, or criminalization. We recognize that these attempts to end DACA disproportionately affect the community that URGE centers in our work with young people, particularly… Read more »
Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire Meets With VP Harris, Civil Rights, Reproductive Health & Justice Leaders at White House
(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Monday, September 12, 2022, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity Executive Director Kimberly Inez McGuire (she/her/ella) joined a group of civil rights, reproductive health, and reproductive justice organization leaders in a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. These were her remarks: “I want to start by offering my deepest thanks to the distinguished leaders here today from civil rights, reproductive health and justice, and of course, Madam Vice President for your incredible leadership. You have been an inspiration to so many, including my own family. “This is a momentous discussion, as an organization that is dedicated to getting to decide when, if, and how we build our families. As my comrades have acknowledged, we who fight for justice have… Read more »
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity Applauds Defeat of Anti-Abortion Constitutional Amendment
(Wichita, KS) – On Tuesday, Kansas voters decisively rejected an amendment to the state constitution that would have stripped away abortion protections and allowed state lawmakers to eliminate access to critical reproductive healthcare. URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, a national youth-led Reproductive Justice organization with a vital community activist network, has been organizing youth in Kansas in the fight to protect abortion access in the state. As an executive committee member of Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, URGE co-led the fight against the ballot measure, helping build a broad and diverse coalition of organizations and stakeholders to drive voter turnout and mobilize young people. “Today, Kansans bluntly rejected anti-abortion politicians’ attempts at creating a reproductive police state in Kansas,” Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director at URGE said. “We are… Read more »
U.S. House Passes Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Access To Abortion Act Of 2022 in Response to SCOTUS Overturning Roe
Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) and the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act by votes of 219-210 and 223-205, respectively. URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity applauds the Representatives who voted to support these bills and protect abortion access. This is the second time in the past year that Members of the House have legislated to proactively support abortion rights, passing WHPA previously last September. WHPA prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services, while the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act protects our right to travel, prohibiting anyone acting under state law from interfering with a person’s ability to access out-of-state abortion services. These bills passed today despite opposition from extremist legislators who are out-of-touch with the… Read more »
Young People Demand More From Biden on Abortion Access
Today, President Biden signed an executive order to protect and expand reproductive health care services, including efforts to safeguard access to medication abortion, and emergency contraception. In a speech with Vice President Harris, President Biden laid out the administration’s plans to increase public outreach, provide legal support, and launch a task force to coordinate other potential policies to protect access. “Every day, clinics across the South and Midwest are closing, people are scrambling for care as appointments are canceled, and right now someone is sitting in an ER with a nonviable ectopic pregnancy wondering how close to death they’ll have to be to get the care they need. This is a crisis that requires swift, courageous, and comprehensive action. According to new polling, young people overwhelmingly support abortion access and… Read more »
