In this session of Abortion Academy we speak with activist and doctor Suzanne Veldhuis about her groundbreaking research and work with acompañantes and pro-choice physicians in Mexico. Velduis has been working closely with acompañantes – groups of activists who accompany pregnant people through their abortions outside of a clinical setting, creating a safe, holistic, and destigmatizing method of care. We talk with Veldhuis about how acompañantes networks work and why it is vital to center their work in the rapid expansion of self-managed abortion (SMA); how acompañantes, activists, and doctors can potentially work together to build a better system of care, and more. SMA is a revolution in abortion access and will be a major part of the future, no matter what politicians do – come learn more about how the acompañantes model can be adapted to other contexts, including your own.

BioSuzanne Veldhuis is feminist activist, physician, and researcher, originally from the Netherlands, who has lived in Chiapas, Mexico, since 2013. With over a decade of experience, Suzanne has worked extensively on projects related to sexual and reproductive health and access to safe abortion, both in Mexico and internationally. She currently serves as Advocacy and Research Coordinator and physician at Women on Web and is the co-founder of the Network of Pro-Choice Physicians Mexico. She specializes in self-managed abortion models and their articulation with the medical sector.

LinksAbortion Accompaniment Practices in Northern Mexico "Becoming the woman she wishes you to be": A qualitative study exploring the experiences of medication abortion acompañantes in three regions in Mexico

Línea Aborto Chiapas documentary Hegemonic Medicine and Self-Managed Abortion - full article Hegemonic Medicine and Self-Managed Abortion - commentary Acompañantes' perspectives on health system partnerships for medication abortion care in three Mexican states Workshop methodology (Spanish) Workshop methodology (English) PhD dissertation (Spanish only)

We are thrilled to host author, baker, and activist Becca-Rea Tucker, aka The Sweet Feminist. Becca found her activism lane with her IG creation The Sweet Feminist. A love for baking and sharing pro-abortion stories and support turned into a powerful and influential Instagram account, a cookbook, and a brand-new book The Abortion Companion – a beautiful guide written to help others through their abortion journeys. Becca will speak with us about her new book, her book tour, how she found her personal niche in activism. Join us to find out and figure out how your passion can align with your activism.

Links: The Sweet Feminist The Abortion Companion

In this session we discuss the barriers and state of access for young people in the US when it comes to abortion. We talk with Youth Access Counsel Katie Baylie (If/When/How) and the general state of access for young people post-Dobbs, including recent developments including the push to ban abortion support and the weaponization of "parental rights;" and will delve deeper into the specific barriers that youth are facing in the Southeast with Deb Coffey (Advocates for Youth), including threats to judicial bypass in Florida, proliferation of abortion bans in the region, and the recent shutdown of Planned Parenthood clinics.

Links: Advocates for Youth If/When/How

In this session we are joined by international friends Abigail Peprah and Vianey Estrada from Women First Digital to talk about the *good* that can be done with social media. These creators and advocates work to share safe abortion information, de-stigmatize abortion, and make abortion more accessible in their work across the globe. Their "Mind Your Uterus" channel on Twitch [link] and presence on platforms like TikTok and IG focus on reaching younger audiences and work to create an international, inclusive space where compassion and inclusivity are the norm.

Links: WomenFirstDigital Ally Chatbot HowToUseAbortionPill

In this session we talk with atctivist, scholar, and podcaster extraordinaire Camila Ochoa Mendoza, a "culturally confused Venezuelan living in Sweden."

Camila created the extremely binge-able podcast "Abortion, With Love," a beautiful podcast that honors the stories of people working in reproductive justice all across the world. We talk about how and why she became involved in abortion activism, what she learned along the way, and why her podcast is a great learning and teaching tool.

Links:

https://www.abortionwithlove.com/

ABOUT SYA

Shout Your Abortion is normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality. SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.

María Torres Wedding, creator and director of Migrantes Unidos, will discuss their vital work with us, including how they design impactful community projects slowly and intentionally and how they create mutually beneficial relationships and use interdisciplinary approaches to build trust, shared learning, and people power. Migrantes Unidos is an amazing group who works to end the surveillance of immigrant communities in the US, and empower those living under surveillance to build networks of support.

This is our first Abortion Academy that doesn't have a repro focus, and that is intentional—we are very interested in building across movements, and the administration's attacks on immigrant communities (who are of course, also people who have abortions) demand our attention. SYA feels deeply inspired by and aligned with the organizing principles that guide Migrantes Unidos, who are building joyful and creative communities amidst violent repression.

Bio María Torres Wedding is the co-creator of Migrantes Unidos, a group that promotes civic engagement among asylum seekers and aims to end the harmful surveillance of immigrant communities. She is deeply committed to interdisciplinary work that centers impacted community members in program planning, service delivery, and evaluation. She divides her time between working directly with immigrant communities through organizing initiatives, and guiding non-profits and academic institutions in their journey to develop more authentic and responsive relationships with the communities they serve. María was born in Monterrey, Mexico.

Links:

Migrantes Unidos

Trusted abolitionist orgs on surveillance and immigrant detention:

Detention Watch Network

Community Justice Exchange

Resource to establish local rapid response efforts:

Defend & Recruit

ABOUT SYA

Shout Your Abortion is normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality. SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.

In this session we spoke with Dr. Maeve O'Brien from Alliance for Choice Derry about the state of abortion access across the island of Ireland and recent developments in England and Wales. Northern Ireland decriminalized abortion in 2019 and since then has enjoyed a gold standard level of abortion healthcare – with free, safe and decriminalized abortion widely available across all trusts. In the Republic of Ireland, abortion access is still difficult with a punitive three-day-waiting-period and difficulties engaging rural providers. We learned more about how stigma operates in an Irish context and plotted ways to support and educate each other in our fight for global abortion access. Sarah Leonard, founder and editor-in-chief at Lux Magazine, joined us as moderator for this session.

Bios Alliance for Choice Derry is an active, vibrant, non-hierarchical and proudly grassroots group informed by reproductive justice principles. They fight for abortion in the north and south of Ireland and offer international solidarity.

Dr Maeve O'Brien is an activist with Alliance for Choice Derry. Hailing from Co. Tyrone in the north of Ireland, Maeve participated in the fight for the repeal of the 8th Amendment in the Republic of Ireland and for decriminalization of abortion in Northern Ireland. She continues to advocate for enhanced access to abortion particularly for people living in rural areas, as well as the removal of the three-day-waiting period in the Republic.

Links www.allianceforchoiceni.org maeveobrienwrites.substack.com https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ARC_Submission.pdf https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/northern-ireland-abortion-statistics-publication-202324 https://lux-magazine.com/

ABOUT SYA Shout Your Abortion is normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality. SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.

We talk with a full spectrum doula and herbalist Bonnie McIntosh about herbal support for abortions. We'll dig deeper into the huge topic of herbs and their uses and learn more about how plants can be our allies. We'll also get guidance for supportive herbs in surgical and medication abortions, with a focus on misoprostol-only protocols.

Bio Bonnie McIntosh is a clinical herbalist & full spectrum doula. She is a cofounder of the Colorado Doula Project, as well as an organizer for Holistic Abortions. Her work as a doula focuses on abortion, miscarriage, & birth, where she brings nutrition & herbalism together to provide a holistic experience tailored to each client. She believes reclaiming herbalism as a form of medicine is both a birthright and an act of resistance.

Links

Paper: "A Place for Herbal Abortion"

Molly Dutton Kenny workshops

Bonnie's website where you can find her zine

In this session we talk with Maltese playwright Davinia Hamilton. Hamilton talks with us about her award-winning play Blanket Ban, which takes its name from the incredibly restrictive abortion policies in Malta. We learn more about the situation in Malta and how this play and her work are a form of activism. We're joined in this session by co-facilitator Anne Rumberger from Lux Magazine and Chicago for Abortion Rights.

Davinia Hamilton is a Maltese-born, London-based writer, performer, and activist. She is the co-writer of Blanket Ban, an award-winning play about Malta's abortion ban. Drawing on her lived experience and artistic practice, she works at the intersection of storytelling and reproductive justice. Davinia sits on the Executive Committee of Abortion Rights UK, where she helps shape grassroots strategy. Her creative work centers marginalized voices and challenges colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal systems of control.

ABOUT SYA Shout Your Abortion is normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality. SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.