In the second of this 2-part series of The Response, we pick up where we left off in Episode 1 and continue our deep dive into how communities are responding to the growing abortion access crisis in the United States, sharing the stories of those impacted and highlighting a number of radical grassroots, mutual aid, and solidaristic efforts aimed at helping people access abortion in the places where it's currently outlawed or restricted. 

Abortion access has always been limited here in the United States, but since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of this year and the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion — things have gotten dramatically worse — especially in parts of the southern United States, the Great Plains, and parts of the midwest. 

In the face of trigger laws banning and criminalizing abortion in many states — as well as state-sanctioned harassment and targeted campaigns against people seeking abortions — the centuries-old movement for reproductive rights and justice has only grown and strengthened. This movement takes many forms, and in the second part of this series we’re going to explore mutual aid efforts focusing on medical abortion pills and emergency contraception.

You can listen to Part 1 of this series here.

Episode credits:

• Series producer and writer: Robert Raymond
• Host and executive producer: Tom Llewellyn
• Theme Music: “Meet you on the other side” by Cultivate Beats
• Additional music: Chris Zabriskie, Do Make Say Think, and Pele
• Original artwork was created by Bethan Mure

This series features:

• Julie Amaon: Family medicine physician and the medical director for Just the Pill
• Jenice Fountain: Executive Director of Yellowhammer Fund
• Gulf South Plan B: Mutual Aid organization that distributes free emergency contraception in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi 
• Angel Jones: Recipient of medical abortion pills
• Laurie Roberts: Executive Director of Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund

Additional Resources:

Lists of Abortion Funds by state/region:

https://abortionfunds.org/

https://apiaryps.org/pso-list

The Response is a podcast series from Shareable.net exploring how communities are building collective resilience in the wake of disasters