We always knew racism, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, and other forms of hate were on the ballot. Last night, they won. The destructive nature of this cultural and political moment is undeniable and heart-breaking. Violence, in word and action, became permissible during an election throughout which we heard candidates at all levels say revolting things that they intend to reinforce in policy and practice. As we grieve and analyze this tragedy, we are steadfast in our commitment to our values: radical compassion, the human right to bodily autonomy, dismantling white supremacy and its interconnecting oppressions, and building collective power.
In this moment, we relinquish nothing and we will NOT be punished. We have been fighting to exist as we are, to forge families that we love, and to live in nourishing communities, and we will never stop. The way we love as individuals, as organizations, as a network and as a movement, must bind us more tightly during moments of crisis. There is power in our resistance. There is power in our love.
As abortion funds, we will rally. Five days before this election, we unveiled our strategic plan to become an organizing powerhouse. Our work to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion has never been more critical. Our work to organize in larger numbers around a shared agenda has never been more necessary. We must be the ones who make abortion more than legal—but truly possible. We must support abortion access as a daily practice, in whatever ways we are safe to do so. We will continue to work to ensure everyone is able to safely decide if, when, and how to become a parent, and raise their families free from harm, stigma, and shame.
We know that the fight for reproductive justice is more than access to abortion. Our struggle must ensure that people across the nation, and around the world, are able to raise their children without fear of violence. We will continue to fight alongside movements for queer liberation, immigrant rights, and racial, gender and economic justice until everyone is free.
Our power comes from our roots, our ancestors, our trauma, our magic, and our unending resolve, and this power extends through our entire bodies out into the world. Our communities are our family.
Everyone in our family deserves compassion and support, particularly when deciding their reproductive futures. Join us as we continue to organize and build our movement at the intersections of racial, economic, and reproductive justice, to remove all barriers, cultural, financial and logistical, to abortion access.
When our hearts are broken, we hold each other, and we heal, stronger than before.
We will resist.
In solidarity,
Yamani Hernandez
“The practice of love is the most powerful antidote to the politics of domination.” – bell hooks