Dear Friends and Allies,
 
In light of the relentless attacks on fundamental rights–from abortion access to voting rights to protections for trans and gender expansive people–it might seem naive to focus on hope as a key theme for 2022. And yet, hope during times of crisis can be a radical act of resistance. As Leni Zumas, author of Red Clocks, put it during our recent panel discussion:“What keeps me from despair is seeing people in the streets demanding abortion justice, filling courtrooms and testifying before Congress. So many people are putting their bodies and lives on the line.”
 
As we celebrate Black History Month/Black Futures Month, we honor the Black women who conceptualized the reproductive justice framework from which we all draw inspiration and hope:

Elizabeth Terry
Winnette P. Willis
Kim Youngblood
Reverend Alma Crawford
Evelyn S. Field
Terri James
Bisola Marignay
Cassandra McConnell
Cynthia Newbille

We’re also grateful to all our supporters and the many other activists and advocates who dedicate themselves to fighting oppression and injustice. You give us the hope, the energy, and the resolve that sustains us as we work to ensure that no one is deprived of their civil or human rights because of pregnancy or any pregnancy outcome.

Please take a minute to read about our latest news, including recent achievements (more reasons for hope!) and upcoming events.

With gratitude,
 
The NAPW Team
Latest Updates
Nearly 40 Oklahoma doctors recently signed a joint letter condemning the criminalization of pregnancy and drug use. The letter calls on district attorneys to “end the prosecution of women with substance abuse disorders that didn’t cease to exist once they became pregnant,” explaining that “these prosecutions make it difficult to ensure our patients get the healthcare and support they need.” The letter comes on the heels of high-profile coverage of Brittney Poolaw’s case—which gained national attention thanks to NAPW’s advocacy—and those of several dozen other women charged with crimes in relation to their pregnancies in Oklahoma.
Arizona's Senate Bill 1457 (enacted in 2021) broadens the entire Arizona criminal and civil code such that every mention of “person” or “child” includes “an unborn child at every stage of development.” At the request of the organizations challenging this law (the ACLU, ACLU of Arizona, and the Center for Reproductive Rights) NAPW filed an amicus brief explaining that the bill will deprive people with the capacity for pregnancy of their rights. We filed the brief on behalf of 13 criminal and reproductive justice organizations including Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, Color of Change, Fair and Just Prosecution, and If/When/How.

Arizona’s legislation reflects a long-term anti-abortion, pro-patriarchy strategy of codifying the fiction that fertilized eggs, embryos and fetuses are already separate persons with Constitutional rights.
As a result of our work to free Chelsea Becker and in support of Adora Perez’s ongoing fight for freedom, California’s Attorney General Bonta issued a statewide alert directed to all district attorneys, police chiefs and sheriffs clarifying that California’s state murder statute only applies to third parties who cause harm to pregnant people and cannot be used as a basis for prosecuting someone because they experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth. “Pregnancy loss should be met with an outreached hand, not handcuffs,” Bonta said. Watch NAPW Staff Attorney Samantha Lee speak at the AG's press conference, and read our full statement.
At the request of our allies at WREN, South Carolina’s Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network, NAPW submitted written testimony opposing South Carolina’s proposed abortion ban, S.988. The so-called “Equal Protection for Unborn Babies Act” is a trigger ban, meaning it would outlaw virtually all abortion in the state and go into effect immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

Women in South Carolina have already been criminalized in relationship to their pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes. This legislation would not only outlaw abortion: it also declares that anyone who "performs or attempts" an abortion outside of three exceedingly narrow exceptions could face arrest, prosecution, and conviction for murder or attempted murder. This includes the pregnant person. A murder conviction could result in the death penalty under South Carolina law.
NAPW and Color of Change Team Up on Social Media
Check out our recent Instagram collaboration with Color of Change and so.informed about the criminalization of pregnancy and the significance of Roe v. Wade. The piece describes in detail the impact overturning Roe will have on all pregnant people, focusing on women of color who have already been criminalized for their pregnancies or pregnancy outcomes.
On January 20, NAPW was privileged to host a dynamic and wide-ranging panel discussion with author Leni Zumas, Jezebel senior reporter Caitlin Cruz, and Berkeley Law Professor Khiara M. Bridges. The lively conversation covered topics ranging from the role of narrative in framing reproductive justice issues to the impact of Texas’s draconian abortion ban. Watch the full recording.
NAPW in the News
Save the Date: An Evening With Author Jamia Wilson
On March 10, 2022 at 6:30 p.m., NAPW will host a virtual discussion and book talk with Jamia Wilson, author of This Book is Feminist and member of The Meteor, a collective that amplifies the voices of women—especially those underrepresented in traditional media—through storytelling, journalism and art. More details to come!

No matter what happens to Roe v. Wade, NAPW will continue to fight for the rights of pregnant people and against the criminalization of pregnancy—protecting both the right to have an abortion and the right to be free from arrest, prosecutions and incarceration. Please, join us in our fight with a gift today.