National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health Statement on 44th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Washington, DC – On the 44th Anniversary of the decision in Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court case that affirmed the right to safe and legal abortion services in the United States, Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), issued the following statement:

“As we celebrate this momentous win in history for women’s reproductive rights and freedom, let us not forget that this win came to us with empty promises. In the years following Roe, we saw every attempt by anti-choice politicians to deprive us of our dignity and self-determination. We’ve seen legislation like the Hyde Amendment – passed annually by Congress for the past 40 years – that denies women with low-incomes their fundamental human rights by withholding insurance coverage for abortion. We’ve seen state laws and targeted regulations designed to shut down clinics, decimating critical safety nets and forcing women to travel long distances for care. And undocumented women, many of whom cannot travel for fear of detention and deportation, have even fewer options. So the fight for reproductive justice and freedom never really ended with Roe. It only began. As we look towards the uncertain future, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health re-commits itself to fighting for health, dignity, and justice for the 28 million Latinas and their families in the United States.

We will continue to push for our future and protect all people’s access to the full range of services for reproductive care, including abortion, regardless of age, income, zip code, sexual orientation, gender identity or immigration status.

We must use Roe as the fuel for the fight ahead–the fight to dismantle Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism, classism, ableism and sexism. The fight for our bodily autonomy, our dignity, our families and our communities. We are ready.”

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The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national reproductive justice organization dedicated to building Latina power to advance health, dignity, and justice for 26 million Latinas, their families, and communities in the United States through leadership development, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic communications.