On Wednesday I had the privilege of being on Capitol Hill for the Stop Stupak Day of Action.  Organized by dozens of progressive organizations, pro-choicers of all ages gathered to lobby members of Congress, rally and make sure it’s known that we will not accept Stupak-like language in any kind of healthcare reform.
 
From a youth perspective, it was an…interesting day of action.  I arrived to see fellow youth organizers (coordinated by Edith from Choice USA!) leading guerilla-style lobby trainings in the auditorium where everyone gathered for the morning briefing. It was incredible to see the excitement and energy of the trainers as well as the participants soaking in the tools necessary for the day of action.

While I couldn’t attend the briefing, I was energized by how many young people were in attendance as they staffed the registration table, distributed information, stickers and buttons, held signs, and contributed in the energy of the morning.

Instead of attending the briefing, I lobbied Texas border congressmen, so-called “Pro-Life” Democrats, who had voted for the Stupak Amendment.  It was incredibly empowering to be surrounded by so many Pro-Choice Latinas (hermanas from theNational Latina Institute for Reproductive Health!)  representing patients and promotoras de salud (health workers) who call the border their home. The irony, however, was incredibly frustrating as we Latinas were essentially asking permission of old Latino men for control of our bodies.  Staffers from Reps. Cuellar, Ortiz, and Reyes all noted the impact of the Council of Bishops (12 old men) on their decision, as their “faith” dictated their vote.  Luckily, we had information from Catholics for Choice whose research shows the majority of Catholics do not support the Bishops’ interference in health care reform.  They also pointed out that the Catholic Church has been segregating funds from the government for years, so why can’t everyone else?

As a constituent of the Rio Grande Valley (and from Rep. Cuellar’s district), I was glad to use my voice and my experience to contribute to this meeting. What was even more exciting, however, is knowing that the students I worked with and continue to keep in touch with are both Pro-Choice and have been to contacting Cuellar and calling him out on his vote.

After the lobby visits I attended the rally. I was glad to hear from Pro-Choice members of Congress who have signed on to a letter refusing to vote for health care reform if Stupak-like language is included in the final version. I was also excited to see the room was largely made up of young women, something that was unfortunately not reflected in the speaker lineup.

The youth space we organized after the rally was incredibly successful.  75 young people came to eat, chat and get to know each other after a day of action. I met activists from Wisconsin, Ohio and Syracuse who had traveled all the way to DC to be part of this day. Colleagues from organizations like the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Campus Progress, Choice USA, Feminist Majority Foundation, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Pro-Choice Public Education Project and Sister Song were all there to offer support in future organizing. We also had bloggers who write for Feministing, Racialious and more in attendance! As a young staffer, it was great to be surrounded by colleagues who are so passionate and awesome to work with.  They put in many hours to make this day a success both here in DC and across the country.

If you dig big-picture numbers for the day, here you go:

• Over 1300 people from 30 states and DC attended.
• 19 Members of Congress attended the briefing and rally
• 15 buses from 8+ states
• Over 100 campus activities were held across the country

Not too bad for 3 weeks of planning with Thanksgiving and finals in the middle…

*Photos are from Emily at RCRC!