(This article was edited for accuracy.)
On March 21, the Young Democrats club hosted an education and networking forum focused on reproductive rights with Rep. Lisa Campbell, public health expert and advocate Carrie Salone, student activist Kelley Estis and the WIN List’s Melita Easters.
Rep. Shae Roberts was supposed to be in attendance but was absent due to house committee duties.
This forum comes after the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization on June 24, 2022. This opinion gave the power to regulate abortion to the states, overturning Roe v. Wade after 50 years of precedent. Though a draft opinion had been leaked by Politico in May 2022, many had expected public pressure may lead the court to change its opinion after protesters were staged outside of the court shortly after the draft leaked, according to NBC News.
Prepared questions were posed to each of the speakers by the club and covered topics such as the speakers’ personal backgrounds, the personal impact that the Dobbs decision had on them, the various impacts the decision could have and the future of reproductive health care.
During the discussion, Carrie Salone had shared that she has kept her eyes focused on the data and that as a health professional, she is concerned about maternal mortality rates within the United States.
“I’m data driven because I’m a researcher,” Salone said, “And in one night in 2021 maternal mortality was at its highest. We were the highest among any wealthy country.”
Estis spoke about a personal concern for her rights and the rights of other women, sentiments that were shared by Rep. Campbell and Easters.
Easters is the founding chair of the WIN List, a political action committee working to elect more pro-choice women. She stated that her work is not for her benefit, but for the women of Georgia’s benefit.
“Someone like me, I’m now advocating for my grandchildren,” Easters said, “Y’all really have the future of the families you might want on the line.”
Toward the end, the floor was opened up for questions from those in the audience. Many asked how they could better advocate for women of color, what options are left in the wake of the Dobbs decision and some expressed doubt about how a small group in attendance could make change to begin with.
“There have been, in the last 20 years, many a house, or senate or city council seat decided by fewer voters than the combined group of you in this room,” Easters said, “Never doubt that your vote or your effort counts.”
Easters continued by saying that she uses a physical calendar, and at the start of every year she puts a Margaret Mead quote on that calendar that read, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
In the 2022 midterm elections, 47% of all voters said that the Supreme Court’s decision had a major impact on how they voted, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. In that same poll taken in Georgia, Kaiser reported that 4 out of 10 voters said the decision was critical in deciding who they voted for.
