SISTERSONG Collective Visits Capitol Hill in Support of
Abortion Access and Immigrant Rights in Healthcare Reform
The Color of Power: Voices for Change Rallies Reproductive Justice Movement


November 7, 2009 Washington, DC – More than 400 women representing over 20 states and 60 social and reproductive justice organizations are ascending on Capitol Hill today in support of abortion access and immigrant rights in healthcare reform. SisterSong, a Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, used its National Membership Meeting in Washington, DC to call on Congress to protect women’s access to abortion and to stop the assault on immigrant healthcare access in the final healthcare bill.

Loretta Ross, National Coordinator of SisterSong, says it is way overdue that women get what they deserve – and what they need – to protect their sexual and reproductive health and rights. “We are not going to protect Congress from the anger of Women of Color when they bargain away our human rights, and when they fail to protect the rights of immigrants to healthcare access,” said Ross.

Ross says the Rep. Bart Stupak (R-MI) amendment to restrict abortion access in public and private healthcare plans is both an infringement on basic health rights and a frontal assault on women’s health overall. SisterSong walked to Capitol Hill today following President Obama’s visit there to direct the final push for a healthcare reform bill. Ross says she understands that the President wants a healthcare bill, but she says SisterSong has trouble supporting a bill that does not protect women’s and immigrants’ access to quality and affordable healthcare.

The SisterSong mission is “to strengthen and amplify the collective voices of indigenous women and women of color so that we may secure our human rights, and thus achieve reproductive justice. We fight equally for the right to bear – and not to bear – a child, along with the subsequent and necessary enabling conditions to realize these rights.”