BY STATE REP. MORGAN CEPHAS JOINED the group In Our Own Voice to discuss our efforts to ensure Pennsylvania women of color have access to quality reproductive health care. Our conclusion: We have a lot of work ahead of us. Last year alone, we witnessed an onslaught on women’s reproductive rights. From the White House to the state House, politicians – mostly older white men – have sought to strip countless women across the country of
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Philadelphians climbed up many vantage points to see the landmark Eagles Super Bowl parade, including the Benjamin Franklin statue in front of the Municipal Services Building. Photo by Leona Dixon
Girard Protest Days MARK your CALENDAR
IN 1968, CECIL B. MOORE culminated 15 years of legal struggle to integrate Girard College with months of constant protests at the historic institution that finally succeeded. Photo courtesy of Temple University Library collections
CITY HALL SAM (Cont. From Page 12) submitted to the court. The court can pick one of these maps or work with their redistricting consultant to create and implement their
own map. It is hard to say which map will be picked, but the underdogs in this process have been the voters of Pennsylvania. Their voices have been silenced by political consultants and legislative leaders intent on foisting their will on the people
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of Pennsylvania. But just like the Eagles, the voters will be victorious in the redistricting issue. They will not have a trophy to hoist, but they will have won their democracy back from perverse partisanship ... and that is certainly worth a parade down Broad Street.
Feb. 15- State Rep. Jason Dawkins hosts Workshop on Apprenticeship Opportunities at 4667 Paul St., 6-7 p.m. For info: (215) 744-7901. Feb. 16- Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell hosts African American History Month at Kingsessing Rec Ctr., 50th St. & Kingsessing Ave., 6-8:30 p.m. Free dinner, positive entertainment, giveaways for the family. For info: Mike Ross (484) 250-9055. Feb. 17- Pa. Veteran Boxers Ass’n hosts Fundraiser at VBA Cl., 2733 E. Clearfield
St., 7-11 p.m. $5 cover, drink specials. For info: Fred Druding, Jr. (215) 221-2374. Feb. 20- Judge Marsha Neifield leads Panel on Human Trafficking at Union League, 140 S. Broad St., 5:30 p.m. For info: (215) 563-6500. Feb. 20- State Rep. Joanna McClinton hosts Energy Forum at 18th Dist. Police Sta., 5510 Pine St., 6 p.m. For info: (215) 748-6712. Feb. 21- State rep candidate Jeff Curry hosts Fundraiser at McGillin’s Olde Ale House, 1310 Drury St., 5:30-8:30 p.m. Open bar, buffet. Hosts $500, Friends $250, Supporters $100, Guests $50. Payable to “Friends of Jeff Curry,” 219 St. marks Pl., Phila., PA 19104 or VoteforJeffCurry.com. Feb. 22- Green Party of Phila. hosts Membership Mtg. at Shissler Rec Ctr., 1800 Blair St., 7 p.m. Election of City Committee. For info: (215) 843-4256 or gpop@gpop. org. Feb. 22- Phila.’s Democrat-
ic Women hold Mtg. at Irish Pub, 2007 Walnut St., Happy Hour 5 p.m., Mtg. 6 p.m. Guest speaker: State Rep. Donna Bullock. For info: Rania Major (215) 837-3250 or Shantale Galloway (267) 467-0995. Feb. 23- State rep candidate Maggie Borski hosts Fundraiser at Harmonia Cl., 2404 Orthodox St., 7-10 p.m. Donations $25. RSVP: votemaggienborski@gmail.com or (267) 415-6438. Feb. 27- Mt. Hebron Baptist Ch. hosts Community Feeding Day, Clothing & Items Giveaway at 1417 Wharton St., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Kids, ladies, men, home. Free. For info: (215) 3368163
For Further Listing See “Calendar” Online At www. phillyrecord.com
T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D
most restrictive abortion bill. This bill would have reduced the time available for Pennsylvania women to get an abortion from 24 weeks to 20 – a clear violation of Roe v. Wade. Fortunately, Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed it. To make matters worse, legislators are making it harder to access birth control and eliminating funding for Title X family planning programs. As one of nine women of color in the Pennsylvania Legislature – out of 253 total members in our Commonwealth’s 67 counties – resisting has not been easy. But it is necessary and must be done. I look forward to pushing legislation this year that would not only protect, but expand the reproductive rights that are crucial to the well-being of women of color in our Commonwealth. State Rep. Morgan Cephas represents the 192nd Legislative District.
F E B RUA RY 15, 2018
OPINION
access to reproductive health care. If these proposals become law, it’s no surprise who will get hit the hardest: women of color. Historically, women of color have been systematically denied the resources, services and information they need to make important personal decisions regarding their health. For example, before the Affordable Care Act, women of color were charged more for health insurance premiums, since they are disproportionately more likely to suffer from chronic health conditions that often qualify as pre-existing conditions. These include hypertension, obesity, cancer, diabetes, and sexually transmitted diseases and infections. However, it’s not just our health care that’s at risk, but the free will to use our bodies as our own. Just last year, Pennsylvania legislators passed the country’s
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Women of Color in Pa.: We Can Only Go up from Here
2/14/2018 11:05:05 AM