Field & Outreach
A Frenzy of Fall Grassroots Events By Rebecca Harrington
W
e spent this fall busily trekking across the country, coordinating a variety of events to reach hundreds of activists throughout the U.S. It was a whirlwind period of travel that allowed us to cement ourselves further into the communities where we work. Given our opponents’ pre-election political rancor toward family planning, it was a particularly apt time to highlight barriers to access. Our first stop was the 4 International EcoSummit, which was held in Columbus, Ohio from September 30 through October 5. The EcoSummit, a gathering of ecologists from 70+ countries around the globe, featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, and poster presentations on a variety of environmental topics. The summit also featured an exhibit hall showcasing nonprofit organizations, eco-businesses, government agencies, and academic institutions. th
Our spot in the exhibition hall gave us the opportunity to speak with several hundred participants about population issues and the criticality of affordable access to family planning for all. Despite the fact that this was a conference about sustainability, there seemed to be very little focus on population. Many conference attendees were frustrated by this and expressed gratitude that we were 28 The Reporter — December 2012
there to give voice to the issue throughout the week. Our next trip took us to Seattle, where we had the opportunity to speak to 21 Environmental Studies students at Seattle University. It is always a pleasure to visit the Seattle U. campus, where we have built strong ties over the past couple of years through students who have attended Capitol Hill Days here in DC. The students were very engaged, asked thoughtful questions, and were eager to learn more about the health, environmental, and social impacts of population growth. The professor appreciated our presentation and was committed to our mission and programming. He will be assisting us with recruitment for the 2013 Capitol Hill Days weekend.
12th & Delaware In mid-October, we returned to Columbus to host a screening and discussion of the documentary 12th & Delaware. The film examines the ongoing tension at an intersection in Fort Pierce, Florida, which houses an abortion clinic on one side of the street and a crisis pregnancy center on the other. Through interviews with the directors of both clinics, as well as footage of them with their patients, the filmmakers highlight the distinct perspectives of each organization. These divergent views
chillingly illustrate the forces that create barriers to reproductive health care in this country. We co-hosted the screening of 12th & Delaware at the Gateway Film Center in Columbus with our long-standing partners at the Columbus International Film and Video Festival, as well as NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and Women Have Options, the Ohio statewide abortion fund. We were grateful to be joined for the discussion by Ohio State Senator Charleta Tavares. Sen. Tavares talked about all of the progress that has been made on family planning and reproductive health and encouraged audience members to exercise their voting power, to be informed about the views of their elected officials, and to weigh candidates’ positions on family planning before voting. The crowd of nearly 50 was eager to discuss the film, and we were fortunate to have time for many smaller, more personal conversations at the reception following the screening. One audience member, Pat Marida, is a loyal supporter of Population Connection and is also very active with the Sierra Club Central Ohio Group. Pat heavily promoted this event to her local contacts. She described her experience in the following way: “This movie was an eye-opener to the unethical practices of