When I was growing up on the South Side of Chicago, it was a time of increasing opportunity for women like me. Since the Roe ruling, unprecedented numbers of Black girls were graduating high school, going to college, and entering the workforce.

In a major turning point in American history, we were able to choose our own destinies.

Now, my four daughters have fewer federal rights than I did at their age.

Thankfully, I have wonderful teammates in Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly, and we’ve worked together to pass protections, including not only a fundamental right to abortion and maternity care, but also insurance coverage and legal protections for healthcare professionals and travelers seeking care here.

But we can’t stop now. While Illinois is a safe haven for reproductive care in the Midwest, all Americans need to have their reproductive rights written into law.

Women like us stand on the shoulders of women who faced imprisonment, beatings…who lost their children and livelihoods to this pursuit of justice.

It’s OK to be angry that we are going backward, but remember: the spirit of those who fought for our freedoms before lives on in us, and their wisdom guides us.

We will not go back, because they showed us the way forward.

In solidarity,

Juliana Stratton
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois