“The last three and a half years of severely restrictive abortion bans in Texas have been, by far, the most professionally challenging moments of my life. Yet, despite devastating setback after devastating setback, I am entering 2024 and my new role as Physicians for Reproductive Health Board Chair laser-focused on creating the future we all deserve. This is a future of abortion abundance; a world where we no longer compromise on our right to health care but instead demand freely accessible health care for all with dignity, compassion, and respect.
“As Board Chair at Physicians for Reproductive Health, I am committed to supporting work that dares to believe, and in fact to insist, that a different future is possible. We will not fight for a past that was never ours to begin with. I look forward to being in partnership with physician advocates across the country, especially those committed to innovative ideas responsive to community leadership.
“My own moments of bravery in times of intense fear and uncertainty would not be possible without my fellow brave Texans across the state. I am proud to work in community with some of the most radical activists in this work. My colleagues across the South and Midwest should be turned to as leaders in the years ahead, not looked at as a lost cause. We know firsthand that there is no such thing as a “safe state” in a country where people can so easily be systematically denied fundamental human rights.
“I believe strongly that in this moment, physicians have a duty to not only to advocate, but to agitate. We must not only speak about the evident health care issues before us, but connect those health care issues to national and international policy decisions. While forging into this new future can feel isolating, it underscores the need for organizations like PRH to continue building and fostering an empathetic community for abortion providers around the country. We can create the future we dream of if we are committed to building it radically, together.”
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