Hi Friend,

Welcome to URGE’s Quarterly Newsletter!

We’re excited to bring you an additional way to stay connected and engaged with our work. Each quarter, we’ll reflect on the progress we’ve made, celebrate key moments, and give you a look ahead at what’s coming next.

This edition of our newsletter is dedicated to the power of fighting back—against oppression, against systemic barriers, and against the forces that seek to control us and stifle our freedoms. We refuse to accept it—now or ever. And we remain steadfast in our commitment to build a more just and equitable world.

Help us tailor our advocacy efforts and create a more inclusive community for supporters like you. Take our 2-minute survey, and tell us more about yourself and what you’re interested in.

As our way of saying thank you, everyone who responds by tomorrow (April 10) will be entered to win an URGE Merch pack! 

Know someone between the ages of 18-30 who lives in URGE's investment states (CA, TX, AL, GA, KA, OH)?

Invite them to apply to our Leadership Summit! This 3-day Summit in Ohio will offer training and skills building to further our movement. Deadline is April 25. Learn more here. 

In February, members of the URGE PASA: Pro Abortion Student Association Board gathered from across the state for a powerful California Advocacy Day and Board retreat. During their discussions, members emphasized the importance of ensuring access to medication abortion at UC and CSU campus student health centers and advocated for transparency regarding the costs students face when seeking this essential care. We’re incredibly proud of our PASA Board members for taking action to engage with legislators on critical issues affecting their communities. 

URGE Texas partnered with area organizations to create Our Capitol Is a Drag…Show!  Along with Democrasexy, ACLU TX, Texas Freedom Network, Equality Texas, and Trans Texas, we brought more than 125 people together (through two events) to celebrate our communities. Guests also learned about the current legislative session and how they can get engaged with our work.

The URGE Texas team also provided comment at the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee meeting urging members to do their job and analyze pregnancy-related deaths from 2022-2023. Learn more here.

In February, the Reproductive Freedom Act (RFA) was re-introduced in the Georgia State Legislature. The RFA seeks to repeal Georgia's abortion restrictions and expand access to abortion care. Going beyond the limitations of Roe, which left many in our communities vulnerable, the RFA establishes the fundamental right of ALL Georgians to make informed healthcare decisions free from barriers and stigma.  
 
More than 20 young people from across the state went to the Georgia Capitol on March 4 to advocate for passage of the RFA. We also partnered with Amplify Georgia to host an Instagram Live event to discuss the RFA with community members. 

The URGE Ohio team has been advocating against HB 72. This bill disguises the long-overdue repeal of capital punishment as a means to attack reproductive rights. By linking the abolition of the death penalty to new abortion restrictions, HB 72 directly undermines Ohioans’ recently affirmed right to reproductive freedom. 
 
We’ve also been working to block Senate Bill 40, which creates a financial benefit for anti-abortion organizations by establishing a nonrefundable tax credit for donations to crisis pregnancy centers. This credit can be applied to personal and business state income taxes, covering up to 50% of net tax liability. SB 40 is a deliberate effort to redirect funding away from comprehensive reproductive healthcare centers that provide abortion services.

We sent out a policy update earlier last week, you can read it here if you missed it. We’re paying attention to the Trump administration’s judicial and agency nominations, including the recent confirmations of Dr. Marty Makary as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Dr. Mehmet Oz as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

We’re also closely monitoring the SAVE Act, which is a clear attack on democracy that seeks to further disenfranchise American voters, particularly young people and first-time voters. Make your voice heard and demand your representatives vote NO on this unconstitutional bill.

As we continue fighting for justice, equity, and liberation, we are deeply grateful for your dedication and solidarity. Your support—whether through advocacy, organizing, or simply staying informed—makes a difference. 

Together, we are building a future rooted in dignity, access, and freedom for all. Stay engaged, stay hopeful, and let’s keep pushing forward. 

In solidarity, 

URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
1012 14th Street NW, Suite 305
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States

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