Dear PPMW Supporter,
As you likely know, the DC Metropolitan Police Department has been placed under federal control, and the National Guard has been deployed here in Washington, DC.
The District is not only our home, but also home to so many of the patients and communities we serve. The increased presence of law enforcement, federal agents, and National Guard troops is likely to have a disproportionate impact on members of Black and Brown communities as well as those with low incomes.
On their behalf, we are compelled to speak to the heart of this issue: DC’s lack of statehood. This recent escalation of force underscores DC’s vulnerability to federal interference — a vulnerability that places access to abortion and other forms of sexual and reproductive care in a state of constant precarity. In a 2016 referendum, 86% of DC residents voted in favor of DC becoming the 51st state.
Make no mistake, DC statehood is a reproductive health and rights issue.
Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC will never stop working to protect and defend access to abortion, birth control, and other vital forms of care.
This week, we saw how quickly the threat of federal interference in DC’s local affairs can become a lived reality for District residents. Nevertheless, we stand firm in our promise to provide high-quality, compassionate care to all in need.
Your support can help reinforce this promise, strengthening PPMW — your local Planned Parenthood — in our unrelenting efforts to ensure that care continues. Care, no matter what.
Thank you for standing with us.
