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NEWS FROM POWER TO DECIDE

People's Choice Winner

We are so proud to announce that our #ThxBirthControl ([link removed]) campaign is a People’s Choice winner ([link removed]) in The Webby Awards! Let’s continue to show the world what birth control access means to us, each and every day by continuing to share ([link removed]) why we all say, “Thanks, birth control!”

Encouraging Inclusive Conversations

A national effort to spark meaningful conversations between young people and the champions who care about them most, #TalkingIsPower ([link removed]) month is here. Whether you’re a parent, guardian, educator, provider, or champion to a young person, join the #TalkingIsPower ([link removed]) movement.

This year’s theme is Encouraging Inclusive Conversations and we’ll be publishing questions to start conversations, tips on how to talk about these subjects, and meaningful stories from a variety of people’s own experiences. Get ready for the month with our toolkit ([link removed]) .

Supporting Sex Ed for All

May is also Sex Ed for All Month ([link removed]) . Now in its fourth year, this movement focuses on improving young people’s access to power, information, and rights to give them the tools they need to make healthy decisions for themselves and live life on their terms.

This year we call on parents to activate their local leaders in support of comprehensive sex ed for all. Alongside our partner organizations, we will highlight the voices of young people, sex educators, parents, policymakers, and others; all of which are needed to improve reproductive health, rights, and justice for all. To participate in Sex Ed for All Month, follow #SexEdForAll on all your favorite social media channels.

#FreeThePill

Why do we want to #FreeThePill ([link removed]) ? There is broad support for making birth control pills available over the counter. And with more than 19.5 million women living in contraceptive deserts ([link removed]) , or counties in which they do not have reasonable access to the full range of contraceptive methods, over-the-counter birth control could make a world of difference.

If you agree and want to see over-the-counter birth control become reality, share your thoughts at: freethepill.org/free-the-pill ([link removed]) .

The Reproductive Well-Being Framework Podcast

CEO Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley and Chief of Staff Dr. Gillian Sealy explore the Reproductive Well-Being Framework ([link removed]) in a three-episode podcast series from the Reproductive Health National Training Center, The framework envisions that all people have equitable access to the information, services, systems, and support they need to make their own decisions related to sexuality and reproduction throughout their lives. You can find the podcast and subscribe ([link removed]) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.

Our Newest Power Player

We’re committed to uplifting the many individuals championing the effort to support young people’s reproductive well-being. This month’s power player is sex educator Justine Ang Fonte. Read her story ([link removed]) .
POLICY UPDATES

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Confirmed as the First Black Woman Justice on the Supreme Court

On April 6, the US Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th justice of the US Supreme Court in a bipartisan vote. The historic confirmation makes Judge Brown Jackson the first Black woman and only the third Black justice to serve since the court’s founding. We are encouraged by the confirmation of Judge Jackson, whose background and experience—including her rulings protecting the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program—suggest that she understands the barriers women of color and people with low incomes face every day, such as accessing basic, reproductive health care. The Court has signaled its willingness to revisit settled law, and we are confident Judge Jackson will bring needed perspective to the court when it considers such cases. See Power to Decide’s full statement ([link removed]) on Judge Jackson’s confirmation.

Power to Decide’s FY 2023 Appropriations Request Letter

The US House and Senate Appropriations Committees are beginning work on their respective appropriations bills to fund the government for fiscal year (FY) 2023, which runs from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023. In April, Power to Decide sent an appropriations request letter ([link removed]) to leadership of the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations (LHHS) Subcommittees. Our request includes the following funding levels within the FY 2023 LHHS Appropriations bill:
* $512 million for the Title X Family Planning Program.
* $150 million for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program.
* $6.8 million under the Public Health Services Act for the evaluation of teenage pregnancy prevention approaches.
* $600,000 for continuing the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review administered by the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE).

As More States Move to Restrict Abortion Access, Abortion Finder Has the Latest Information

Over the last month, five states (Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Florida) have enacted laws to ban or severely restrict abortion access, although Kentucky is the only state whose new law has gone into effect. This is in addition to Texas, whose six-week ban has been in effect since September 1, 2021. Understanding the status of abortion access in any state can be confusing. We’re proud to maintain Abortion Finder ([link removed]) to ensure that people who need it have the latest information ([link removed]) .
POWER UPDATES

Click here ([link removed]) to see the top publications and articles on sexual health published in the last month.
GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM OUR SPONSORS

Since launching our Contraceptive Access Fund ([link removed]) in 2019, we have helped more than 5,300 people to access free birth control. But as attacks on reproductive freedom rise, requests have nearly tripped over the last six months. Our Fund is running low, and we may not be able to continue to provide those most in need with the crucial support they require.

Please consider donating to our Fund right now. Just $5 a month can provide someone with birth control for a full year. Support access to birth control ([link removed]) .

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Copyright © 2022, Power to Decide, the campaign to prevent unplanned pregnancy
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