Hundreds Rally in Duluth on May 14 for Abortion Rights

A spirited gathering of well over 250 people gathered today in Duluth to stand up for abortion rights.  The gathering, which took place in front of City Hall, was held at the same time as hundreds of other similar protests around the country as part of a national day of action against the revelation that the Supreme Court is likely going to overturn Roe v. Wade.

A creative variety of signs greeted the eye, expressing messages of outrage and calls for reproductive justice.  The speakers ranged from representatives of the NAACP to abortion clinic escorts, all of them delivering powerful messages of the need for people to come together to demand that abortion be safe, legal, free and available on demand without apology. 

A particularly moving moment in the event was when a shout was given to Tina Welsh, the original director of the WE Health Clinic.   Tina not only moved mountains to set up Duluth’s abortion clinic, but had to endure public attacks and even assassination attempts. A long, rousing chant of “Tina, Tina, Tina!” by the crowd was a fitting acknowledgement to the decades of service to reproductive rights that Tina has given.

The main organizer of the Duluth rally was the Medical Students of Choice – UMD MedicalSchool Duluth Campus.  Folks from Pro-ChoiceMinnesota, the WE Health Clinic, HOTDISH Militia and Reproductive FreedomAction Network were also actively involved in putting on the event.  A huge thank you to all of those amazing people who did the heavy lifting to make the event such a success!  And thank you to everyone who was able to turn out and participate.  A lot of work remains to be done to build the kind of movement that can not only stop this reactionary attempt to overturn Roe v Wade, but that can guarantee free, quality healthcare to all.  Today was an important step in that direction though!  Stay tuned for announcements about future actions and ways to advance reproductive justice.  And be sure to check out and follow the awesome reproductive rights groups linked to above!