If you worked at the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee, there were some

things you just knew.

First of all, come in the back door.

That's where Tory Mills office was.

Tory is the director of community engagement, but she was also a bit of the unofficial

greeter for the clinic.

She ran the sex ed classes for high schoolers, generally tried to make the place feel

cozier than you might expect.

I remember we had like a kind of a clothesline up on one of the walls where we would hang

cards from patients.

Of course they didn't have folks' names on them, but they would just have like messages

of support for staff or for other patients coming in.

At Christmas time, Tory would help decorate their rainbow-colored tree with ornaments made

out of condoms.

On Mondays, she'd get the crock pot out and feed the student group she hosted.

Now, like a lot of folks, Tory mostly works from home.

She misses the place.

Do you ever go by the clinic now?

I actually didn't go by until a couple of weekends ago.

I actually went by on the Roe v. Wade anniversary, Saturday, January 22nd, which is also the

day that a year ago our front doors were shot out with a shotgun.

Tory went by that day to clean up after a different attack.

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