Why Young People Were Key to Kansas's Win

Ordinary Equality

Wonder Media Network LLC

News, Suffrage, Politics, History, Women's Rights, Society & Culture, Reproductive Rights, Equal Rights, Era, Abortion, Equal Rights Amendment

4 • 614 Ratings

🗓️ 14 September 2022

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In August, Kansas became the first state to vote on abortion protections since the fall of Roe v. Wade. And the opposition was fierce. But with a record-breaking turnout, Kansans voted to keep abortion access protected in the state constitution. This win was made possible thanks to grassroots organizers. Some of the loudest and most inspiring were from youth-centered groups.

In this episode, Kate and Jamia talk to two of the organizers who mobilized young voters in Kansas. Local activist organizations from across the state came together to create an abortion campaign that was hopeful, playful, and uniquely Kansas.

If you’re looking to take action in the fight for access to reproductive care, head to ActBlue’s directory to donate directly to reproductive justice groups and abortion funds across the country. ActBlue’s online fundraising platform is designed to support you as you support others, which is why they’re trusted by the millions of small-dollar donors who are driving meaningful, people-powered change. So check out ActBlue's directory, and follow @ActBlue on Twitter!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	We're not going to yard sign our way into victory.
0:06.0	In order to get young people to turn out, you have to invest in youth organizing,
0:12.0	and not just two months before an election, but all the time.
0:18.0	The work that we're doing right now is going to impact elections two years from now
0:22.6	and five years from now and ten years from now. Young people will take action whenever they know
0:27.5	that they can make a difference. I'm Kate Kelly. And I'm Jemia Wilson. And this is ordinary
0:36.1	equality. This is something central to a woman's life,
0:44.3	to her dignity. It's a decision that she must make for herself. From Kansas, Kentucky and North
0:53.9	Carolina, dedicated women marched. Abortion is fast becoming the new political fault line.
1:00.7	My body, my choice. Alabama's governor has signed the nation's strictest abortion ban into law.
1:15.6	The Human Life Protection Act outlaws the procedure except when the mother's life is at risk. This bill is not about pro-life or the right to life.
1:20.6	This bill is about control.
1:22.6	We will not go back.
1:25.6	And we, the people of the United States of America, documented or
1:31.1	undocumented, are having abortions legal or not. This court will never stop us.
1:56.1	Kate, we've been dealing with so much bad news on this season of our show, which is why we're paying so much attention to this one little primary election in the middle of the summer in Kansas.
2:09.2	Yes. So let me set the scene a bit. In Kansas, abortion access is protected by their state constitution, and it has been since a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court ruling.
2:21.5	Now, every other year in August, Kansas holds a primary election. But this year, the stakes were much, much higher because Kansas became the first state to vote on abortion protections since the fall of Roe v. Wade. Canzans, yep, that's the correct
2:28.5	term for someone from Kansas, had to decide if they wanted to amend the state constitution and take away the right to abortions.
2:38.5	If the amendment were to pass, abortion wouldn't be immediately banned, but it would have given
2:44.2	Republicans the opportunity to impose huge restrictions in the future.
2:49.3	I think we were all holding our breath, waiting to see what would happen.
	...

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