Whole Woman’s Health of the Twin Cities relocated this year from downtown Minneapolis to Bloomington. After some frustrating COVID-related delays, the clinic moved into a beautifully renovated space in a spot with easy access from major highways and ample free parking. Unfortunately, and expectedly, the anti-abortion protesters followed as did the amazing volunteer clinic escorts, organized by NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota. Escorts help patients safely access the clinic and provide a calming presence in the face of the protesters’ hateful rhetoric. Immediately after the move, calls of support and offers of assistance came in from folks in the neighborhood and greater Bloomington, several of whom have been trained as escorts.
WWH of the Twin Cities is incredibly fortunate to partner with Our Justice, a local reproductive justice organization that provides funding to patients who need help paying for their abortion, or related costs including transportation and lodging.
Whole Woman’s Health Alliance (WWHA) is a member of the UnRestrict Minnesota Coalition working to educate and inspire Minnesotans to engage in the process of expanding abortion access throughout the state. WWHA recognizes that reproductive health is part of a larger framework of racial and reproductive justice that supports safe and sustainable communities. In the immediate aftermath of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, advocacy staff in MN worked closely with UnRestrict MN community partners to provide resources and mutual aid support to the Twin Cities community.
We support a state lawsuit challenging multiple mandates in current laws that directly violate the state constitution and provide no health benefits. Instead, they serve only to hinder abortion access for our patients. Repealing these mandates will expand access and provide more reproductive freedom for all Minnesotans.
“WWH of the Twin Cities is committed to providing quality reproductive health care to all folks capable of pregnancy. Barriers to abortion care affect all of us but make it hardest for our poor and marginalized neighbors to receive the reproductive healthcare they deserve. We believe that healthcare should not be determined by one’s ability to pay, and it is why we support the UnRestrict Minnesota Coalition. We look forward to a time when state-mandated abortion restrictions are undone, and an individual’s choice to parent can be determined by their own circumstances instead of their finances.“
-Dr. Jessika Ralph, Whole Woman’s Health of the Twin Cities Medical Director
As we look toward 2021, we will continue to partner with these allies and others to combat abortion stigma, improve clinic safety, educate and inspire local government and legislators, and fight for equitable treatment in the courts. Please join us as we work to provide abortion care to all Minnesotans by making a gift today.
Karmann Peters,
Minnesota Advocacy Coordinator
