One year after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Yellowhammer Fund is taking its mission on the road for a statewide bus tour.
The bus serves as a mobile unit for supply distribution of reproductive health items such as emergency contraceptives, condoms, pregnancy tests, period products, diapers, and more. The organization’s goal is to increase access to the services while raising awareness of the Yellowhammer Fund as a resource.
“Post Dobbs Alabama has meant that we have had to get creative in the way that we reach marginalized folks in Alabama,” said Jenice Fountain, executive director of the Yellowhammer Fund. “Rural communities are often left out of movements. The folks living in these communities often get forgotten about with outreach and resources. They get discarded as Alabama does often as a lost cause in the South.”
The bus has been fondly named the “Repro Raven” after Mia Raven, who was a founding board member and staff member of Yellowhammer Fund, as well as an avid abortion activist. Raven passed away earlier this year after complications from a brief bout with cancer.
Along with spreading awareness about the work that Yellowhammer Fund does, the organization will also be collaborating with allied organizations doing work on the ground at each stop.
“Despite it being a full year since abortion was made completely illegal in Alabama, the state has made no efforts to improve insurance access, provide affordable birth control or support those who are pregnant,” West Alabama Women’s Center said in a statement. “What the state refuses to do, we will do ourselves. West Alabama Women’s Center remains committed to ensuring every person has a safe, healthy birth when they are most prepared to do so by providing low-cost and free contraception, pregnancy verification, prenatal care and miscarriage management regardless of race, income or insurance status. Reproductive health care saves lives, and we will always be here to provide.”
The tour kicks off on Saturday, June 24— the one year anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned. The bus will make its debut at a “F*** Your Abortion Ban rally.” Local organizations will be sharing about the work that they do and how rally attendees can plug in, volunteer, and stay connected.
