Statement from Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, honoring Rosie Jiménez:

“Today, we honor the memory of Rosie Jiménez, who was the first person who died because of the unjust 1977 ban on funding for abortion care. She died because she couldn’t afford care and she left behind a child and family. Nearly 50 years later, restrictions on abortion care and funding are still hurting our communities, as we learned recently about the deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller because of their state’s abortion ban. They, and the others we may not know about, should still be alive, and would be if we had full access to this lifesaving health care. Unfortunately, this lack of access disproportionately affects communities of color, including Latinas/xs.

“No one should be denied the care they need, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they have. As we remember Rosie and the many more who have died because of abortion bans and funding restrictions, we owe it to them to create a country where everyone has the right, opportunity and resources to make their own decisions about their bodies and lives, including whether and when to become parents, and to raise their families with dignity and safety.  ”

“The Latina Institute is committed to fighting for reproductive justice and building power in Latino/x communities across the country so that everyone has REAL access to the sexual and reproductive health care they need, including abortion care. We’ll continue to advocate tirelessly for policies that support people’s whole lives and allow families and individuals to thrive. We urge Congress to immediately address the reproductive injustices in our health care system and join us in creating a future where access to care is truly available and accessible for all.”