Press release: Pro-Reproductive Rights Actions to Oppose “Walk for Life”

Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights

1908 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 * 415-864-1278, 864-0778 [fax], bacorrinfo [at] riseup.net

News Release
January 2, 2007

FROM: Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights


CONTACT: Toni Mendicino; 415-864-1278 (office),
415-730-2917 (cell)
t_mendicino [at] yahoo.com (e-mail)

FOR RELEASE: Immediately

RE: Pro-Reproductive Rights Actions to Oppose “Walk for Life”

San Francisco. Saturday, January 20, 2007, 10:30 a.m.

COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS UNITE TO COUNTER ANTI-CHOICE MARCHERS ON ANNIVERSARY OF ROE V. WADE

National and local feminist and community activists are convening a broad-based “Forward, Not Back—Reproductive Justice for All!” peaceable counter-protest in response to the third annual “Walk for Life—West Coast” march in San Francisco on January 20, 2007. Commemorating the 34th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the United States, pro-choice advocates—joined by representatives from the immigrant, labor, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender, disability, people of color and youth communities—will line the anti-abortionists’ march route to denounce escalating assaults on reproductive freedom, civil liberties, and women’s health by religious fundamentalists and governmental policies. Other planned activities include: an opening rally featuring health providers, elected officials, and grassroots organizers; performers; a closing speak-out; giant puppets; a public art installation, and more.

Initiated by the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR), initial endorsers of the January 20 actions include: the San Francisco Labor Council; the Green Party; Code Pink; Dr. Ahimsa Sumchai, Health Editor, Bay View newspaper; Sister Bernie Galvin, Congregation of Divine Providence; Choice USA; San Francisco NOW; National Radical Women; California State Assemblyman Mark Leno; [Amnesty] Freedom Socialist Party; the Ruckus Society; Women's Choice Clinic; GABNet; United Auto Workers, Local 2103; San Francisco Atheists; the Coalition for a General and Unconditional Amnesty for All Now; the National Network of Abortion Funds, and others.

The “Forward, Not Back – Reproductive Justice for All!” pro-choice events will take place on Saturday, January 20 in San Francisco. The kick-off rally begins at 10:30 a.m. at Pier 5 (on Embarcadero Street near Market Street), followed at 11:30 a.m. by a multi-issue counter-demonstration to the “Walk for Life” route along the Embarcadero waterfront, ending in a community rally at Aquatic Park with more speakers, music and art. BACORR will also host a post-rally gathering at New Valencia Hall at 1908 Mission St (at 15th Street) in San Francisco at 4:00 p.m. For more information, call 415-730-2917, email bacorrinfo [at] riseup.net, or visit http://www.bacorr.org.