YOUTH ACTIVISTS LAUNCH YOUTH ABORTION SUPPORT COLLECTIVE TO ENSURE PEERS IN NEED GET ABORTION CARE

Advocates for Youth announces YouthASC, a network of youth activists around the country committed to building support networks for abortion access

Washington, DC – Today, youth activists with Advocates for Youth announced a new, national network of young people starting a ground breaking grass roots effort to create a national abortion practical support network by and for young people. Hundreds of youth around the nation will start a practical support effort on their campuses or community, become an abortion doula, understand the laws and medical facts around self manage abortion care, provide housing or rides for others needing abortion care, and join other activists in fighting abortion bans.

Symone Bailey is a college student from Indiana and a founding member of Advocates’ national network of practical aid groups.

“I’m committed to helping young folks in my ​community get access to abortion care. We all deserve education on what abortion is and how it ties into every other facet of reproductive health care. We all deserve real sex education and access to birth control. And if we need an abortion, we should be able to get it without barriers and stigma. I know a lot of young people that feel this way, and it’s time for us to work together to protect abortion access. I’m working to become a doula and I’m ready to start a network on my campus to help people understand their options, get transportation, and have support services like abortion doulas when they need them, said Symone.

“Young people are not going to let anti-abortion extremists continue to control abortion access in this country. We all need to become experts on how to get an abortion and how to connect other folks to abortion care. We need to learn about self-managed abortion and become resources for those who need to know more about it. We need to become our own practical support network to help folks in our communities facing long travel get rides and housing. We need to keep up the fight to ensure abortion is legal and available. We’re thrilled to work with the young people in this network to protect abortion access in all our communities,” said Debra Hauser, President, Advocates for Youth.

Young people ages 14-24 can join the network here.

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Advocates for Youth partners with youth leaders, adult allies, and youth-serving organizations to advocate for policies and champion programs that recognize young people’s rights to honest sexual health information; accessible, confidential, and affordable sexual health services; and the resources and opportunities necessary to create sexual health equity for all youth. Advocates for Youth envisions a society that views sexuality as normal and healthy and treats young people with respect. Advocates’ vision is informed by its core values of Rights. Respect. Responsibility.