This week has been one for the books 📚!
✨Celebrate✨ with us in this week’s Feminist Wins:
#AleVsICE: activist Alejandra Pablos released from ICE custody
Ale is free! After 43 days in Arizona’s Eloy Detention Center, immigration and reproductive justice activist Alejandra Pablos was finally released from ICE custody. Alejandra is a vocal activist in Washington, D.C. who works at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health as the Virginia Latina Advocacy Network field coordinator, works with digital and grassroots social organizing hub Mijente, and is an abortion storyteller with We Testify, a program of the National Network of Abortion Funds. These organizations and groups, along with others across the country, spoke out, organized, and fundraised to make Ale’s release happen.
While Ale is no longer being detained in ICE custody in Arizona, she is still at risk: join the network of activists, advocates, and supporters working to fight her deportation and sign the petition to keep her home.
✊🏾✊🏾👏🏾👏🏾 BREAKING: Federal judge grants activist Alejandra Pablos freedom from detention, showing community organizing works! Follow Mijente for livestream of Ale’s release from detention! Meanwhile, sign petition urging @dougducey to pardon Ale … https://t.co/Ei7dku1rmV pic.twitter.com/s4WbdVt1b6
— Mijente (@ConMijente) April 19, 2018
Access to reproductive health care expands in South Carolina
For those seeking reproductive health care services in South Carolina, Planned Parenthood opened its new clinic in Charleston, S.C. this past week – and it’s providing abortion services. Planned Parenthood has had a presence in South Carolina’s lowcountry for years, but didn’t provide abortions in its Charleston location. Instead, abortion services were available in a smaller clinic nearby, the Charleston Women’s Medical Center. With its purchase of the Charleston Women’s Medical Center, Planned Parenthood has combined its reproductive health care services with the abortion care the Medical Center once provided and expanded the clinic to include new exam rooms, a lab, pharmacy, consultation rooms, and a separate surgical area. It has also expanded its services in Charleston to include vasectomies, as well as hormone therapy for trans patients.
Planned Parenthood also counts another win nationally, as adult film star Stormy Daniels revealed in a recent interview with Penthouse that she plans on donating $130,000 – the entire amount Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid her to keep quiet about her affair – to Planned Parenthood if she wins her case against Trump and Cohen.
Record number of women on 2018 TIME 100
TIME’s annual list of the world’s most influential people features more women than ever this year, including #MeToo activist Tarana Burke; Lena Waithe, who has made huge strides for Black queer women’s representation in television; Olympian snowboarder Chloe Kim; and Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown, the youngest person ever to be recognized by TIME‘s 100. Check out the full list here.
Beyoncé becomes the first Black woman to headline Coachella
Last Saturday night, Beyoncé gave a political and unapologetic performance as the headliner at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Her performance made her the first Black woman to ever headline at the festival (and the third woman to headline out of 19 Coachella festivals). She pointed out that this was long overdue saying,
Thank you Coachella, for allowing me to be the first Black woman to headline Coachella. Ain’t that about a bitch?
In a stunning show, Beyoncé reunited with Destiny’s Child members Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland and performed with her sister Solange. With impressive visuals and choreography, she paid homage to HBCUs and Black culture, later announcing her Homecoming Scholars Award Program for HBCU students. Preceding her performance of “Sorry” from her most recent album, Lemonade, there was a rallying cry for women in the audience and watching the live stream: “Ladies, are we smart? Are we strong? Have we had enough?” She is set to perform her second Coachella set this weekend, with reports indicating she may “switch things up” this time around.
Senator Tammy Duckworth makes history again
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth’s resolution to allow senators to bring children under the age of one onto the Senate floor during votes was passed unanimously this past Wednesday. Senator Duckworth already made history earlier this month by becoming the first sitting senator to give birth while in office. She is also the first disabled woman elected to Congress and the first Asian American elected to congress in Illinois.
Yesterday, she became the first senator to ever cast a vote – baby by her side – on the Senate floor. This is not only a huge win for Duckworth, but an important shift towards removing barriers to accessibility within political offices.
I may have to vote today, so Maile’s outfit is prepped. I made sure she has a jacket so she doesn’t violate the Senate floor dress code (which requires blazers). I’m not sure what the policy is on duckling onesies, but I think we’re ready pic.twitter.com/SsNHEuSVnY
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) April 19, 2018
