This summer seemed like it was going to be such an exciting time for many people, who have felt they could finally start really returning to a more active life again – with many activities and businesses once again in full swing, maybe even better than before. Yet sadly, for millions of people across the U.S. that hope was ripped away from them. Not just the summer either, but also their future, their voice and their choice. 

I am one of those people, and I decided to do something about it. Thankfully, I am not alone.  

On May 1, Politico dropped a bombshell on U.S. citizens: a leaked opinion drafted by the Supreme Court that would overturn Roe V. Wade. 

By the end of that night, millions were in pure panic. Resistance sparked as dozens of rallies were formed to scream that we would not accept this. 

Madison had its outrage recognized by a national group, the Socialist Alternative. The group is in favor of socialist based politics. A student and their chapter had put together a hasty rally for the next morning, allowing me to finally sleep as I knew what my next day would look like. 

That day I would be come straight home from work, rally my peers and walk two blocks up to the capital of Wisconsin and join hundreds of fellow outraged citizens. 

Members of the Socialist Alternative spoke, and the floor was open to anyone. Many LGBTQ+ people, myself included, spoke in front of hundreds of people. Stories were shared about how the right to bodily autonomy was more than a blessing to them … plenty of them were deeply saddening. I carried the spirit of people that couldn’t come because they or people they loved are immunocompromised. A student from Socialist Alternative brought up that Medicare won’t cover the termination of a pregnancy, even if it is lifesaving.  

Many people marched and shared stories late into the night in downtown Madison. 

That day, I shared what I could and urged people to do more – like figure out emergency plans. Those plans could include finding emergency contacts and resources in the area.  But more than that I wanted people to plan action, like rallying and contacting organizations. It is important to use your rights and voices as citizens and start crafting bill proposals to petition as legislation in our state and to send to our politicians.  

All through the summer protests, rallies and marches have been springing up to fight the bans happening in many states. We sadly, as a nation, could not get our officials to listen to us and codify the right to choose before the Supreme Court overturned the Roe V. Wade decision. However, many still didn’t give up and still won’t.  

Many national organizations are sharing updates about different resources and mutual aid. Our local LGBTQ+ Community Resource Center has been one of these places. The LGBTQ+ Outreach Center is place people can get a lot of literature, including updated lists of reproductive health care providers. The organization has advocated that people stop using period trackers, buy all hygiene products with cash and buy stocks of day after pills. 

For those who are concerned about reproductive rights here in Madison, please join the Socialist Alternative and me at each event you can. I have been keeping up, and lending my voice to them in this, their push for Dane County to become a haven county here in Wisconsin. The move to make Dane County a haven county would mean that those seeking reproductive emergency care cannot and will not be prosecuted, allowing millions in our state access to vital and life-saving care that they need. 

If you can’t make these meeting no worry, there is much else you can start getting involved with! 

I have started two organizations here in Wisconsin for connecting people to activism work. I run Mobilize Wisconsin, which focuses on bringing the action to people or people to the action. This organization, which I am reworking the name of, was created from my exhaustion of the gatekeeping in activism and the compliancy of a large portion of Wisconsin. It seems that Wisconsin never wants to progress forward, or at least make the effort it would take. Though, I know from experience that sometimes people have that want, that energy and ambition to make a change, but no access. Mobilize Wisconsin seeks to remove access as a hurdle in people’s involvement in progress.  

The other organization is Repro Rights Wisconsin. This organization is to help people here in Wisconsin join the fight against these bans by helping people get to rallies, start local rallies, and amplify other organizations. Repro Rights Wisconsin has been receptive to all cross-country calls to rally dates, and we have created several events to join these key dates.   

Other organizations you can follow are Planned Parenthood and subgroup Bans Off Our Bodies, Women’s March (which has opened a site for creating a event to be boosted by them), Mobilize.us, Indigenous Women Rising, Strikeforourrights_northeast (Instagram), Feminist (Instagram), Women’s Medical Fund, Widwest Access Coalition, Abortionfunds.com, Ourjustice.net/abortion-assistance, and Mayday.health. Just to name a few.