As the future of the Supreme Court hangs in the balance, reproductive rights and justice in the United States are particularly at risk. But people around the country have long faced significant barriers not just to accessing abortion care, but also to retain the ability to expand their families, and to do so safely. Those challenges are often harshest for people in vulnerable groups, including Black and brown folks, incarcerated and detained people, low-income communities, and those in rural areas with poor access to health care. Read our latest reproductive justice coverage to learn more.

Abortion funds have always fought impossible odds

(by Kamyon Conner)

While keeping abortion legal is essential, we’ve also known that the legal right to abortion alone has never been enough, and has left behind those who are struggling financially, Black women, and women of color for years. The true fight for abortion access and reproductive justice has always taken place in our communities, with abortion funds, mutual aid efforts, and local organizing for justice. And we’re fighting for so much more than crumbs of our rights from the courts.

Doctor accused of unnecessary operations ‘left a trail’ in local community

(by Tina Vasquez)

In Douglas, Georgia, where Amin has practiced for decades, quality health care is hard to come by, especially for the region’s low-income residents. In 2017, 28% of Douglas residents had an income below the poverty level in a state where half the counties have no OB-GYN and some counties have no doctor at all, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. According to women who spoke to Prism, Amin was a stop gap for Douglas residents and those who lived in surrounding areas, one of the only OB-GYNs in the area who allowed walk-ins and accepted Medicaid and Medicare. These facts alone mean that he saw scores of vulnerable, low-income women in the area, and word-of-mouth appeared to work in his favor.

Latinas/xs face systemic barriers to reproductive care at every level

(by Laura Jiménez)

Nationwide, Latina mothers make up nearly half of COVID-19 cases among pregnant women, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since the start of the pandemic, there have already been documented cases of Latinas dying from COVID-19 after giving birth.

See you next week.