#WhenYouInvestInPPAO: Meet Katie
People — not politicians — know what’s best for our own bodies, lives and futures. Unfortunately, abortion access is being dismantled nationwide, and our corner of the nation is no exception. Idaho is on track to enact a Texas-style abortion ban that will allow Idahoans to sue abortion providers for $20,000 if a family member receives an abortion after 6 weeks. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is poised to gut Roe vs. Wade by June.
We’re in the midst of an intergenerational struggle — and a seismic shift in access to abortion care. For PPAO, preparing for the long haul means equipping young leaders who will be taking on this fight.
Meet Katie Cottrell. As a former Legislative and Electoral Fellow, she says her experience with PPAO changed the course of her life. Katie took the skills she learned in Oregon and brought them to states like Arizona and Georgia where voters faced pivotal elections in 2020. She says she especially valued empowering people to advocate for themselves, to transform their fear into motivation and to dream bigger.
This year’s class of fellows have already learned and used grassroots organizing skills to help advance policies that are rooted in racial, gender and economic justice. In addition, they will be a driving force in the 2022 primary election, reaching out to educate thousands of voters about candidates who are committed to protecting abortion access.
Roe has always been the floor, not the ceiling, particularly for communities impacted by multiple layers of oppression that have long struggled to access abortion. We want to build a better world for abortion justice, but we can’t do it without your support.