2019 Summer of HER

Written by Marian Starkey | Published: September 1, 2019

In June, we kicked off the 2019 Summer of HER (Health, Empowerment, and Rights) Activist Institute. We’re thrilled to be spending the summer developing activists who can lead the #Fight4HER across the country. Fellows, under the direction of our standout field organizers, will spend the summer learning essential organizing skills (visibility, petitioning, event organization) in the classroom, and out in the field where the action is! We have 72 #Fight4HER fellows across 10 cities in our eight target states.

In addition to hitting the ground and mobilizing people against Trump’s Global Gag Rule, we’re hosting 10 summits in our 10 cities, which will bring together experts and activists to talk about how best to defend reproductive health and rights.

Despite continued attacks by the Trump administration, we’re not backing down on our commitment to defend reproductive freedom. We are tirelessly working to end the Global Gag Rule, repeal the Helms Amendment, restore funding to UNFPA, and ensure continued, robust investment in international family planning. We’re building on two years of momentum—and we’re far from done.

Our fellows and volunteers have been garnering enthusiasm in communities across the country at local farmers markets and community festivals. In the months since the Summer of HER kicked off, our activists have collected over 7,000 petitions in support of the Global HER Act. During Pride month, our #Fight4HER teams supported and celebrated the LGBTQ+ community at pride festivals throughout the country.