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Tag: abortion
Beyond SCOTUS: What Happens Now?
Yesterday's Supreme Court victory was a historic win for abortion rights and was especially meaningful for us and providers across the country who have had to close their doors from these medically unnecessary restrictions.
While we've been celebrating the good news, there are new questions on all our minds as we look ahead: When will clinics reopen? When will abortion access be restored?
The remaining clinics in Texas will be able to keep their doors open, and this decision paves the way for other clinics to open or reopen. However, this process may not be a swift one. Many layers combine to create an abortion landscape and include, but are not limited to, state laws, local statutes, community support, state funding options, insurance coverage rules (only a handful of states allow for state Medicaid to cover abortion services), finding a building, finding a building that someone is willing to lease to us, purchasing equipment, applying for and going through the process of getting approved for licensing, hiring and training staff and physicians, and more.
Here's Amy Hagstrom Miller speaking about this process with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now:
And so, I think what we're going to see is many of us, Whole Woman's Health included, trying to figure out where will we be able to reopen, what will the process be for finding a lease and finding a building and restoring the staffing and the physicians. And the second part will be: What's the process going to be now for us to apply for a new license for abortion services in the state of Texas after we've had this win? How is that process going to be for us? And I think, you know, none of us really know how it's going to be. And so, I think we'll see a couple—a couple of us probably try as soon as we could. And, you know, I think it's important to also realize that part of the abortion facility work is operational, and it's healthcare—you know, Healthcare 101. And so, we have to figure out how to raise funds for acquiring the equipment, acquiring the medicines and the staffing and those kinds of things, in order to run a top-notch facility. And that isn't something that can happen overnight.
We came into this work to provide compassionate, quality abortion care and that is exactly what we want to continue doing. It is our dream to see abortion access restored in Texas – for people to have clinics in their communities where they can receive care.
We're working to resume care in communities that have been left without – but first that means getting the resources together to rebuild. Our nonprofit, Shift. is raising money to help with this effort. Donate here to help us turn the tide on the current abortion access crisis in Texas.
Author wholewomanshealthCategories abortion access, Abortion Care, abortion legislation, admitting privileges, Amy Hagstrom Miller, Clinic closures, HB2, Texas, TRAP Laws, Uncategorized, Whole Woman's HealthPosted on June 28, 2016 June 28, 2016 Leave a comment
Amy Hagstrom Miller: Today, We Made History
I am beyond elated. Every day Whole Woman's Health treats our patients with compassion, respect and dignity – and with this historic decision, today the Supreme Court did the same. We're thrilled that justice was served and our clinics stay open.
After years of fighting heartless, anti-abortion Texas politicians who would seemingly stop at nothing to push abortion out of reach, I want everyone to understand: you don't mess with Texas, you don't mess with Whole Woman's health, and you don't mess with this beautiful, powerful movement of people dedicated to reproductive health, rights, and justice.
Three years ago, Texas politicians passed HB 2, a regressive law aimed directly at women who have decided to end a pregnancy and those of us who provide their care. With no legitimate medical justification, politicians forced abortion providers to completely restructure our clinics or to build mini hospitals. HB 2 forced more than half of Texas' abortion clinics to close – including several of my own. Click here to help us keep clinics open.
These closures have put a staggering burden on Texas women. With this clinic shutdown law, politicians forced Texas women seeking abortion to go to clinics that are further away or in another state; take more days off of work, lose income, find childcare, and arrange and pay for transportation to travel hundreds of miles. For many, the process of obtaining safe and legal health care has become an onerous, grueling feat or just flat out impossible.
I hold in my heart all those women and families who were forced to forgo care as a result of Texas' draconian anti-choice laws.
Today's decision marks a turnaround for Texas and for our country, but let me be clear: this win doesn't mean the struggle is over. First, clinics don't reopen overnight. We have a daunting task ahead of us to determine whether and how we can reopen our health centers that were forced to shut their doors over the past several years. Renewing leases, hiring staff, and working with communities that we previously served to help us re-open for care.
And second, this decision only addressed two of the many, many restrictions women face to get abortion care in Texas. Now we must redouble our efforts across the country to end similar state restrictions that push abortion out of reach for too many women. It's time to pass proactive state laws so a woman has access to quality clinics in her community, can afford abortion, and doesn't face shame or stigma when she seeks care.
From day one, Whole Woman's Health rejected HB 2's insulting premise and we fought back. We took on the bully politicians. We have struggled every day since then against anti-choice, regressive policies and our opposition's best efforts to shut us down.
And we won.
I am proud to continue providing holistic and high-quality care not only in Texas, but also in Maryland, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Illinois. Today, we made history and tomorrow, we get back to work so that every woman who seeks abortion services can get the health care she needs with dignity and respect.
Author wholewomanshealthCategories 5th Circuit, abortion access, Abortion Care, abortion legislation, admitting privileges, Amy Hagstrom Miller, ASC, Clinic closures, HB2, Roe V Wade, SCOTUS, supreme court, Texas, TRAP Laws, Uncategorized, Whole Woman's HealthPosted on June 27, 2016 3 Comments
Waiting for SCOTUS: Ten memorable moments in the fight against HB2
It's official: Monday morning we will get an answer from the Supreme Court regarding our fight against the Texas omnibus HB2 in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt. We have been in this for three years now, ever since Wendy Davis made her historic filibuster. Now, years of small victories and devastating clinic closures are coming to some kind of an end that only Monday will tell.
Continue on to read some of our favorite moments along this journey, as we count down to the final announcement.
#10. When the ACLU of Texas accused the state of hiding evidence showing the real impact of HB2
This happened just recently, but still deserves a spot on the list. The entire premise of the omnibus HB2, at least in the verbiage of Texas officials, was to protect 'women's health and safety.' Well, the data has been collected and where is it? Have you seen it? No, and neither have we.
"The State of Texas claims that HB2 protects women's health. If that's true, why wouldn't our public health agency want to trumpet its success?"
#9 – We launched Shift., our non profit dedicated to fighting abortion stigma!
We have long touted that abortion stigma is what creates the climate for anti-choice laws to thrive. The silence and shame make room for public discourse that is harmful, full of fear, and simply untrue. Providing compassionate abortion care free of stigma has always been a cornerstone of our work at Whole Woman's Health, and so it only made sense to expand that into a new non profit, Shift., that was launched in the spring of 2015.
Shift. Real Talk on Abortion. postcards
We are proud of the work Shift. has done in just over a year – from implementing a Safe Abortion hotline for people seeking clarity on the laws and options, to a beautiful mural covering the exterior wall of Whole Woman's Health of McAllen. Now, Shift. is looking forward and working to keep Texas clinics open, regardless of the SCOTUS outcome. Click here to help.
#8 – John Oliver's amazing takedown of TRAP Laws
It pretty much made our year to hear our story being told in that delightful British accent. You can watch it again here:
#7 – The Truth Tour
Kicking off this past January, on the 43rd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, we embarked on a multi-city #FightBackTX Truth Tour to rally with Texas communities and remind ourselves that this is a journey that started in Texas. We were in excellent company – joined by coalition partners from NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, Texas Freedom Network, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, Shift., ACLU of Texas, as well as Lilith Fund, Texas Equal Access Fund, Clinic Access Support Network, South Texans for Reproductive Justice, West Fund, URGE, and more!
Over the course of those 2,000 miles, we watched students boldly perform the abortion stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign's Out of Silence on the quad at Texas A&M. We marched down Main Street in McAllen yelling 'BASTA!', and we opened up our San Antonio clinic so local and national media could experience what expensive, stigmatizing, and unnecessary regulations actually looked like.
#6 – Listening to our physicians open up and advocate for abortion access
We don't know a single person who works in abortion care for the paycheck. This is not a job for people who just want to punch in and out. We receive gratitude and thanks from the patients we serve and threats from people who want to make abortion illegal. Our physicians not excluded. We have been moved by their courage in coming forward and speaking openly about their work as abortion providers and are honored to work by their side.
That was my foundation: if there are no abortion providers, what's going to happen to the women that need to access this health care, if people like me aren't around? I'm not the only abortion provider in Texas, but there's a small number of us, and I worried when I was in med school, if I don't come back, who is going to provide abortions in Texas?
– Dr. Bhavik Kumar, The Texas Observer
Here's where [HB2]'s intentional unworkability kicks in. To keep admitting privileges, I would have to admit a certain number of patients to the hospital. But abortion in the vast majority of cases is a simple and safe procedure, and very few patients ever require follow-up or emergency care afterward. So because the vast majority of my patients never needed follow-up care, I lost my privileges.
– Dr. Timothy Spurrell, Time
#5 – The Amicus Briefs
The Amicus, or 'friend of the court' briefs, are an opportunity for people to speak on behalf of us and our case, to paint for the court a full picture of the impact of these laws. The amicus briefs submitted by the Center for Reproductive Rights are some of the largest in number and breadth in the history of the Supreme Court. There are personal stories that that brought us to tears – experiences from doctors and lawyers and advocates from across the country. There are submissions from organizations we admire as well as from blue states and cities and policy makers.
These briefs are a passionate reminder that we are on the side of justice and autonomy and that this decision will have deeply personal and wide scale implications.
Click here to read the briefs.
#4 – TRAPPED
To have our struggles against these laws documented (by an amazing filmmaker, no less) and then to see them play out on the silver screen along with our colleagues throughout the South is indescribable. Yes, there were many, many tears, and we definitely experienced all the feels.
So often it seems like our efforts to stay open, to be there for our patients are invisible to those outside of abortion care. We hear it so often: 'I had no idea this was happening until I became pregnant.' Dawn Porter's Trapped is a beautiful and moving answer to this problem. It has received glowing reviews from across the country, including winning the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival. Most recently, Trapped aired on PBS' Independent Lens. You can stream the full film here.
#3 – The Rally at the Supreme Court
On the particularly chilly morning of March 2nd, we stood outside of the Supreme Court with thousands of allies and supporters, listening to stories from across the country. Yes it would have been amazing to gaze upon the glory that is RBG, but the Rally at the Supreme Court to Protect Abortion Access was an experience of a lifetime and definitely worth the trip.
SI SE PUEDE!!! @jgonzalez_rojas @NLIRH @msfoundation #StopTheSham #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/cV1jBg0q85
— Angélique Roché (@AngeliqueRoche) March 2, 2016
"We are here today to affirm that women have moral agency over their bodies." @TheAmyBrenneman #StopTheSham pic.twitter.com/CBLETlWth4
— Whole Woman's Health (@WholeWomans) March 2, 2016
We will keep saying what needs to be said and doing what needs to be done to celebrate women of color! #stopthesham pic.twitter.com/YShITp93hp
— SisterSong (@SisterSong_WOC) March 3, 2016
#2 – The Oral Arguments
But also let's be real – most of us would have given just about anything to have watched the Justices duke it out over abortion rights. And, according to the transcript and audio recordings, it was goooooooooood.
#1 – Wendy Davis. The People's Filibuster. The Orange Army. #FightBackTX.
This is where it started. Two special sessions. Two filibusters. A nationally trending hashtag. Those pink Mizunos. State officials said that they've never seen anything like it in all their time working at the Capitol.
These sessions brought new life and new faces to our movement, and we wouldn't be where we are today without everyone who dropped what they were doing, put on their orange, and flooded the Capitol in outrage. You did this! You showed up. You fought back. And you ushered us to the Supreme Court.
Relive it again:
Honorary mentions go to the SCOTUS Blog, where we will forever be #waitingforlyle, and decision day GIFs.
What do you think? Did we get it right? Did we miss anything? Let us know!
Author wholewomanshealthCategories 5th Circuit, abortion access, Abortion Care, abortion legislation, abortion stories, admitting privileges, Amy Hagstrom Miller, Andrea Ferrigno, ASC, Clinic closures, Fatimah Gifford, HB2, Roe V Wade, SCOTUS, supreme court, Testimony, Texas, TRAP Laws, UncategorizedPosted on June 24, 2016 June 25, 2016 Leave a comment
Silent No More: A collection of abortion stories from Forward.com.
Today Forward.com launched a series of abortion stories from their readers, titled Silent No More, Forward Readers Tell Their Abortion Stories, in advance to the anticipated ruling from the Supreme Court on Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt.
Below is the collection of stories in their entirety, or you can click here to jump to their website.
Not Worth a Gamble
What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? Those four words went around in my head in the spring of 1973. I was 28 years old, wife, mother of two sons and I was pregnant. Being an only child, my dream was having a house full of kids with all the commotion that goes with raising a big family. At that time, my children were ages seven and four and I really, really wanted a daughter to begin to even out the sexes in my family dynamic.
However, my marriage was not "made in heaven," as I had hoped it would be, and we constantly had financial setbacks due to my husband's gambling habits. Gambling brings not only the lack of funds, it also brings lying, mistrust and disappointment into the marriage. I was miserable. My four-year-old son was severely asthmatic and caused us much worry and concern. That same year he had spent one week, at two different times, in an oxygen tent, and we also made countless trips to the emergency room, usually during the night. I never knew when he would have an attack, and our family life was filled with worry and interruptions. If I wasn't worrying about the bills, I was worrying about his health.
I was two months pregnant and in no position emotionally or financially to take on another responsibility. Roe v. Wade had just been decided, and having an abortion was safe and legal. Was that an option for me and my family? After discussing this decision with my husband and my obstetrician, the doctor agreed to perform the procedure at the same hospital where only four years earlier he had delivered my son. Due to the high demand for the procedure and the hospital scheduling only four a day, I had to wait 10 days for my appointment.
Courtesy of Carol
Carol in 1973: 'This is about 2 months before the event I wrote about. I was 28, my husband was 31, and the boys were 7 and 4. It was taken in Long Island, New York. Later that year we moved to Arizona in an attempt to "start over" — and we did.'
Those were the hardest days of my life….I was not feeling well, my heart was breaking, but the voice in my head kept saying, "This is the best approach to the problem at hand." Along with my voice, my mother was 100% in favor of my decision and she too kept me strong by supporting my decision. Thank you, MOM! My husband was indifferent and left the decision to me.
The day finally came, and my husband took me to the hospital, and when it was all over, I felt a wonderful feeling of relief. I have never regretted the decision. I do not have any emotional scars and have not second-guessed myself on the decision I made 43 years ago. I behaved responsibly to my family and made it possible for me to care for the children I already had without additional burdens. It took me seven additional years to have a tubal ligation, because at 28, I was not ready to make the decision to not have any more children. I wanted to leave that door open if I felt there might be a better time to add to my family; however that opportunity never presented itself.
I was a lucky woman then due to the wisdom of the Supreme Court justices at the time. and now I am a lucky women because my granddaughters still have the opportunity to make choices when it comes to their health care. This country cannot let this right to privacy become history and disappear.
— Carol, 71, Arizona
Saving Lives at the University of Florida
In June 1969, I was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary. My first "pulpit" was rabbi of the Hillel Foundation at the University of Florida. I was 26 years old and married with a three-month-old child.
I grew up in Boston, intensely aware of the ideas and thinking of the Catholic Church. In retrospect, I led a very sheltered life as a teenager, both unaware of and oblivious to the radical life changes to come.
In 1969, the University of Florida had not yet caught up with the many radical campus changes in the universities in the more liberal Northeast. It was a very conservative campus, although the issues for students were not much different than those for their Northern peers.
Rabbi Ticktin
Rabbi Max Ticktin had become a very important influence in my thinking and in my career aspirations. My decision to go into Hillel was very much influenced by Max. He became very involved in an organization called Clergy Concerned.
To make a very extensive story short, the Episcopal priest at the University of Florida and I became the local participants in Clergy Concerned. John and I soon were intensely involved in counseling young women both from campus and the larger Gainesville community in reference to what we euphemistically called problem pregnancy. Through the Clergy Concerned network, we were able to arrange for these women to travel to New York, where abortion was already accessible.
We met with many young women during those years. We discovered that both the college coeds and local townies were painfully unaware of how their bodies functioned and general issues of sexuality.
I smile when I think of the fact that the Jewish girls, for the most part, went to see John with their concerns, while their non-Jewish counterparts came to me.
Abortion counseling was a felony in the state of Florida at the time. I got in touch with a liberal Jewish attorney who was willing to work with John and me and was prepared to support us if and when we got into trouble.
I vividly remember the day that my secretary at Hillel asked if there was anything wrong with our phones; for the entire morning, repairmen had been working on the wires and telephone lines leading into the Hillel building. Realizing my phone was being tapped, I sought advice from Max and became careful with my telephone talk. Of course, this step raised my level of paranoia, but it did not stop me from work I believed was right.
This experience is a very important piece of my career. I was very young and very naïve. I am proud of my decision, and regard my activity as a profound Jewish moment.
Max taught me to treat the matter not as a mechanical convenience for these women, but rather as a life lesson for their personal sense of dignity, as contrasted with the shame and fear that many of them experienced.
Not a day went by without my personal soul-searching. I am deeply grateful to my Episcopal colleague for the ability to share, to compare ideas, to pray together and to reexamine our different but similar seminary training.
In 1972, I became the Hillel rabbi at the University of Pennsylvania, and returned to the pseudo-safety of Northern liberalism, but I return to the University of Florida in my mind every time the right-to-life discussion hits the news. I would caution your readers to remember that this is more than a political point; it is about the lives, fears, sense of shame, fear of future and the neshamas of human beings whose right to choose must be protected by everyone, especially those in authority.
— Michael, 73, New Jersey
Remembering My Abortion Every Yom Kippur
My cisgender male partner of seven years and I had sex, and the condom we were using for safer sex and birth control broke. Within the hour, we called our friend who was a nurse practitioner at the Feminist Women's Health Clinic and got a prescription for Plan B (a prescription was needed at that time, almost 15 years ago). I took the medication, and we both hoped that would be the end of it. Neither of us wanted children — not then, not ever.
Over the next few weeks, I felt different. I could feel subtle shifts in my body that were probably imperceptible to an outsider. I felt certain I was pregnant despite virtually everyone around me stating that I wasn't. Most significant and disorienting, I could feel another presence with me. I know that isn't everyone's experience, but it was mine.
My partner and I went to the clinic on week three to get an early pregnancy test. It was confirmed. I made an appointment that afternoon to have an abortion as soon as possible. I learned that I would need to wait another few weeks for the fetus to grow big enough for the doctor to accurately and safely terminate the pregnancy.
I was entirely confident in my decision to have an abortion. I was profoundly grateful that I had a feminist doctor to do the procedure legally. But I was also a bit captivated by the complexity of what I was experiencing spiritually.
Courtesy of Stosh Cotler
There was a mismatch between the frameworks those of us who identify as "pro-choice" use to talk about pregnancy and the experience I was having. I very much understand and support the need to use language such as "the fetus" when describing pregnancies before birth, instead of using language like "the baby" — we who support women's reproductive freedom know how the conservative and religious right has used words like "baby" to manipulate, scare and guilt trip women into keeping unwanted pregnancies.
That said, I experienced something more than a set of cells forming within me and something different from a baby — the closest I can describe it is that I sensed a spiritual being coming into existence. It wasn't scary, it wasn't sad, it just was. And on some level, during those two weeks of waiting, I did my best to let that spiritual being know that it was deeply loved by the universe, but it was not going to be born.
I don't hear many people talking about this aspect of abortion very often. Perhaps it's because there aren't that many people who have a similar experience to me, or perhaps it's because we haven't figured out a way to discuss something that feels too taboo — to know that one is ending a potential life for a range of legitimate reasons, to feel deeply connected to that potential life and then to end the life without regret.
I had my abortion safely, legally and without secrecy. I am deeply grateful to all of the reproductive justice leaders, women, health care providers, legislators and others who made that decision possible.
Each year during the Yizkor service on Yom Kippur, I take time to remember this decision and its consequences in the section for mourning children. I know this doesn't conform to traditional Jewish law, but I do it anyway. I look forward to a time when the Jewish community creates a new, public ritual to mark — and honor — abortions. Until that time, if you see me in synagogue weeping during that part of the service, you will know my tears are for a connection I chose to end, as well as tears of gratitude that I have autonomy over my body and my life. These are not tears of guilt, or shame, or second guessing. These are tears of recognition that something holy transpired within me and I am forever changed.
I Was Almost Aborted Before the Holocaust
I am a 74-year old man, and I can look back at a life that someone sometime in the future will call a life well lived. But were it not for a mother who, against the urgings of her doctor, had refused an abortion, I might not have lived. By rights, I should be a poster child for those who staunchly support a ban on abortion. But I am not. I firmly support a woman's right to choose.
My parents were born in Galicia and moved to the Netherlands, where they were married in 1932. Before the Nazi occupation, they had two children, Eva born in 1936 and Leah born in 1938. And then there was me, the product of an unplanned pregnancy, born November 23, 1941, 18 months into the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. My mother's obstetrician had urged her to have an abortion. "It would be immoral," he told her, "to bring another Jewish life into the world." My mother wasn't particularly religious, but on this occasion, she took advice from the biblical story of Hannah, a woman who would go to the temple year after year and pray that she might conceive. And it was in reading about Hannah's agonizing desire to have a child that my mother decided to ignore the obstetrician's advice and not to have an abortion.
When I was nine months old, my parents made arrangements for the family to go into hiding, my parents in a psychiatric hospital, my sisters with a devout Catholic woman and me with a Dutch-Indonesian family and their Muslim nanny. Three months later, my parents were deported. And the following year, my sisters were denounced and killed in Auschwitz. My father lived long enough to see liberation, but lies buried in the former Ebensee concentration camp. Only my mother survived. And all she was left with was me, the child she had refused to abort. But that was enough to give her the will to go on living.
Courtesy of Al MunzerOnly One Survived: Alfred Munzer at 6 months with sisters Eva (left) and Leah in May, 1942, in a photograph taken for his mother's birthday.
I grew up with the Holocaust all around me. And it took me a long time to comprehend what had happened to my sisters. My mother's neighbors would show me Eva's notebooks and I would be jealous of her perfect handwriting. And my mother would tell me how sweet Leah had been and I would be envious of the praise she received. But then my mother would tell me what made me special, how close I had come to not being born and she would remind of the pledge that she, like Hannah, had made, "if the Almighty will give me a child, I will give that child to service of the Almighty all the days of his life." That pledge became a deterrent in a Jewish mother's arsenal of gentle psychological warfare and probably contributed to that life well lived.Yes, the moral questions posed by abortion are all too real for me. And yet I come down on the side of those who support a woman's right to choose. The question isn't whether abortion is morally right or wrong, but whether the State is the best arbiter of a deeply personal moral decision. It wasn't that long ago, after all, that Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote those now infamous words in the Supreme Court's decision affirming the State's right to forcibly sterilize women it considered unfit: "is it better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute the degenerate offspring for crime or to let them starve for the imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind.… Three generations of imbeciles are enough." In urging an abortion, my mother's obstetrician was doing the bidding of the State. The question for me is who do I trust: my mother or the State?
— Alfred, 75, District of Columbia
Mah Ramsey Got Arrested
I had an illegal abortion in 1964, and I have hardly mentioned it in the last 52 years. I might have mentioned it to my former husband. I know for sure my four adult children didn't know because I told them one by one on the day I decided to write this piece, and asked each if my writing about it would embarrass them. They were a little shocked. Each said, "I had no idea. Why didn't you ever mention it before?" They (so far) have had no other questions, including the most obvious one, and they all said they were okay with my now exposing this experience.
I was a sophomore at the University of Southern California. My boyfriend was a junior, and I had no intention whatever of marrying him.
I remember during the drama of this pregnancy, he had two personal tragedies going on. "First my cat and now my mother," he said, giving their recent deaths equal weight. He came up with half of the $600 abortion price without any fuss. I don't remember how I came up with my half — my allowance at the time (from my parents) was $5 per week. It's an odd twist that he was Jewish — it was 20 years before I married a Jew and 30 years before I converted [to Judaism].
I also don't remember how I found the name of the abortionist. That is quite a detail to forget. I do recall that a college friend whose father was a major law enforcement official in Los Angeles (he later became chief of police) drove me to a parking lot, where we were met by a young man who drove us to the site — a single-family home in Torrance. I had no appreciation for the medical or legal risks I was taking. I was only a little scared. When I had cataract surgery at Manhattan Eye and Ear 10 years ago, I was much more scared than I had been about this abortion. Maybe it was the optimism of youth.
There are a few details I do remember. I remember climbing up on a kitchen table. I remember being draped. I remember it was quick. I had a little cramping and I was fine.
And I remember the name of the woman who gave me the abortion — and that is the phrase I have always used, "gave me the abortion," as if it were a gift — was Mrs. Ramsey. I somehow got the idea she was a disbarred doctor, but I am not sure if that was my own hopeful imagination at work. In a shocking coincidence, several years after my abortion, I overheard my mother and her sisters talking about an abortion my aunt Helen had had many years earlier. They mentioned the name of the abortionist: "Ma Ramsey." I never let on that I had overheard this conversation.
I Googled Mrs. Ramsey's name (having never done so before) in preparation for writing this piece, and I found this: The Court of Appeals in California in 1958 upheld the conviction of May Ramsey, alias "Mah Ramsey," for an abortion she performed in Orange County in 1956. She had gone to prison 10 years earlier also for performing an abortion. The 1958 court opinion described exactly what I experienced: The woman who was getting the abortion was met in a parking lot by a younger man (turns out it was Mrs. Ramsey's son), taken to a modest private home, laid on a table and subjected to a quick and safe abortion. However, in the court case (and not in mine), the police had been peering through the window.
In upholding Mah Ramsey's conviction, the court describes details that I had long forgotten: Mrs. Ramsey was a woman in her mid-50s, hair in a switch on top of her head, spoke with a slight Southern drawl. There is no mention of her having been a doctor. The police saw through a window "a table with a woman lying on it, 'her legs…her feet' were in stirrups, and May Ramsey was sitting at the end of the table and between the legs of the woman. There was a quantity of surgical equipment in the room, a chair near the end of the table with a white dishpan containing several instruments, a card table with syringes and 'other medication' on it, a spotlight or floodlight, an electric suction pump and hypodermic tubes and needles. The woman on the table had an aluminum instrument with a black rubber face mask tied to her wrists."
That could have been me.
Her conviction was upheld despite challenges that the raid had been illegal. I don't know if she served more time, but whatever happened to her, even this second conviction didn't stop her — my abortion was a mere six years later. None of these legal opinions mentions that any harm came to any woman. Seems the others, like me, had a safe and uneventful experience.
I didn't know then and maybe I never will know whether she was a political activist or this was just a way to make a living. At the time, I had no appreciation for her bravery, nor for what a public service she was performing. She conforms to the trope of the noble abortion doctor, and I hope it went well for her. Had it not been for her, things would not have gone so well for me.
A Masked Man at a Farm Near Baltimore, Then a Happy Ending With Boxer Shorts
The dictionary defines regret as a sense of loss, disappointment or dissatisfaction.
I do not regret my abortion, the illegal one I had shortly after my 20th birthday, seven years before Roe v. Wade became law. I didn't regret my decision then, and I don't regret it now.
I do regret that complete, comprehensive sex education — the kind that was not available to me in 1966 — is often still unavailable to our young people, leaving them vulnerable, unprotected — and sometimes pregnant. I knew so little that I accepted my boyfriend's statement that he'd "pull out" and I couldn't become pregnant.
I do regret that my abortion was performed without anesthesia by a masked man in a farmhouse, and that the $600 it cost to me at that time was equivalent to $4,000 in today's dollars. I had to borrow money from almost everyone I knew, and the day before the scheduled abortion, I had to call my boyfriend's parents, tell them I was pregnant and ask them for money.
I do regret the humiliation of having to stand on a street corner in downtown Baltimore, waiting to be picked up by a man I'd never met, a man who knew my first name and said he was going to take me to the county farmhouse where the abortion would take place. I could only hope that the underground network through which I made my arrangements was safe and reliable, and that my driver was not a serial killer.
I do regret that when my husband and I decided to start a family, I did not have nonjudgmental gynecological care. Seeing on my medical form that I'd had an abortion, and then performing the most perfunctory examination, a doctor wrote INFERTILITY in large block letters on my paperwork and left the room. His diagnosis trailed me to two other physicians, who performed unnecessary and expensive tests and surgical procedures, when the solution to conception was very simple: boxer shorts for my husband. I have two adult daughters who know my story and believe it is their legal right to make their own reproductive choices.
Finally, I do regret that more women don't speak out about their experiences with abortion. We cannot and should not be shamed into silence, and we must make certain that women who are as desperate as I was do not have to make desperate choices.
— Rosalyn, 70, Maryland
Double Jeopardy for One Teenager
I am 56 years old, a wife, mother and soon-to-be grandmother. I've just retired from a joyful career as a teacher's assistant in an elementary school in Georgia. This wonderful life of mine was made possible by two abortions in my teens.
My first abortion was as a ninth grader. None of the adults in my life had taught me about sex, healthy relationships or how to stand up for myself in social situations. I got involved with an older boy who pressured me relentlessly. I got pregnant the first and only time he penetrated me in what was a frightening, painful and degrading encounter. My parents arranged the abortion and swore me to secrecy for eternity. I felt so deeply ashamed.
Courtesy of KarenThe author as a teenager.
Then, when I was 19, I was in a relationship with a guy in his mid-20s. He was kind at first, and I thought we had a future. But then he began mistreating me, and I endured it because I had such low self-esteem. I was depending on the diaphragm, and when I got pregnant again, I sank into deep suffering. I still lived at home and could not tell my parents, so I would close myself in my bedroom closet, fall to the floor and silence my sobs in a pillow.
If he had wanted to get married, I might have agreed, simply because I was paralyzed by panic and passive in my despair. Thankfully, he arranged and paid for an abortion. He dropped me off alone, and did not come back for me until the clinic had long closed. I wandered on the city street in a fog of humiliation, and yet I was overwhelmingly relieved that I was not bound to him by a child for the rest of my life.
Those two abortions saved me. I was able to get a college education and build a thriving family with a loving man. The worst part has been facing – alone and in silence – the incessant malice of religious and political condemnation. The billboards and bumper stickers, the preachers and politicians — they all take delight in dehumanizing people who've ended accidental pregnancies. Decade after decade, I lived a kind of inner solitary confinement, tortured by the belief that others, if they learned the truth, would see me as a murderous monster and abandon me.
At the age of 40, I was finally able to confide in a friend, and a few years later I told my husband. Then, in 2013, I shared the truth with my grown sons. Instead of casting me out of their lives as I had feared, my loved ones embraced me with compassion.
I am so grateful for this chance to tell people that abortion care saved me, but the merciless public messages of shame hurt me, and that is why I will spend the rest of my life trying to shatter the silence and end the emotional brutality of abortion stigma.
— Karen, 56, Georgia
I recall sitting on the bed next to my mother during her final days, watching the Senate confirmation hearing of Justice Sonia Sotomayor. My mom commented how happy she was that she had lived to see women in such positions of power and respect, as well as how relieved she was that in her lifetime abortion became legal and safe. I was surprised by the latter comment. Nearly 40 years ago, when she discovered that I had an abortion as a law school student, she was furious and denounced me. It was just a few years after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and abortions still had a deep stigma of shame, as did the underlying reason for my abortion – premarital sex.
We never spoke about it again, until that day in the hospital. She explained to me then that her fury had been rooted in her terror for my well-being. In fact, I was able to access abortion services at a local Planned Parenthood clinic in New York City and pay for it based on the clinic's sliding scale fees. While I deeply wished that my contraceptive device hadn't failed all those years ago, I was fortunate enough to have the ability to make my own decision to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, to afford safe medical care and continue with my life plans.
The story was quite different for my grandmother, as I learned that day. As a nine-year-old child, my mother witnessed her own mother almost bleed to death from a "back alley" abortion. My grandmother already had five children, and, as poor immigrants, the family didn't have the resources to support another child. Because abortion was illegal at the time, she had very few choices for terminating her pregnancy. As my mother tells it, after the abortion, my grandmother began howling in pain and bleeding profusely. Unable to bear it, my grandfather left the apartment, leaving my mother to witness the agonizing scene. My mom recalled her terror as she saw her mother bleeding and screaming, certain that she would die.
Getty ImagesSupreme Court Justice: In July, 2009, nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor listens to questions during confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
This is what my mother feared for me when she went through my suitcase during semester break, a few days after my abortion, and found the clinic discharge instructions. Her mother's experience could have been mine. If it had been just a few years earlier, I might well have been without access to legal, affordable, safe abortion services. After she told me her story, she glanced up at the TV monitor and expressed a hope that this new Supreme Court justice would uphold abortion access so no one else would ever have to see her mother nearly bleed to death or fear that fate for her daughter. I promised her that I would continue to work to make abortion safe and available.
Almost 41 years after Roe v. Wade, it remains critical that pro-choice advocates from the faith community actively urge our leaders to ensure every woman has full access to her reproductive rights. Our legislators must understand that people of faith are calling to protect a woman's religious liberty and reproductive rights, as well as her health and economic security. As my mother's memory pained her, it propelled me to action, especially through the National Council of Jewish Women. As an NCJW local and national board member and state policy advocate, I will continue to demand reproductive justice in the halls of the legislature and in the public square.
— Claire, 65, California
In a Back Alley of Tijuana
It was 1964 in Southern California. I was 23, in a committed relationship, and even though I was using birth control, I found myself pregnant.
I had vowed I would never have an abortion. Not because of religious or moral issues but because a 15-year-old high school friend of mine had died from an illegal abortion.
Well, now I was in that position and I desperately did not want a child at that time in my life or with that partner. I knew it was the wrong time for me and for any child that I might bring into the world.
I did not have the money to go to an abortion doctor in Beverly Hills, nor did I have the money to fly to Europe. So I started asking around and a friend told me of a "clinic" in Tijuana, Mexico. I called and made an appointment. I was told that I could bring a friend with me, and that the cost was $500 in cash. I was to meet someone in a parking lot behind a shop in Tijuana one night a few days later.
We drove to Tijuana and parked in the lot. A man came over to our car, told us that only I could go for the procedure, and I followed him to a waiting car with four other pregnant women inside. We were all desperate and scared.
Courtesy of NancyThe author, circa 1964.'I was very frightened, but I had been assured … I would be given anesthesia. Well, that was the next big lie..'
The driver took a long, winding drive, trying to make certain that we were not followed by anyone. Finally, we arrived at a large house and went inside. There was no furniture except for a couch and a few chairs, and in one other room there was an examining table with stirrups for the procedure.The man (doctor?) who was to perform the abortion came in. He was fat and coarse. The money he had collected from all of us was peeking out of his pants pockets.
When I went in, I watched as they "sterilized" the equipment from the previous procedure by dousing it in alcohol and lighting it on fire. They did not have an autoclave to sterilize the instruments.
I was very frightened, but I had been assured on the phone that I would be given anesthesia. Well, that was the next big lie. They put a mask on my face, but when I breathed in deeply to get the benefit of the drugs, they removed it. They did not want to take the chance that someone would not come out of the anesthesia alive. The abortion proceeded without anesthesia and was very painful. Afterward, they administered an antibiotic shot. They warned us not to lay down in the backseat when we crossed the border so as not to raise any suspicion about what we had come to Tijuana for, and to see a gynecologist as soon as possible when we returned.
The driver took us back to the parking lot. We drove back to the States, and thankfully I did not experience bleeding, infection or any other harmful physical side effects.
I do not have regrets about getting the abortion, I'm only amazed at the danger, mutilation and even death that I and so many other women put ourselves through in those days, before Roe v. Wade. I have worked since then to preserve legal abortions.
I am celebrating my 40th wedding anniversary with an Israeli man. We lived in New York for more than 35 years and made aliyah five years ago. Our 25-year-old adopted daughter is living with us.
— Nancy, 75, Israel
In Brazil, Abortion is Still Illegal
I never again had that feeling of total integration of conscience and body as at the moment it dawned on me I was pregnant. It was eerie: I found myself standing in front of the window of a very upscale baby shop, with my head turned, observing a man holding his child up in the air.
"I am pregnant!" And I immediately knew that I would not have this baby. It was a matter-of-fact decision, and I did not struggle with it.
This happened in Brazil in the late 70s, in a country where abortion is illegal to this day, a country where politicians are considering making it even more difficult for a woman to have an abortion. Thousands of women die because they are too poor to afford the clinics where the other women go. What hypocrisy.
My best friend went with me. Another friend had recommended a decent clinic, and the procedure performed by a real doctor who was actually very caring.
This is the one decision in my life I have never regretted. My child would not have had a happy upbringing, and I did not have the right to cause unhappiness to another human being. I never felt any guilt.
I didn't have the urge to become a mother ever, and today I feel great relief that I'm leaving no descendants behind.
— Ana, 58, Brazil
Author wholewomanshealthCategories abortion access, Abortion Care, abortion stories, Roe V Wade, UncategorizedPosted on June 14, 2016 June 14, 2016 Leave a comment
Amy Hagstrom Miller speaks with Vote Your Values as we wait for a Supreme Court ruling
Earlier today, our president and CEO, Amy Hagstrom Miller, sat down with Refinery29's Vote Your Values to talk about being the lead plaintiff in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, and what's at stake with the Supreme Court case that could be announced any day now.
In particular, Amy told a story we've become all too familiar with since the passage of HB2, of a woman trying to access care with no available clinics in her area. You can read the story below and watch the full conversation (well worth the 30 minutes) here.
"We've heard from so many people. This law didn't do anything to prevent the need from unplanned pregnancy. It didn't reduce the number of people who need abortion care. It just cut off women's access to quality care. The same amount of women in the communities we serve need abortion care.
We had a woman call us from Lubbock, which is in west Texas. The clinics there have all closed because of HB2. She was a single mom, a working mom of three, and we had to tell her that she had to travel 35o miles to Dallas/Fort Worth to get an abortion. And she called us about six times during the course of her pregnancy, trying to figure out how to get time off work, afford gas, travel round trip, get childcare. By the time she was actually got her ultrasound she was too far along in her pregnancy to have an abortion in the state of Texas.
That's not in the best interest of women's health and safety. When she called us she was eight weeks into her pregnancy. [That would have been] a risk-free, first trimester abortion, which is a totally normal part of reproductive health care. But, because of these laws it pushed her further into the pregnancy, into the second trimester, and actually it endangered her health.
That's why it absolutely drives me crazy when people by into the spin of 'women's health and safety' in our best interest, because it couldn't be further from the truth."
Author wholewomanshealthCategories abortion access, Abortion Care, abortion legislation, admitting privileges, Amy Hagstrom Miller, ASC, Clinic closures, HB2, SCOTUS, supreme court, Texas, TRAP Laws, UncategorizedPosted on June 8, 2016 Leave a comment
Amy Hagstrom Miller's Speech from the NIRH Champions of Choice Awards Luncheon
Thank you Andrea, the National Institute for Reproductive Health staff and the board for this honor – as well as fro standing with us as partners and supporters for the past three years. I am grateful to everyone who has come before me; the abortion providers who have paved the way and stood up for what is right, even when it is not easy; and the activists demanding dignity and justice whose shoulders I stand on today. It is wonderful to be here among friends.
I want to introduce a few loved ones who are here. My sister Cathy, my nephew Sam, my dear friend Ellen, my sister of the heart Renee, and my most honored guest, my tremendously supportive #1 fan, my thinking partner, and my love – my husband Karl. These are the kind of people every woman on the front lines deserves to have at her back and by her side. Thank you for coming.
As you can imagine these have been the most challenging, difficult and intense three years of my life.
I have fought like hell to push back on the bully politicians in Texas, to combat the stigma that allowed for laws like this to pass in the first place, and to share a larger vision for what quality independent abortion care provision looks like in this country. Whole Woman's Health has taken on this challenge with all of ourselves. – with our hearts, minds and bodies. We have spent hundreds of hours on our lawsuit, shared thousands of documents with the State and endured many hours in deposition and testimony.
During this time we have also chosen to open the doors of all of our clinics in an unprecedented way – inviting documentarians, press and on-camera reporters in experience the Whole Woman's Health way, to see our clinic environment and to meet our staff and physicians. Every time we open the door of a Whole Woman's Health clinic to the public we see the stigma of abortion melting away; we can see it shifting as we give tours of our beautiful facilities and share openly and honestly about the work that we do. This is not easy, this takes time and effort, and sometimes it is scary; but through these open doors we are changing the way people think about abortion care in this country.
We are proud of the professional and compassionate abortion services we provide; we have nothing to hide and we stand in the light.
At the same time I have been leading this fight, I have also watched the company I build take hit after hit. We have endured a whiplash that is indescribable – winning victories in one courtroom only to be reversed in the next; closing and reopening our clinics repeatedly. This regulatory roller coaster has been going on for nearly a decade now; and as we all know, it has not and will not stay in Texas.
So why, you may ask, do I do it?
For me, abortion is a calling.
Abortion involves all the big things in life – life, death, sex, family, religion, money, identity, self-esteem – as you all know, it is a lighting rod issue in our culture. Eradicating the shame and stigma around abortion is my life's work. In places like Texas where we are witnessing such dramatic backlash and hostility, we must challenge the assumptions these laws make about women. Laws that require forced ultrasound, waiting periods, hospital privileges for physicians, and the building of mini hospitals to provide care. When laws like these pass, rural women are out of options and many poor women are left behind. These laws disproportionately affect women of color, young women and families without health insurance. Many women are still shamed and providers are stigmatized.
We all need to stand in the light.
So you may ask, what happened in Texas and why should you care?
Well, the Right Wing convinced people that abortion is unsafe and needs to be regulated and is dangerous – and people believed it. They turned their feelings and beliefs into policy and laws and completely disregarded science, facts or evidence. In fact, they have a well thought out, well-funded, strategic plan that is working. And the truth is that the feelings and beliefs of a few, successfully shut down the constitutional rights for thousands.
As we know, these laws are not in the true interest of the health and safety of women. Targeted regulation of abortion providers (TRAP laws) arise out of a political agenda designed to make abortion almost impossible for practitioners to provide and for women to access. They make false assumptions about a woman's capacity to understand what it means to be pregnant and to make a sound moral choice on her own.
We know however all across the world, every day, good women have abortions.
Abortion is part of comprehensive healthcare. So is the right to parent, the right to give birth how and when you want to, and the right not to have children at all – it is all part of realizing our full humanity as women.
Access to safe abortion is a human rights issue.
Three years ago Whole Woman's Health chose to challenge these laws and to work with the Center for Reproductive Rights to build a case that would demonstrate the harm and the undue burden faced by so many people all across Texas. Let me tell you, serving the lead plaintiff is no joke! But amid all of the uncertainty, the challenges, the setbacks and the waiting I have never once regretted it. We are standing on the right side of history and I am proud to lead us through these times. It is an honor.
Let me tell you, being at the Supreme Court and hearing the four liberal justices argue our case and cite our evidence chapter and verse was the thrill of a lifetime.
When Justice Kagan very adeptly took on the Texas Solicitor General's assertion that the clinic closures had nothing to do with HB2 I almost (almost) felt bad for the guy.
When Justice Ginsburg questioned how the requirement that medication abortion be offered in a surgery center was based in any way on medical evidence we thoroughly enjoyed hearing the Texas attorney grasp for straws.
When Justice Breyer called out our evidence over and over and over, demonstrating a complete mastery of our case, our testimony, the evidence and the amicus briefs I had chills.
Even Justice Kennedy didn't seem to buy into the state's argument that this law was somehow in the best interest of women's health and safety. He never once questioned our attorneys about the undue burden standard, and he even went so far as to comment that the law's restrictions on medication abortion delay women from accessing the safest method early in pregnancy and may increase the second trimester abortion rate. Something surely not in the interest of a woman's safety.
And then finally as Chief Justice Roberts attempted to end the questioning that had already gone on for nearly 30 minutes longer than expected we saw Justice Sotomayor, who was on fire, ignore him and just keep on going. At one point when the Texas solicitor general asserted that this law didn't harm Texan women she just sat back in her chair, actually leaning back quite far, crossed her arms across her chest, gave him the side eye and said, "Really. Really?"
We are very hopeful for a 5-3 ruling. We should hear by the end of June.
So to wrap up today, I want to leave you with my dream for the future of Texas and the future all across our country where abortion care is under attack.
I dream that the people who provide abortions will be seen and respected as the human rights workers and medical professionals that we are, and that people who seek abortion care will be respected and know that they are not alone.
I'd like a world where no woman comes into my clinics thinking she is the only woman she knows who has had an abortion. Thinking she is the only Christian that has had an abortion. Thinking she is the only good mother who had an abortion. Women and families across the country need us, the pro-choice majority, to speak up and out. We cannot let anti-abortion rhetoric go unchallenged. We cannot allow our opposition to hijack the moral high ground.
Whole Woman's Health clinics offer an oasis from the stigma and shame surrounding abortion in our culture, from the voices and judgments of others that often make it difficult to sit quietly and contemplate a big decision. In our clinics we have a moment to affirm each woman's life and to listen to her story. Let's make sure all women get this support both inside and outside our clinic doors.
We need to link arms and stand up against politicians who have tried to push safe and compassionate care out of reach. We are standing in opposition to laws like Texas' and others like it that shut down clinics, force women to delay care, and create shame or other obstacles to abortion.
Amid this fight back let us also remember that we stand for something: we stand here to affirm that women are good, to affirm that women are moral and kind. To affirm that when a woman has decided to end a pregnancy, we can witness her dreams and her aspirations and affirm that she is put on this Earth to see them out and to act on her own gifts. She gets to determine the path for her life.
That is the world we stand for, and it is the world we will create together.
Thank you again to the team at NIRH for being such fierce allies, for standing with us for so many years, for providing the kind of support that groups on the ground truly need, and thank you to all you you. Here's to a win for Whole Woman's Health in the Supreme Court!
Author wholewomanshealthCategories abortion access, Abortion Care, abortion legislation, admitting privileges, Amy Hagstrom Miller, ASC, Clinic closures, HB2, SCOTUS, supreme court, Texas, TRAP Laws, Uncategorized, Whole Woman's HealthPosted on May 10, 2016 May 10, 2016 Leave a comment
From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
This month will mark 1-year since I had my abortion at Whole Woman's Health. Having my abortion was one of the hardest decisions my partner and I had to make, granted I was 27 and he 29. It was real life, life changing and something I can say was the best decision we have ever made for our lives, our future, and the child we would have had.
When I found out I was pregnant I was working a part time job for $11.82 an hour, he was in between jobs and we lived in a place my parents owned and we could barely pay our bills. The soul reason for us choosing what we did even though knowing our child would have all the love we could offer, was we knew he or she deserved so much better, we deserved better for ourselves.
My partner and I both have Bi Polar, I was living in misery being un-diagnosed and he in denial of my disease and it was to a point that we weren't happy as a couple anymore. He decided he wanted to spend the summer away and I would spend it finding stable ground for myself and my mental illness. When we terminated the pregnancy it became a battle for both our happiness. It weighed on me with the "what ifs" constantly and was only making my depressive phases worse. We needed a break from each other to find each other as well as ourselves again.
"We will support your life and always love you, if these are your reasons then make sure they are not just words."
My parents being the Catholic Republicans they are were disappointed with our decision. I kept telling them that we wanted better for our child, that I wanted to go back to school and graduate and have a house, financial stability as well as mental stability. I can remember looking at my mom after I found out I was pregnant and made my appointment for the abortion, she looked me in the eyes and said, "we will support your life and always love you, if these are your reasons, then make sure they are not just words." I have heard that over and over in my head since then.
When my partner and I drove into the city for our appointment it was the longest hour of my life. We drove in silence. When we got about 15 minutes from the clinic I looked at him and asked if he was scared and he looked away from the road and at me and said "yes", then looked back at the road. The entire eight hours at the clinic was like a movie, I was numb. I answered the questions and had no emotion. Going through the procedure was painful, I opted not to be medicated because I wanted to go through the process with a clear mind, and was not scared of the pain.
Driving home, I went through the motions of my life and had no feelings, no regrets, no happiness, just flat. When my partner moved away I took time to heal, I enrolled in school, I rescued a puppy, I got a new job and found new hobbies. My life completely changed. When he came back we were both different people. We didn't get back together until about two months after he moved home. With us having the time apart and growing personally it was completely different. It was happy. We were happy again.
The support and comfort and acceptance we received from the women at the clinic was something I have never felt before.
The clinic experience was such a blur, what I remember most was during the procedure I spent crying so hard and biting my arm through my sweater. It was physical, emotional, mental, and spiritually crippling. I had three nurses standing around me, petting my hair, holding my hand, and trying to soothe me. I glanced at my partner and he was staring at the wall with no emotion on his face. I felt worse for him than myself, it was me going through it physically but he felt every ounce of pain I felt, if not more. He saw my hurt and could do nothing about it, i saw his and was equally powerless. our lives changed forever.
The support and comfort and acceptance we received from the women at the clinic was something I have never felt before. We had already made our decision when we walked in but I was assured it was OK by them. I was going to be completely OK. I can happily say I will graduate in December as a Medical Assistant. When my instructor asked where I want to be employed after I graduated I told her a woman's health clinic. I have always been a feminist, a believer in equal rights and an advocate for that equality. This experience has only fed that fire. I am an empowered, intelligent woman who is in control of my own destiny and that to me is beautiful.
I can never repay anyone for this second chance, all I can do is support the woman and men in my position and advocate for our choices.
We have a house we can afford, we have two dogs and two cats, we wake up with a river in our backyard, we have our bills paid, sometimes we have arguments, sometimes we nit pick at each other but I can safely say that at the end of the day, are are in love and are truly happy. I can't say we wouldn't be if we hadn't had the abortion, but I can honestly say that I am doing exactly what my mother told me I needed to do. I was blessed to have my partner, who shows me things I could never see. He has always supported me, sometimes not up to my expectations, but those are just that, expectations. He truly is a gift in my life and some day him and I will have a child, we will be amazing parents, it was just not the time. We needed a second chance.
So, to wrap it up, I want to say thank you, thank you for giving me, us, this opportunity. Thank you for the support, thank you for allowing me to make my own decisions with my body, thank you to the incredible employees and thank you for everyone you have helped get to the same place of happiness as I am, being able to advocate for their own future and body. I can never repay anyone for this second chance, all I can is support the woman and men in my position and advocate for our choices. Writing this has been part of my healing. I think about our child often, it still hurts sometimes. I know the tiny "what if" will never go away, I accept that and also embrace that because like I said, I got a second chance to make my life the beauty that it is today. Again, thank you for the second chance at being the best woman I can be.
This letter was published with permission from the author.
Author wholewomanshealthCategories Abortion Care, abortion stories, UncategorizedPosted on April 4, 2016 April 4, 2016 Leave a comment


Picking the right laptop means finding the perfect balance between portability and versatility. With hundreds of options on the market, you could easily end up wasting money on a device that isn't going to meet your needs. With our buyer guides you can be certain to find the exact right fit when choosing a new laptop.


So I am 9 chapters into Ready Player One by Austin Texas uber-geek Ernest Cline and I can already tell you that this is basically the Forrest Gump for Gen-X, only waaaay better since it is about us instead of those tedious Baby Boomers.
If you were a teen in the 1980s, played tons of Atari 2600 video games, saw it as your purpose in life to put the high score on your favorite arcade game, played Dungeons and Dragons, were a film geek and listened to lots of Rush, then this book is a missing piece of your soul. Cline wrote this book just for you, and Spielberg is currently filming the silver screen version.
If not, well you don't know what you were missing.
Download now, read later, thank me after that. You are welcome in advance.
This entry was posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2016 at 4:19 pm and is filed under random pop culture.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Anyone interested in discussing E.D Hirsch's latest book?
Happy Labor Day, O Speechless One.


The GSA-061 replicates the faceplate of an fuel gauge for the Beechcraft KingAir. Dimensions of the gauges is 83 x 83mm.
The Gyrocompass comes with a heading bug. The left encoder has to be turned in order to compensate drift….


Following their Billboard debut, the John Agnello-produced Painted Shut, by three years, Bark Your Head Off, Dog is the self-produced third LP for Philadelphia indie rock group Hop Along. Fans will find much of what they appreciated about Painted Shut here, as bandleader Frances Quinlan returns with more of her evocative lyricism delivered with a spontaneity that extends to the whole band. Unlike Painted Shut, a more expansive sound includes synths, a string section, and backing vocalists. The results occasionally surprise, as on "Not Abel," a song whose acoustic guitar and plucked and bowed strings are part of a chamber arrangement that captures a certain blues-rock demeanor even before the electric guitars kick in. The track also bears the off-kilter rhythmic and melodic quality of the group's prior work, which they quickly reestablish on the opener, "How Simple," with passing moments of dissonance, jerky syncopation, and leaping intervals that move between bandmembers as the rest drive steadily forward. On Bark Your Head Off, Dog, that quality sometimes extends to timbre, as well. On the relatively jaunty "Somewhere a Judge," conspicuous vocal processing makes an appearance, if briefly, on a track that has Quinlan wondering why she's always so mean when she stops by. Elsewhere, strong vocal harmonies and sunny chords mark the chorus of "Look of Love," a song that also includes references to hospitalized authors, barely legible handwriting, and dreams of spiders crawling across the bed. While something is almost always askew, on average, the album feels a little broader and brighter than Painted Shut. Thankfully, it does so without sacrificing lyrical impact or smoothing out Hop Along's distinctive, compelling sound.


text:
Q: .finding on a method in ActiveRecord I'm using ActiveRecord and Ruby (outside of Rails) to track some statistics.
I added a method (total_cost) to one of my models to do calculations using a couple of the columns in the current model as well as a column from another model.
I'd really like to be able to use some of ActiveRecord's provisions for math (averaging, sums) and plain old finding using the method I defined, but any attempt to do so nets me (a perfectly understandable) 'Unknown column' error, e.g.
Article.find(:all, :conditions => ["total_cost > ?", 300])
As a result, I'm doing things in a manner we could describe as brute-forcey, just finding all the Articles then stuffing each one's total_value into an array and doing sums and averages with that.
Do I have any alternatives besides what I'm doing? Should I be looking past ActiveRecord to MySQL itself to calculate the values in question?

A: You can do
Article.sum(:total_cost, :conditions => ["total_cost > ?", 300])
Article.average(:total_cost, :conditions => ["total_cost > ?", 300])

Given total_cost is a method:
total_cost = 'freelance_cost + effort * editor.hourly_rate'
Artice.sum(total_cost, :conditions => ["#{total_cost} > ?", 300], :joins => [:editor])

A: One option is to translate the way that total cost is calculated into an SQL expression so that you can then substitute that expression for any reference you might need to 'total_cost' in a query. That could potentially be quite cumbersome if total cost is complicated to calculate or depends on several tables.
If it is feasible it does sound like it makes sense to have a total_cost attribute on your Article model. Instead of having the calculation take place when someone calls the method a.total_cost you could calculate it when the model changes using a callback and save it then. For example:
def before_save
  self.total_cost = ... whatever ...
end

That would allow you to use the sum and average the total costs. It would be much more efficient than getting articles, calculating the total cost for each and then aggregating them. It would probably also be more efficient than calculating it each time it is requested.
That solution is dependent on the value for total cost not changing a lot. If it changes all the time based on various different objects changing then it will be more awkward to detect when total cost must change and less efficient to calculate it in this way. It would certainly make your calculations easier though.

A: find method creates SQL. You can't use total_cost method in it. So it needs to write the calculation of total_cost in SQL. If you want to use the method, you can filter necessary data from all.
@articles = Article.find :all
@articles = @articles.select {|a| a.total_cost > 300}

But this way spends more resources..

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The limited warranty set forth below is given by Canon U.S.A., Inc. ('Canon USA') with respect to Canon Consumer Digital Video Equipment (the 'Equipment') purchased in the United States. This limited warranty is only effective upon presentation of your Bill of Sale or other proof of purchase. The Equipment is warranted under normal, non-commercial, personal use, against defective materials or workmanship as follows: Parts: Defective parts will be exchanged for new parts or comparable rebuilt parts for a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase, except for a defective Video Head, which will be exchanged for a period of three months from the date of purchase. Labor: For a period of ONE YEAR from the date of original purchase, labor will be provided free of charge by our factory service centers or designated service facilities located in the United States. When returning Equipment under this warranty, you must pre-pay the shipping charges, and you must enclose the Bill of Sale or other proof of purchase with a complete explanation of the problem. During the ONE-YEAR warranty period, repairs will be made and the Equipment will be return-shipped to you free of charge. For repairs after the warranty period is over, you will be given an estimate of the cost of repair and an opportunity to approve or disapprove of the repair expense before it is incurred. If you approve, repairs will be made and the Equipment will be return-shipped to you. (shipping charges apply). If you disapprove, we will return-ship the equipment at no charge to you.
Canon brand peripheral equipment and software which may be distributed with, or factory loaded on, the Equipment, are sold 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind by Canon USA, including any implied warranty regarding merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The sole warranty with respect to such non-Canon brand items is given by the manufacturer or producer thereof. If the Equipment contains a hard disk drive, Canon USA recommends that data stored on that drive be duplicated or backed up to prevent its loss in the event of failure or other malfunction of such drive.
Canon USA shall have no responsibility under this limited warranty for use of the Equipment in conjunction with incompatible peripheral equipment and incompatible software. In order to obtain warranty service, contact the authorized Canon retail dealer from whom you purchased the Equipment or call the CANON INFORMATION CENTER AT 1—800-OK-CANON). You will be directed to the nearest service facility for your Equipment.
This Limited Warranty does not cover cabinet (exterior finish), video cassette tape, head cleanings, nor does it apply to Equipment purchased outside the United States. This warranty does not cover units sold to rental firms, military operations, hotels, schools, hospitals or for other commercial, industrial, or institutional applications. These uses are covered only by such specific warranty as Canon may issue with such sales. This Limited Warranty does not apply to accessories or consumables for the Equipment, which are sold "AS IS", without warranty of any kind by Canon USA. Please retain this warranty card and your Bill of Sale as a permanent record of your purchase. This card is most important in order to be sure you are contacted right away should there be a safety inspection, modification or product recall under applicable laws or regulations.
NO IMPLIED WARRANTY, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE APPLIES TO THIS EQUIPMENT AFTER THE APPLICABLE PERIOD OF EXPRESS WARRANTY OR GUARANTY, EXCEPT AS MENTIONED ABOVE, GIVEN BY ANY PERSON, FIRM OR CORPORATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS EQUIPMENT SHALL BIND THE UNDERSIGNED (SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU). CANON USA SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS OF REVENUES OR PROFITS, EXPENSE FOR SUBSTITUTE EQUIPMENT OR SERVICE, STORAGE CHARGES, LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OR CORRUPTION OF DATA STORED ON THE EQUIPMENT'S HARD DRIVE, OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE USE, MISUSE OR INABILITY TO USE THE EQUIPMENT, REGARDLESS OF THE LEGAL THEORY ON WHICH THE CLAIM IS BASED, AND EVEN IF CANON USA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. NOR SHALL RECOVERY OF ANY KIND AGAINST CANON USA BE GREATER THAN THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE EQUIPMENT SOLD BY CANON USA AND CAUSING THE ALLEGED DAMAGE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, YOU ASSUME ALL RISK AND LIABILITY FOR LOSS, DAMAGE OR INJURY TO YOU AND YOUR PROPERTY AND TO OTHERS AND THEIR PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF USE, MISUSE OR INABILITY TO USE THE EQUIPMENT NOT CAUSED DIRECTLY BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF CANON USA. (SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU).THIS WARRANTY SHALL NOT EXTEND TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER OF THIS EQUIPMENT OR THE PERSON FOR WHOM IT WAS PURCHASED AS A GIFT.
** 1920 x 1080 movie recording requires a Class 4 or higher memory card. For other recording formats, a Class 2 or higher card is recommended. Also, movie recording requires cards with 128MB of memory or more. Cards made by Toshiba, SanDisk or Matsushita are recommended. No particular restrictions apply for still images.
The Canon LCD Hood works great on all camcorders with a 2.7" LCD scree. The LCD Hood eliminates sunlight washout when shooting video outdoors.
High capacity intelligent battery pack which maximize the advantage of Hard Disk Drive camcorders.
This cable is designed for connecting to your television's component input so that you can playback both high-definition video and multichannel, digital audio quality through just one cable.
This compact adapter powers your camera from an AC power supply and charges your batteries on the camera. This allows for uninterrupted recording of your special events and keeps your batteries ready to go.
Use this cable to connect a high-definition camcorder to a compatible HD monitor or projector to see the quality images you expect.
The Canon Flash Memory Started Kit includes an SC-A60 compact soft carrying case, BP-808 battery pack, 4GB SD Memory Card and an SD Memory Card Wallet. It has everything you need to get started!
Mini-HDMI Cable: connects Canon HD Camcorders/select PowerShot Cameras to HDMI compatible TV.
Neck Strap for your FS Camcorder.
The Canon Professional Video Bag provides ample storage and protection for your camcorder and accessories. This case can be conveniently carried by hand or via the comfortable shoulder strap, providing convenient hands-free protection.
The Canon RA-V1 Remote Control Adapter provides select Canon VIXIA camcorders with a LANC terminal for connecting optional Canon ZR-1000 and ZR-2000 remote controllers. It is ideal for controlling various camcorder functions when used on a tripod.
Protect your camcorder with the professional-quality SC-2000 Soft Carrying Case, featuring secure compartments for filters and extra battery packs.
Once you finish recording, keep your camcorder and all your accessories in this professional-looking, genuine leather soft carrying case.
Once you finish recording, keep your camcorder and all your accessories in this professional-looking soft carrying case.
Compatible with L2, L1, A1 Digital, A1 Mark II, A1, E440, H460 & H680.
Enjoy this album-style memory card holder which holds up to 30 SD memory cards.
Enjoy this slim, wallet-style memory card holder.
Used to connect to a TV or VCR.
This small but rugged shoulder strap gives you added security with leather reinforced attachments and is convenient for hands free transportation.
This small but rugged case can conveniently be carried by hand or via the comfortable shoulder strap, with each option providing added security and the shoulder strap method providing convenient hands-free transportation.
Fits most Canon Consumer Camcorders with large front-zippered pockets, two carrying straps with overlapping grip and a removable shoulder strap.
For those times when you're far from the action, but want to capture everything like you're right there, the TL-H37 Tele Converter increases the focal length of your lens by 1.5X.
Stylish Video Light for Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe. Using the Canon VL-5 Video Light on the VIXIA HF10 and VIXIA HF100 camcorders requires a firmware update.
The Canon Video Flash Light VFL-2 is a combination video light and external flash for Canon camcorders equipped with a Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe. No additional power or wires are needed for its operation.
Wide Conversion Lens for 37mm filter diameter which optimized for High Definition camcorders.
The Canon WP-V2 Waterproof Case allows you to make your diving trips live forever in your memory with the dramatic clarity and brilliance of Canon HD video.


text:
Q: Hiding a form field with ExpressionEngine safecracker I've created a form on the front-end on my site to allow registered members to post posts without needing access to the Admin CP however I'd like to hide a specific form element from the output.
The element we'd like to hide is a tickbox that allows an item to be featured which only the admins should be able to see. Is this possible using the automated form output? I've used the following safecracker code:
{global_errors}{error}{/global_errors}

Title
<input type="text" name="title" id="title" value="{title}" size="50" maxlength="100"         onkeyup="liveUrlTitle();">

{status_menu}
  Status
  <select name="status" id="status">
    {select_options}
  </select>
{/status_menu}

{custom_fields}

{if required}* {/if}{field_label}
  {field_instructions}
  {formatting_buttons}

  {if error}
    {error}
  {/if}
  {if textarea}
    <textarea id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}" dir="{text_direction}" rows="{rows}">{field_data}</textarea>
  {/if}
  {if text}
    <input type="text" dir="{text_direction}" id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}" value="{field_data}" maxlength="{maxlength}" size="50">
  {/if}
  {if select}
    <select id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}">
      {options}<option value="{option_value}"{selected}>{option_name}</option>{/options}
    </select>
  {/if}
  {if date}
    <input type="text" id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}" value="{field_data}" size="50">
  {/if}
  {if checkbox}
    {options}
      {option_value}
        <input type="checkbox" id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}[]" value="{option_value}"{checked}>

    {/options}
  {/if}
  {if radio}
    {options}
      {option_value}
        <input type="radio" id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}" value="{option_value}"    {checked}>

    {/options}
  {/if}
  {if safecracker_file}
    {display_field}
  {/if}
  {if relationship}
    <select id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}">
      {options}
        <option value="{option_value}"{selected}>{option_name}</option>
      {/options}
     </select>
  {/if}
  {if multiselect}
    <select id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}[]" multiple="multiple">
      {options}
         <option value="{option_value}"{selected}>{option_name}</option>
      {/options}
    </select>
  {/if}
  {if rte}
    <textarea id="{field_name}" class="rte" name="{field_name}" dir="{text_direction}" rows="{rows}">{field_data}</textarea>
  {/if}

{/custom_fields}
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit">

A: You could lose the {custom_fields} loop and hardcode all the fields.
Or you could expand on @unexplainedBacn's plan and add a test for field_name as well as member_group -- otherwise you're hiding all checkboxes.
{if checkbox}
  {if field_name == 'field_to_hide' && logged_in_group_id == 1}
    {options}
      {option_value}
        <input type="checkbox" id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}[]" value="{option_value}"{checked}>

    {/options}
  {if:elseif field_name != 'field_to_hide'}
    {options}
      {option_value}
        <input type="checkbox" id="{field_name}" name="{field_name}[]" value="{option_value}"{checked}>

    {/options}
  {/if}
{/if}

A: I don't believe that's something you could do automatically.
You could wrap the checkbox in a conditional, checking for the group ID of your administrator group (or groups):
{if logged_in_group_id == 1}
  <input type="checkbox" [...] />
{/if}

Or something like the following if you had two "admin" groups:
{if logged_in_group_id == 1 || logged_in_group_id == 7}
  <input type="checkbox" [...] />
{/if}

The specific values would depend on the ID numbers of the user groups (Members > Member Groups in the CP).


text:
Internet Bigger Factor in $10.4 bill. Self-Improvement Market Business Holds Up Well, Despite Scandals & Recession
By Marketdata Enterprises, Inc
See all Articles by Sam EtkinGet Updates on Success PrinciplesGet Updates on Sam Etkin
Tampa, FL, December 26, 2012: Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., a leading independent market research publisher since 1979, has released the 8th edition of one of its best-selling studies, a 382-page report entitled: The U.S. Market For Self-Improvement Products & Services. This is the ONLY publicly available study about this $9.84 billion business. The study traces the market from 2003-2016, examining these markets: Infomercials, Holistic Institutes, Self-Help Books & Audiobooks, Motivational Speakers, Websites, Seminars, Personal Coaching, Online education, Weight Loss and Stress Management Programs.
Overview of major findings is available to the public for $99, at http://www.marketdataenterprises.com.
You can review the full table of contents for this study here: http://www.marketdataenterprises.com/SIMktTOC2012.pdf
According to Research Director, John LaRosa: "There is no shortage of demand for products and programs that cater to Americans' desire to make more money, lose weight, improve their relationships and business skills, cope with stress, or obtain a quick dose of motivation. An elite handful of celebrities have leveraged their names to build multi-media empires consisting of: books, tapes, CDs/DVDs, seminars, workshops, websites and online "universities", personal coaching, infomercials, and consulting. However, there is a "changing of the guard" as gurus are dying, retiring, and cutting back their road schedules."
Major Findings:
Market Value… The total U.S. self-improvement market was worth $9.84 billion last year, versus $10.82 billion in 2007 — a 9.1% 4-year decline. We forecast better 6.1% average yearly gains from 2012 to 2016. The recession took a toll on most market segments, including live seminars, books, infomercials, personal coaching, commercial diet programs and stress management. However, growth was evident in audiobooks, medical diet programs and holistic institutes/training companies.
Infomercials… Infomercials were hit hard by the recession, as retail sales plunged 40% from 2007 to 2011. Self-Improvement programs had $898 million in retail sales last year – for only 35% of total infomercial sales. This share is expected to climb to more historical levels over the next four years.
Audiobooks Market… This is now a $2.97 billion segment. After dipping 10% in 2009, sales have rebounded strongly, 10% in 2010 and 13% in 2011. The APA says that 24+ million Americans now listen to audiobooks. Of this total, self-improvement titles account for $445 million—or about 17% of all audiobook sales. 24% of Americans now listen to audiobooks.
Self-improvement Books… Last year's overall book sales fell 2.5%. Flat is the new up. There were no self-help blockbusters last year. Whatever titles on the Publisher's Weekly top seller['s list were mostly diet books. There was a shift to e-books and audiobooks, and real estate and financial titles were not popular due to the recession. Marketdata estimates that self-improvement book sales have declined 20% since 2007, to $549 million last year. We estimate that 17% of New Age bookstore sales are related to self-improvement. The number of New Age retail stores is declining, to under 4,000.
Personal Coaching… also took a hit. The estimated 13,750 active coaches in the U.S. did less coaching for individuals, but corporate business held up better. Some cut fees or began to offer group sessions. This is a $707 million market in No. America, and the "average' coach in this region makes $51,418/year. The U.S. market contracted by 5.7% from 2006-2011.
Motivational Speakers… This segment's sales, for the top 10 speakers, plus the operations of Franklin Covey Co., were estimated at $350 million last year, up slightly. All 5,000 U.S. speakers take in more than $1 billion per year. The big names are still big. Zig Ziglar passed away, as did Stephen Covey. Scandals surfaced, as products/services endorsed by Suze Orman found critics, Robert Kiyoski declared bankruptcy, and people died at James Ray's AZ sweat lodge. Many speakers are aging, retiring, and are cutting back road tours. They're creating more webinars & online courses to deliver information.
Public Seminars… Marketdata, for the first time, has good data for the major seminar companies, available via the IRS 990 annual returns filed by their parent company non-profit universities. Peter Lowe's large scale Get Motivated seminars folded, but this is still a $308 million market, and Hay House is expected to fill the void with a larger schedule.
Holistic Institutes & Training Companies… The 16 holistic institutes are still operating, attracting about 152,000 people/year and growing moderately. In addition, companies such as hay House ($50-75 mill. Sales), Gaiam ($275 mill. Sales), Toastmasters (280,000 members) and Dale Carnegie (100,000 trained in the U.S.) are expected to grow through 2016.
Self-improvement customers are most likely female, middle-aged, affluent, and live on the two U.S. coasts. 70% of self-improvement book buyers and seminar attendees are female.
"Just as consumers are now questioning government, religion, highly paid CEOs and large financial institutions, they are scrutinizing more self-improvement "gurus. Blind faith is being replaced by a demand for practical skills, at reasonable prices. While many have been waiting for the next big thing, like a blockbuster book, the Internet and digital delivery of content has been playing a bigger role. Live streaming of events, webinars, and teleseminars are more prevalent and are driving down the cost of self-improvement programs and services. In addition, more content than ever is flooding the market, as technology has made it possible for anyone to become an author, a coach, a producer and innovator—resulting in confusion as to how to distinguish between good and bad material" , according to John LaRosa:
Value of U.S. Self-Improvement Market Segments: 2011
Editor's Note: The U.S. Market For Self-Improvement Products & Services, published in Dec. 2012, is an independently researched "off-the-shelf" study. The study is 382 pages in length. It costs $2,495 and is also sold by individual chapters at lower cost. A free table of contents is available by mail, email or fax. Contact: Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., Regents Park Drive, Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33647, (813) 907-9090. John LaRosa is available for interviews
A 41 pp. Overview of major findings is available to the public for $99, at www.marketdataenterprises.com.
Also: See our Self-Improvement website: MyPersonalGrowth.com
Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., founded in 1979, has been publishing independent market research studies for 30 years. Marketdata is a privately-owned corporation based in Tampa, Florida.
Contact: John LaRosa
Marketdata Enterprises, Inc.
email: marketdataent@yahoo.com
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Orchard School
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Andrus Center for Learning and Innovation
AELC
Donate to ANDRUS
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ANDRUS in the News
ANDRUS has nurtured hope in children since 1928.
Nurturing hope for 90 years anniversary gala raises nearly $500,000 to support andrus
Support Andrus
Westchester-based Levitt-Fuirst, Associates Honored
YONKERS, N.Y. (November 12, 2018) – Over 350 people gathered for ANDRUS' 90th Anniversary Gala on Friday, November 2 at The New York Botanical Garden located in Bronx, NY. The sold-out fundraising event featured a silent and live auction, as well as a lively Fund-the-Future paddle raise for ANDRUS' numerous therapeutic programs, including the Horticulture Program and Hope Space, which give the children in the organization's programs the benefit of experiencing beauty every day. This year the gala honored Levitt-Fuirst Associates, Ltd., an insurance brokerage firm.
With the generous support of sponsors, honorees, donors, and friends, ANDRUS raised nearly $500,000 that will benefit therapeutic programs for vulnerable children and families in the community.
"ANDRUS is an amazing place. We care for our children, we give them hope, we give them a sense of value, so they can learn, grow and prosper and return to their communities to live successful lives," said Bryan Murphy, CEO, ANDRUS, "It was an extraordinary night of community, celebration, fundraising and relationship building."
At the event, Levitt-Fuirst Co-Presidents, Ken Fuirst and Jason Schiciano, accepted the evening's honor, on behalf of the entire company, for the incredible work that they do supporting ANDRUS and the community. Because of the many Levitt- Fuirst employees who support ANDRUS annually, students' lives have been transformed. They show ANDRUS' students the power of hard work and the value of seeing a project through to the end as they work as a team to revitalize the campus greenhouses and gardens.
"ANDRUS is a life-changing organization for the families it serves," said Schiciano. "Both Ken (Fuirst) and I are proud that Levitt-Fuirst Insurance was recognized for supporting the organization over the past several years, and happy that our staff, and many of their spouses, could celebrate the Levitt-Fuirst/ANDRUS relationship at the spectacular Gala event."
About ANDRUS
ANDRUS nurtures social and emotional well-being in children, families, and communities by delivering a broad range of vital services and by providing research, training, and innovative program models that promote the standard of excellence for professional performance in and beyond our service community. With programs on campus, in schools and within community-based settings throughout Westchester County, the nonprofit reaches almost 4,500 children and families each year from the New York Metropolitan area. ANDRUS also operates the ANDRUS Center for Learning and Innovation (ACLI) and the ANDRUS Sanctuary Institute, which has provided training and consultation to over 350 organizations worldwide in the use of a trauma-sensitive model for treatment and organizational change. Visit www.andrus1928.org to learn more. Stay up-to-date on what we're doing by following us on social media. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube using our handle @andruschildren.
I just wanted to say Thank You!
My daughter has been at Andrus for over 1 year now. I am so proud of her and what she has accomplished in the past year. I owe it all to the wonderful staff. There are always going to be hiccups along the way, but we get through them. I love spending time at the cottage. I adore the girls too!! I was talking to a couple of girls and staff and told them that the cottage is my home. I explained that since my daughter is there, that is home and that everyone there is my family. Boy, did I get some great smiles. I can go on and on. I just want to thank you again for giving her that chance. I have never once regretted my decision to have my daughter at Andrus.
Mother of an ANDRUS resident
I have worked at ANDRUS for two years so far and have been impacted greatly by the people here. The children are so resilient and the direct care staff are completely selfless, putting the kids before themselves time and time again.
Member of the ANDRUS staff
Since she returned home, I've reflected a bit on my daughter's lengthy interview process, concerns the team had during her initial months with us, and then compare to where she is now. And, Wowsers! It's clear that with support from so many, my daughter has grown in ways that were once difficult to imagine- in part because you all kept believing and nurturing hope... and there you have it ;).
Mother of female Orchard School student
Her transformation began at Andrus, where love, patience, encouragement, and the right interventions at the right time literally saved her life and mine.
Father of an ANDRUS resident
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