Choice NewsFall 2013 NARAL Pro-Choice Washington and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Foundation

Washington Stands With Wendy!Pro-Choice Hero & Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Wendy Davis Comes to Seattle

“The fight for women’s rights is still a full-time job.”

From the Office: Outgoing Intern Kendall Reingold on Her Summer of Pro-Choice Activism

Like penicillin and chocolate chip cookies, sometimes the best discoveries are made unintentionally. In my quest for a summer internship, NARAL Pro-

Choice Washington was that discovery. I had planned and confirmed an internship on a mayoral campaign in De-cember, but a week after I started, my candidate dropped out. I panicked: what would I do with my summer now?

As it turned out, this crisis became a blessing. With my summer wide open, I had the opportu-nity to think about what I really wanted to do. Af-ter contemplating what mattered to me, I realized

I kept coming back to reproductive rights. Soon enough, here I was! My experience at NARAL Pro-Choice Washing-ton has been nothing short of invaluable. Not only have I had the fortune of meeting some powerful women in poli-tics; I’ve also gotten to spend time in a supportive, ener-

getic office with some really amazing coworkers. From my time here I have taken away three lessons: 1. The fight for women’s rights is still a full-time job. First of all, WOW, I am lucky to live in Washing-ton. Cheers to the Evergreen State for consistently uphold-ing a woman’s right to choose ever since. But mostly the news isn’t so great. Several states are launching attacks left and right on reproductive health services. Women who speak out are labeled “whores” and “baby-killers.” Even hospitals within our own state are falling under religious directives that prohibit basic rights we as Washingtonians have worked hard to protect, including the recognition of LGBTQ couples, death with dignity, and birth control. I now know that I can’t take my rights for granted. Young people need to be vigilant to preserve the progress previous generations have made. So, one more “cheers” to the people at NARAL Pro-Choice Washington for devoting their careers to this battle. 2. We’re all in this together. At one NARAL event, I was lucky enough to meet Rebecca Walker, found-er of the feminist Third Wave Foundation. What stood

You know the story. In June, Texas State Senator Wendy Davis filibustered for 13 hours to stop a vote on a restrictive anti-choice bill, bringing

a pro-choice, orange-T-shirt-clad delegation to the Texas capitol, and fresh inspiration to the pro-choice movement across the United States. In the weeks following her incredible filibuster, #StandWithWendy was everywhere, and on August 15, Senator Davis arrived in Seattle, invited by NARAL Pro-Choice Washington to speak to an excited, sold-out crowd of pro-choice supporters in a Q&A moderated by former City Councilmember Judy Nicastro. At NARAL Pro-Choice Washington’s event, Senator Davis discussed everything from Texas State Senate filibuster protocol to pro-choice activism to the importance of telling abortion stories. Perhaps most inspiring of all was Davis’s own story -- of facing economic hardships as a young, divorced mom, and the determination to support her young family that drove her to beat the odds, beginning her journey to Harvard Law and the Texas State Senate with the choice to enroll at a local community college.

Now that she’s officially announced her candidacy, we can finally say it – thanks to the more than 200 supporters who came to our event, we helped raise funds to help Senator Davis become the next governor of Texas. As attacks on women’s health continue nationwide, our fight for reproductive rights goes beyond state

lines. From our membership’s outpouring of support for Wendy Davis back in August, we know that the fight for nationwide reproductive justice is in good hands. We can’t wait to cheer Wendy on as she changes the political game in Texas and beyond.

Senator Davis speaking to a packed audience of NARAL supporters

Continues on page 6

Dear Friends, It’s that time again! Your ballot for the general election should arrive by October 22, and this year, it’s es-pecially important that our pro-choice values are reflected in Olympia. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and an unprecedented number of mergers be-tween secular and religiously-affiliated hospitals on the horizon, the healthcare landscape in our state is shifting now more than ever. These changes raise questions about coverage and access for reproductive healthcare for women and families throughout Washington. But at NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, these changes simply reaffirm our dedication to ensuring access to comprehensive healthcare for every patient in our state. We’re fired up, and we aren’t waiting on the legislative session. We’re ready to carry forward a proactive, pro-choice agenda that starts now, with several new projects that I’m excited to share with you. In response to the hospital mergers set for this year, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington has begun a new hospital access mapping project to identify what healthcare services hospitals in our state provide (or are barred from providing) in order to assist patients in locating the care they need, when they need it. And in addition to continuing our work with campus organizers at colleges and universities around the Puget Sound region, we have expanded our youth programs to include a Millennial Advisory Council of young advo-cates who will inform and guide our work for reproductive rights. We’ve also revamped our blog and expanded our presence on social media to engage and build this new audience. There’s also been a lot of excitement in our office this summer, as we welcomed State Senator Wendy Davis to Seattle -- and got the chance to stand with her in person after she stood for women’s reproductive rights for 13 hours back in June. We’ve also seen some staffing changes over the past year. Krystal Star-wich, our Volunteer & Youth Programs Coordinator, left NARAL to channel her passion for engaging youth in the democratic process into training for Teach For America. And after seven years, we said good-bye to Deputy Development Director Sasha Cousineau, who received a Power of Choice Award for her long-standing dedication to pro-choice advocacy. I’m also happy to welcome two new staff members aboard -- Megan Burbank, Communications Director, and Col-leen Martinson, Development Manager. As we launch new projects and prepare for the legislative session, we are grateful for the work of the activists who have come before us, and the strong and expanding network of dedicated volunteers and supporters who keep us go-ing. Thank you for all that you do for women’s rights in Washington. We hope that you will stand with us as our fight for reproductive justice continues in our state and beyond.

Sincerely,

Rachel BerksonExecutive Director

Executive Director Rachel Berkson

Communications Director Megan Burbank

Field Director Tiffany Hankins

Membership Development Director Curtis Maes

Development Manager Colleen Martinson

Office Administrator Stephanie Morton

Lobbyist Melanie Smith

Field Canvass Director Tori Westman

Member RepresentativesStacey Buroker

Pamela Starliper Peter Toliver

Community OrganizersJillian AltizerAmelia Hogan

Board of DirectorsJennifer Albright*Charlie Browne, M.D.Rev. Dr. Monica Corsaro^Abigail Echo-Hawk*Kelly Evans^Molly KeenanColleen Kelly*Catherine Minch*Alexis OliverDeborah Oyer, M.D.^Olivia Robinson*Kylie RolfChristi Stapleton

Foundation Board of DirectorsLiz BerryAmy CarlisleShakti HawkinsAndres MantillaDylan Ordoñez

Political Action Committee MembersSuone CotnerMichelle GregoireSusan Landon

^ also Foundation Board member*also PAC Committee member

Letter from the Director

2 NARAL Pro-Choice Washington

NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Staff & Board

You just have to Google #StandWithWendy to see how much a part of

the pro-choice landscape social media has become. From the #StandWithWendy campaign to rallying across-the-country support against anti-choice bills in North Carolina, North Dakota, and New Mexico, so-cial media has proven to be a powerful tool for pro-choice ac-tivists to connect virtually with allies and to launch political ac-tions big and small. In keeping with our evolving movement, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington has launched new ways of connecting with our work. Follow us on Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribe to our Facebook page for local and national updates on reproductive rights, legislation to watch, and original content from our team of bloggers.

ProChoiceWashington.org 3

Notes From the Field

Expanding Our Social Media Presence

One benefit that comes from having a small but nimble staff is that a core group of or-ganizers gets to meet

with members from all across the state, painting a picture of how vast our network of statewide support really is. From marching in the Spo-kane Pride Parade to posing with a woman dressed as Su-san B. Anthony at Vancou-ver’s Peace and Justice Fair, we’ve had quite a summer organizing the pro-choice ma-jority in Washington. At the Skagit County Fair, we took breaks from talking about access to care at religious hospitals to watch livestock be awarded with ribbons and the Skagit County high school cheerleaders compete. (Okay, I admit, that last one was just me -- once a cheer-

Field Director Tiffany Hankins Reports on County Fairs, Grassroots Organizing, and Uniting a Pro-Choice Washington

leader, always...) But as much fun as we had getting to know

different parts of our state, the real reason behind all our travel is that the issues we face today are not limited to any region of Washington. They affect us all. If we are going to defend access to reproductive health care, in-cluding abortion, it will take all of us, statewide. A woman fac-ing barriers to accessing abor-tion care doesn’t think about the political divide between eastern and western Washington. She is thinking about cost, travel, childcare and time off work. We need to keep her thoughts front and center as we push on in this new era of health care.

Join Tiffany in the field! Email TiffanyHankins@ProChoiceWashington.org to volunteer.

Tiffany, community organizer Jillian Altizer, and Susan B. Anthony at the Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair

A warm welcome to thefounding members

of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington’s Millennial

Advisory Council:Marley ArboricoSarah Bartlett

Rebecca BryantJessica CaffertyKhadija Hassan

Lily KingDayna LurieTim Marshall

Chelsea OngaroEmma Ramsbottom

Lanna RippChristina RocksElizabeth Walker

Where to Find UsInstagram: naralprochoicewaFacebook: facebook.com/naralprochoicewashingtonTwitter: @ProChoiceWATumblr: naralprochoicewashington.tumblr.com

PRO-CHOICE VOTER GUIDE - 2012 PRIMARYPRO-CHOICE VOTER GUIDE - 2013 GENERAL ELECTION

Vote Your Pro-Choice Values!

To make sure your pro-choice voice is heard, your ballot -- stamped with first-class postage -- must be postmarked by Election Day, November 5. You can also go to an accessible voting center or bring your ballot to a scheduled van drop by 8 p.m.

26TH DISTRICTSenateNathan Schlicher

CITY OF SEATTLEMayorMike McGinnEd Murray Seattle City CouncilPos. 2: Richard ConlinPos. 4: Sally BagshawPos. 6: Nick LicataPos. 8: Mike O’BrienPos. 8: Albert Shen

Seattle City AttorneyPete Holmes

KING COUNTYKing County CouncilPos. 1: Rod DembowskiPos. 1: Naomi WilsonPos. 5: David UpthegrovePos. 9: Shari Song King County ExecutiveDow Constantine

King County SheriffJohn Urquhart

CITY OF BELLEVUEBellevue City CouncilPos. 4: Steve Kasner

PRO-CHOICE VOTER GUIDE - 2013 GENERAL ELECTION

Using This gUide

NARAL Pro-Choice Washington PAC reviews candidate questionnaires and interviews candidates, and makes recommendations to our Board of Directors for endorsements. Candidates whose names appear in bold are 100% pro-choice and strongly endorsed by NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. (If more than one name appears in bold for the same seat, we made a dual or triple-endorsement.) Names that are in italics are 100% pro-choice candidates. Candidates whose names appear in regular type may not be 100% pro-choice but are strongly recommended over their opponents. If candidates in your district are not listed here, it is either because they did not return our questionnaire or because we were un-able to identify a pro-choice candidate.

LEGISLATIVE RACES

LOCAL RACES

PRO-CHOICE VOTER GUIDE - 2013 GENERAL ELECTION

Pos. 6: Vandana SlatterPos. 6: Lynne Robinson

CITY OF KENTKent City CouncilPos. 6: Bailey Stober

CITY OF TACOMATacoma City CouncilPos. 2: Robert ThomsPos. 2: Patricia Lecy-DavisPos. 5: Olgy DiazPos. 6: Victoria Woodards

CITY OF VANCOUVERVancouver City CouncilPos. 3: Anne McEnerny-Ogle

WHATCOM COUNTYWhatcom County CouncilDist. 1: Barry Buchanan

CITY OF BELLINGHAMBellingham City CouncilPos. 4: Pinky VargasPos. AL: Roxanne Murphy

CITY OF EDMONDSEdmonds City CouncilPos. 3: Adrienne Fraley-Monillas

CITY OF EVERETTMayorRay Stephanson Everett City CouncilPos. 1: Paul Roberts

CITY OF KIRKLANDKirkland City CouncilPos. 1: Jay ArnoldPos. 2: Shelley KlobaPos. 3: Penny SweetPos. 5: Amy WalenPos. 7: Doreen Marchione

CITY OF MERCER ISLAND Mercer Island City CouncilPos. 2: Dan GrauszPos. 4: Tana Senn

CITY OF REDMONDRedmond City CouncilPos. 4: Kimberly Allen

CITY OF SPOKANESpokane City CouncilPos. 2: Jon SnyderPos. 3: Candace Mumm

CITY OF FEDERAL WAYMayorJim Ferrell

CITY OF TUMWATERTumwater City CouncilKyle Taylor Lucas

CITY OF MUKILTEOMayorJennifer Gregerson

CITY OF KENMOREKenmore City CouncilPos. 5: Nigel Herbig

PRO-CHOICE VOTER GUIDE - 2013 GENERAL ELECTION

4 NARAL Pro-Choice Washington

As the legislative session approaches, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington and our allies are tracking the hospitals in our state set to merge with medical

systems affiliated with the Catholic Church. If you’ve been following the mergers, you already know that there are a record number slated for this year, and you already know why this is a problem – because kowtowing to archaic rules set by Catholic bishops is no way to guarantee every patient’s access to quality, comprehensive healthcare. Who’s especially vulnerable? Any woman in need of reproductive healthcare, elderly and terminally ill pa-tients seeking quality end-of-life care, and members of the LGBT community. If that seems like a broad range of pa-tients, it’s because it is. This is why we are taking action, to ensure that every patient in our state retains their right to

In Our State: Catholic Hospital Mergers & Restrictions on Access to Choice

out to me most about Walker was her statement that femi-nism is not limited by economic status, race, or even gender. Rather, feminism is for every-body. I wholeheartedly agree. As Martin Lu-ther King, Jr. said, “in-justice anywhere is a threat to justice every-where.” To those men who think they have no part of feminism or re-productive justice, listen up: you have the power to fight. As long as you sit idly by while women are disenfranchised from their own health decisions, and as long as you

write off all feminism as “extreme” and “anti-man,” you en-able oppression. We are one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So let’s live up to the pledge we made every day in grade school and fight for feminism together. 3. Fight your good fight. Arguably the most important lesson I’ve learned this summer is that it felt great to do something I genuinely care about. I woke up at

the same time to come to NARAL on Mondays as I did to go to my paid job on other days. However, on Mon-days, my nocturnal tendencies dis-

appeared and I zipped out the door, determined to arrive by EXACTLY 9:00 because I was so excited about what I was doing there. My wish for you, reader, is that you find something that makes you like getting out of bed. I want you to have a hero who makes you giddy when you meet her, like I did with Senator Wendy Davis. I want you to discover your passion and pur-sue it, so that you too can have the most meaningful summer of your life. Kendall Reingold divides her time between her native Seattle and Boston, where she studies at Tufts University. She plans to contin-ue advocating for choice both at Tufts and after graduation.

Kendall with Texas State Senator Wendy Davis

Thank you To The sponsors of our 2013 LiberTy baLL & aucTion:

All Women’s Health NorthCedar River Clinics

ACLU of WashingtonOvernight Printing & Graphics

& grateful acknowledgment to Ellen Forney for providing original art

Thank you. To all of our members, supporters, and volunteers.You make reproductive justice a reality for Washington women.

Continued from page 1

comprehensive healthcare, no matter what hospital they go to for care.

Join us in taking a stand. Read the full list of re-ligious directives (available at our website) and attend a town hall meeting on the mergers from 7-0 p.m. on Octo-ber 30 at Town Hall Seattle, hosted by our coalition with the ACLU, Compassion and Choices, Legal Voice, and Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest. If you’ve been denied care due to a merger with a religiously-affiliated healthcare system, share your story confidentially at ProChoiceWashington.org, so we can make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Though it may seem like the most out of touch anti-choice politicians around are the ones who shut down the federal government this month,

we’ve got a contentious State Senate race right here at home that could have major consequences for Washington women. It’s between anti-choice, anti-women’s health incumbent Jan Angel (R-26) and pro-choice ER doctor Nathan Schlicher (D-26). Though Angel is well-known in her district for showing up at parades, her retrograde views on women’s health have come as a surprise to many of her constituents. And they’re about as ret-rograde as they come. Angel is strongly anti-

choice, and she’s even anti -birth control – she spon-sored an an-ti-abortion bill that would have also crimi-nalized some

forms of birth control, including the popular and highly-effective IUD. Following classic anti-choice logic, Angel’s concern for the unborn ends at birth – she voted to deny maternity care services to new moms, and well-baby visits to their kids. Who understands that healthcare for women and babies isn’t controversial? Angel’s op-ponent, Nathan Schlicher, who, given that he’s an ER doctor, may have just a smidge more credibility when it comes to talking about healthcare. In our state, we’ve affirmed time and again that women’s reproductive rights matter. And

ProChoiceWashington.org 5

In the 26th, A Pro-Choice Doctor Faces Off With An Extreme Anti-Choicer

Vote Schlicher!

“Angel sponsored an anti-abortion bill that would have crimininalized some forms of birth control.”

Making HeadlinesWhat local and national media are saying about us:

Make your gift go further. Become a sustaining member. It’s the most effective way to

support NARAL. Sign up online at ProChoiceWashington.org/

Donate.

Schlicher gets it. He’s strongly pro-choice, and sup-ports 100 percent insurance coverage for birth con-trol, cancer screenings, and services for new moms. We can’t allow Jan Angel to continue steam-rolling women and children’s health in the name of an out-of-touch political agenda. If you live in the 26th, here’s your chance to restore common sense to a critical seat in Olympia. Use it wisely. Vote Schli-cher. Don’t live in the 26th, but still want to help Schlicher win? Send an email to TiffanyHankins@ProChoiceWashington.org to get out the vote!

Under a measure

adopted in 1991

[that NARAL was instrumental in passing!], Washington

residents all have a “fundamental right to choose or refuse”

contraception or abortion, and the state isn’t allowed to use

the “regulation or provision of benefits, facilities, services, or

information” to prevent anyone from exercising those rights.

Tara Culp-Ressler, “Washington State Won’t Let Public

Hospitals Refuse to Provide Abortion Care,” ThinkProgress

Progressive groups have been warning about this potential problem for years, and presto, now we have proof it’s a real problem. In the meantime, as [NARAL Communications Director Megan] Burbank put it, “we have to take their word for it that they’ll

make abortion accessible to women who sign up for plans

through the exchange.” Dominic Holden, “Group Health Won’t Include Abortion

Coverage in Insurance Exchange, Says Planned Parenthood,” SLOG: The Stranger’s News & Arts Blog

Washington is now debating a law that would require health insurers to pay for an elective abortion...The bill here, H.B. 1044, also known as the Reproductive Parity Act, passed in the Democrat-controlled State House in February, by a 53-to-43 vote.Kirk Johnson, “In Washington, Abortion Debate Counters Trend,” The New York Times

Rachel Berkson, executive director of NARAL, said it was “particularly galling to see one of the most progressive, pro-women health-care providers in our state placing limits on abortion coverage.” The [Reproductive Parity Act] would have ensured abortion coverage after the federal law took effect.Carol Ostrom, “Group Health Omits Abortion Coverage From Plans Sold On State Exchange,” The Seattle Times/Kaiser Health News

811 First Avenue, Suite 456Seattle, WA 98104-1408www.ProChoiceWashington.org

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDSeattle, WA

Permit No. 3135

Oct. 30: Community Forum on Hospital Mergers, Town Hall SeattleOct. 31: Last Day to Buy Tickets for Liberty Ball AuctionNov. 5: General ElectionNOv. 16: 33rd Liberty Ball & AuctionFeb. 3: Lobby DayMarch 13: Chocolate For Choice

SAVE THE DATE!33rd aNNual

liberty ball & auctiON

Nov. 16!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

SponSored by:All Women’s Health NorthCedar River ClinicsACLU of WashingtonOvernight Printing & Graphics

Artwork generouSly donAted by Ellen Forney

Pro-Choice Voter Guide inside. Mail your ballot for the General Election by November 5!