Vote Save America x Sister District State Power Series: After Roe

This panel took place just a few days after the Dobbs decision was released by the Supreme Court. In the wake of Dobbs, abortion access now falls fully within the purview of states. Abortion access has never been universally guaranteed, and this development, as with prior restrictions, will disproportionately impact low income people, Black, Latino and Indigenous people, young and LGBTQ+ folks and people in rural areas. After decades of failed policies rooted in systemic racism and oppression, these folks will disproportionately lack the resources necessary to cross the expanding abortion desert to seek care. On the other hand, states including CO, CA, CT, and VA have expanded and enshrined the right to abortion services into state law. Panelists Imani Gandy, Erin Ryan and Leah Litman explored the conservative jurisprudential goal of narrowing federal protections and reverting civil and human rights issues back to states, and considered whether the end of Roe v. Wade is an example of how we may be experiencing the death of the 'rights revolution.' The panel explored these trends and discussed what can be done to bring the civil and reproductive rights (and justice) revolution to our states.

Moderators: Sister District Co-Founder Gaby Goldstein and Crooked Media Senior Political Director Shaniqua McClendon

Panelists: Erin Ryan, host of Crooked Media’s Hysteria podcast, Imani Gandy, Senior Editor of Law and Policy for Rewire News Group, and Leah Litman, Professor of Law at University of Michigan and host of Crooked Media’s Strict Scrutiny podcast.