Support NARAL Pro-Choice by hosting a "House Party" or similar event and get more involved with them!

Do you care about what students in the Lowell Public Schools are learning in their health classes? Do you want them to receive comprehensive sex education with accurate information about both abstinence AND contraception and STD prevention?

Then ask the Lowell School Committee to adopt Planned Parenthood’s comprehensive sex education program, “Get Real,” which is both medically accurate and age-appropriate.

Students should be given all of the information they need to lead healthy lives. Abstinence only until marriage programs leave young people at risk by denying them medically accurate information about their health.

The Lowell School Committee’s curriculum subcommittee will be meeting to review the “Get Real” comprehensive sex education curriculum at 7:00 PM on Monday, September 15 th. The meeting will be held in the 2nd floor conference room at the Lowell School Department. Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts supporters will be attending and speaking out at the meeting.

We expect that those who oppose comprehensive sex education may show up in force to this meeting, and it is important that we show the subcommittee that Lowell residents support medically accurate and age-appropriate sexuality education in schools! Your presence at the hearing will help us tremendously. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM; we’ll meet at 6:45 to review materials and answer questions.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can still make your voice heard! Email Sarah
to sign up to write a letter to urge the School Committee to reject abstinence only until marriage programs!

If you have any questions, or want to attend this meeting RSVP by email Sarah Steinfeld

Please join us on the 15 th. We need your support!!

Sarah Steinfeld
Education Policy Manager
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
1055 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

What is sexual health, and why is it important to you and those you serve? Save the date for PPLM’s first Sexual Health Matters Conference in honor of our 80 th anniversary. Learn more and register online! Sexual Health Matters Conference

Join the Sexual Health Matters Revolution

Map, Directions and RSVP

On a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, once again I volunteered to work for “NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts”: (NPCM) with the beautiful Marina Barcelo, new Organizer of NPCM. This is one of my true passions in life is volunteering for a great cause I believe it, women’s reproductive rights to choose. Today we joined over 100 Festival Paticipants
that had tables/booths for their organization or agency.

What I love about Boston Pride is the thousands of people who come out for the music, celebrities, and the Pride Day Parade. Governor Patrick his wife and their daugther Katherine all walked during the parade and this weekend must have made it special for her to have such loving and caring parents, (as some children of famalies still can not accept if their child comes out as either gay, bi, lesbian, transgender.) Nevertheless, I beleive times are changing and more and more people are accepting the lifestyles of the LBGT community.

It was very evident as the people who came to march in the Pride Parade, expressed themselves in a variety of different ways with flamboyance and charm. It’s sad in today’s society that whenever someone breaks social norms by wearing something different they are looked upon sometimes in a harsh manner. I myself know what this feels like as a young child when I was growing up and many women feel the same sort

TBContinued

From L-R: Becky, George, Summer intern Chris and New NARAL Organizer Marina

Every Friday before “Boston Pride” Day, the city of Boston hosts “an event for the ladies, as Marina Barcelo, Organizer from NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts explained. I worked as a volunteer tabling for the event. Lively music from an “all girl band” and an awesome woman MC, made the activities for a incredible evening.

Women (and men) from the LGBT community came to our table and signed our petition to “vote Pro-Choice” at the next election. Many women (and some men) marched all thru downtown Boston declaring their sexual freedom by carrying signs with slogans that the MC announced as they went by. She also played a “dating game” with audience members upon there return and the pictures of the event can be seen here on Flickr

What made the events even more special was the timely announcement from Governor Patrick’s beautiful daughter Katherine, who told her parents she was gay. Bay Windows and how much love and support she received from everyone around her.

The participants in these events were having a great time as I was leaving, singing and dancing to the music, it was awesome.

Last night I had the unique opportunity to attend the NARAL Pro Choice
Massachusetts “Chocolate Madness at 25!” Kick Off Party. This event is the premier annual event for NARAL Pro Choice and the proceeds benefit NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts work to protect and expand reproductive choice.

The event is on Tuesday evening April 29, 2008 between 7:30-9:00 PM and held at The Cyclorama/Boston Center of the Arts 539 Tremont Street, South End, Boston, MA and Directions to the BCA are listed here

Chocolate Madness is an all you can eat chocolate feast of unlimited chocolate delights prepared by Boston’s leading restaurants and chefs. Including:

Athan’s European Bakery

Bella Cakes

Cat’s Meow Deserts and Catering

DesertWorks

Fireplace

Gelato Giuliani LLC

Max Ultimate Foods

Restaurant Dante

Petit Robert Bistro

Picco

Sel de la Terre

South End Buttery

Taranta

Taza Chocolate

the chocolate tarte

33 Restaurant & Lounge

For further information and to obtain ticket information
please contact:

Abby Thorp at abby@prochopicemass.org

Tickets will be available in early February and are $35 (until March 31 after that price goes up) proceeds to benefit women’s reproductive choice.

For Immediate Release
November 1, 2007

STATEMENT OF KELLY O’BRYAN,
POLITICAL DIRECTOR OF NARAL PRO-CHOICE MASSACHUSETTS,
ON HOUSE VOTE TO PASS BUFFER ZONE BILL

Boston, MA – Kelly O’Bryan, Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, issued the following statement in response to the Massachusetts State House vote to pass An Act Relative to Public Safety (S.1353, the Buffer Zone Bill):
“Today the Massachusetts House passed the Buffer Zone Bill with overwhelming support. This is a major victory for women seeking health services and the medical staff who provide those services. No one deserves to be harassed and intimidated when seeking health care…”

“The Buffer Zone Bill is not a new initiative. It is a necessary fix to an unenforceable law. The current Buffer Zone Law has proven to be ineffective due to its vagueness and complexity, and harassment is still a very real problem at reproductive health clinics across the Commonwealth. By establishing a fixed 35-foot buffer zone around the entrances and driveways of all reproductive health facilities in Massachusetts, the legislature is protecting the safety and privacy of patients without sacrificing the free speech rights of protestors…”

“In a survey conducted by NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts in December 2006, all ten of the reproductive health facilities in Massachusetts that were surveyed expressed strong support for a fixed 35-foot buffer zone to solve the issue of unenforceability…”

”...We are grateful to Speaker Salvatore DiMasi (D-Boston), Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael Costello (D-Newburyport), and the two lead House sponsors of the bill, Representatives Carl Sciortino (D-Medford) and Marty Walz (D-Boston) for their leadership and hard work on this important public safety issue…”

“We applaud the House’s leadership in passing the Buffer Zone Bill today, and look forward to Governor Patrick’s signature…”

NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts is the state’s leading advocate for privacy and a woman’s right to choose. For more information, please visit our website at www.prochoicemass.org

House approves abortion buffer zone expansion
November 1, 2007 Boston Globe.com

The Boston Globe in this article states that Governor Patrick supports the Buffer Zone bill.

Reproductive Justice: A Conversation On Race, Class, and Sex
An In Choice Company Event

Wednesday, September 26th, 6:30-8:30 PM

Clery’s at 113 Dartmouth Street in Boston
(Near Back Bay on the Orange Line)

Trina Jackson of
Boston Incite Women of Color Coalition for Reproductive Justice will discuss the intersection of social justice and reproductive rights. This framework recognizes the ability of women to determine that their own reproductive destinies are linked to the conditions in their communities, rather than just individual choice and access.

Whether you’re motivated by pro-choice politics or simply interested in learning more about the issues, come join the party. And bring a friend! This event includes complimentary appetizers and a cash bar.

Please RSVP to Heather
or contact NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts for more information. Thank you.

On Sunday I had the distinct pleasure of working with an awesome group of beautiful and amazing women at the JPWF held in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Marina, (pictured on left; who worked from 10:00 AM until 6:30 PM), Amy (who stayed until the bitter end), Ashley who volunteered during the middle of the day so I could eat lunch, and Stacie our angel who came with her vehicle and picked up the table and equipment to take back to NARAL, and Heather who organized the entire thing.

”...This annual World’s Fair is a day of music, children’s events, arts and crafts, international food and neighborhood fun. It symbolizes the “true spirit” and “diversity and community pride” that make Jamaica Plain such a great place to live…”

The fair consisted of two stages, one Rotary Stage and One Indie Stage with Live Bands and entertainment featuring: Mariachi Band, Kaal Star Live Band Karaoke with the Nichols and Dime Band, Waitiki, Mango Blue, Area 51, Santa Mamba, Samba Tremedera, Stick and Rag Village Orchestra, Mittens, Project Move, Zili Misik and Eli Redd & the True Loves. For more information on the JPWF

I was volunteering for NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts and asking people there to sign petition cards for supporting the ”...Comprehensive Health Education Bill. The Bill would provide information about abstinence, as well as contraception. School Districts would insert Health Education into their Core Curriculum programs for public schools districts and be required to teach age-appropriate health education in grade K-12. Our group was sucessful in that all the green petition cards were signed for the day, even though more names are needed to be added.

”...In 1993, the Supreme Judicial Court required the Commonwealth to provide an adequate education…It further defined “adequacy” by requiring that schools possess specific capabilities including, “sufficient self-knowledge and knowledge of his mental and physical wellness…” The MA DOE created a science-based health education framework in response to the Supreme Judicial Court decision. However, the DOE has no mechanism to enforce the compliance of school districts unless health education is part of the core curriculum…”

By adding these programs prevention of smoking, binge drinking, information about condoms, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, AIDS and STD’s would be provided to age appropriate children and teenagers.

CARE for Youth is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals that has formed to advocate health education in the public schools and composed of over 100 organizations, college universities and agencies to lead the fight for having this bill passed. Those include: Women of Massachusetts, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, Boston teachers Union, Child Welfare League of America, Ema Yaffe Foundation, Framingham State College Women’s Empowerment, Greater Boston PFLAG, Jane Doe Inc. (The MA Coalition Against Sexual Violence Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, MAHPERD, MA Nurse Council, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, NARAL Pro Choice-Massachusetts, Our Bodies Ourselves, Tufts VOX, NU Feminist Student Organization, Wellesley Women for Choice, Women’s Sport Foundation and many others. For a full listing of all the organizations contact CARE for Youth

This morning I took the “T” into Boston and headed over to Government Center and City Hill to find our NARAL Pro Choice table. Along the way I say hundreds of people arriving for the festivities. I went to my assigned spot and Anne, the outreach intern handling the petition, asked for a volunteer to go to each vendor booth and solicit singatures for Supporting the Repeal Bill.

Basically, what I have read from the literature is that there are outdated laws (some date far back as 1845) and were never changed on the books. Due to the recent Supreme Court decision on partial abortion bans and no health execeptions for women, if Roe vs. Wade were ever to pass, these “blue laws” would be in effect. Now is the time because of increasing unconstutional restrictions, pre-Roe vs. Wade abortion ban and restriction to married couples along with an unconstutional hospitilization requirement for pregnant women.”

If you live in Masachusetts and have not seen the Support the Repeal Act, the link is Support the Repeal Bill and contact Heather Geldhof at heather@prochoicemass.org and tell her you would like to support the “Repeal Act” to remove the MA Blue laws. Thank you.

I will be inside one of the booths working for NARAL Pro Choice taking names of volunteers and having people sign partitions for this great cause. Should be a wild experience with everything going on.

Boston Pride

We had a smaller crowd than I anticipated however, everyone had a great time. Melissa Kogut, Ex. Dr. of NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts spoke about the recent COurt decision about abortions and how “Bush’s Bill” is going to hurt women who need abortions. Already thiere is an appeal going on about reversing this decision.

We had plenty of food, refreshments, drinks, shrimp, mini canolis, appetizers, cheese, fruit which went fast! I showed the movie, “I Had an Abortion” made by WMM and produced by Jennifer Baumgardner music by Ani De Franco, we had a discussion after the film and we gave out the books “Every Choice has a story by Gloria Feldt.

I could not have pulled this off if not asking for the master plan by my dear riend yrush and the many women who helped me tonight by setting up the food and help cleaning up afterwards. My only dissapointment was I brought my camera and forgot to take pictures!!! arggggh!