North Dakota Planned Parenthood Advocate

Freezin' for a Reason

A good old fashion prairie winter storm can’t even stop us!

Progress on the Prairie, a special event honoring leaders of North Dakota’s past, present, and future, WILL take place no matter what. Come snow, sleet or, shivering gusts.

Tuesday, December 3^rd
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
The Radisson Hotel
201 5^th Street North in Fargo

Warm up with complimentary appetizers, beverages, & cash bar.

So throw on that parka, scrape off the windshield and join us at the Radisson downtown Fargo! 

Celebrate With Us!

 

Join Planned Parenthood for a special event honoring leaders of North Dakota’s past, present, and future.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013 
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Radisson Hotel 
201 5th Street NorthFargo, ND

Enjoy complimentary appetizers, beverages, & cash bar

Exemplary Leadership Award Winner
Dr. Tom Stone Carlson

Woman on the Move Award Winners
Robin Nelson, Jen Hoy, Crystal Aakre

Featured Speaker
Sarah Stoesz, President & CEO, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota

Thank you to our host committee: 
Alice Hauan
Representative Ben Hanson
Harry & Kathy Hawken
Jenny Martin
Representative Gail Mooney
Jean Thomson & John Sandbo
Gary & Sharon Secor
Ryan & Molly Secor-Turner
Ranelle Turman
Katrina Turman Lang

RSVP HERE
Questions? Contact Amy Jacobson at ajacobson@ppmns.org or (701) 526-0726

Click here to make a donation to this event. All gifts will support our work in North Dakota. Thank you!

 

Lending a Hand to 'Respect Women Albuquerque'

Last night we held our first phonebank of the season to help out our friends in Albuquerque. 

Next week on November 19^th, the city of Albuquerque will vote on a deceptive measure for a 20 week abortion ban.

When we make a call for volunteers, boy do we have amazing people come out!  Thanks to all who joined! We called for about an hour and a half last night, with a handful of volunteers in the Fargo office and two callers joining us from afar and making calls from home.  Nationwide there were some amazing numbers with 151 people on the phones- 7,360 calls being made, 1,310 conversations being had, with the majority of those: 862 folks being against the measure!   If you weren’t able to make it, we’ll be sure to keep you posted on upcoming opportunities, and, as always we thank you for your continued support!

We were excited to support Respect ABQ Women through our calls.  Respect ABQ Women is a diverse group of nonprofits, community groups, women’s organizations, and individuals dedicated to protecting women’s ability to make private medical decisions with her doctor.  Supporting organizations that teamed up include: the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, the League of Women Voters of NM, NM Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and many others.  For more info about the measure and campaign you can visit www.respectabqwomen.org or ‘like’ their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/respectABQwomen.  You can also call 505-510-1399.

We’ll be hoping citizens of Albuquerque vote to respect and trust women’s decisions next week.  We were honored to stand in solidarity and do what we can from afar.

Training Aimed to Increase the Number of Women in Elected Office in ND

Women, half of North Dakota’s population, hold only 17 percent of North Dakota’s legislative seats, three women in statewide office, and less than 10 percent of county commission seats. And startlingly few of those who have won office are women of color, despite the state’s increasing diversity. North Dakota ranks 41^st nationally in the percentage of women in state legislature.

In an effort to increase women’s representation, our  friends at the North Dakota Women’s Network (NDWN) is hosting a training to encourage women’s political participation. To help prepare women to seek office or serve as campaign staff, the NDWN will host a multi-partisan campaign training, Ready to Run™, on Friday, November 22, 2013 on the Bismarck State College campus. Potential candidates will hear directly from prominent political leaders, campaign consultants, and party officials about how to get ready to run. See the attached agenda for full details.
 
Ready to Run™ features interactive workshops covering the fundamentals of launching a campaign and navigating the political parties as a potential candidate. Additionally, workshops will highlight topics such as positioning oneself for future office, gaining appointments to boards or commissions, getting involved in the political parties, and turning advocacy experience into political experience. Attendees will also participate in media training and fundraising sessions.
 
The Ready to Run North Dakota training is open to any woman in the state with an interest, curiosity or ambition to seek a leadership position in public office. The generous support of many individuals, the cost to attend is a mere $35. Online registration is available at www.ndwomen.org.

For more information on Ready to Run™, contact Renee Stromme at 701-226-1116 or renee@ndwomen.org

R-E-S-P-E-C-T! (Sing it Aretha) and we Respect Albuquerque Women!

As temperatures drop and we dig for our scarves and mittens, some of us may be wishing for warmer weather.  Maybe, like me, you’re dreaming of a quick jaunt to sun yourself in Arizona or New Mexico, or somewhere we could get away for a hike and soak in some needed Vitamin D.

While heading to such destinations physically might not be a reality for many of us at this moment- we could definitely reach out to our allies in the desert SouthWest long distance; as they need our help.  

Click here to hear Christie Brooks’ story- a mother who found out her child would suffocate and die if she carried her pregnancy to term.  RSVP to help.

As some of you may know, the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico will be voting on a dangerous anti-reproductive health municipal ballot initiative on November 19.   If passed, this Operation Rescue backed measure would ban abortions, with no exceptions, from 20 weeks on. Learn more about this measure here.

Respect ABQ Women is the Albuquerque campaign finance committee formed to oppose this ballot measure.  With our volunteer night coming up on Tuesday November 12^th, we have an opportunity to help win this fight. Here’s how:

On Tuesday November 12^th starting at 6:30pm to 8:30pm we’ll be calling into Albuquerque to get the word out about this dangerous measure. We’ll be flooding the phones down south and encouraging voters to Respect and Trust the women of Albuquerque!  Never phone banked before?  No worries! It’s a piece of calling card cake. We will be provided with all the good scripts and messaging training beforehand, and Molly will lead you through the how-to’s, and show you the ropes before getting on the phones.

Join us in this very important work! Click here for more information and to RSVP today.

These Boots are Made for Walking!

Hello friends, supporters, and volunteers!

It's a beautiful fall day in the neighborhood! (Disclaimer: That line stolen from Mr. Rogers.)  And by neighborhood, I mean our neighborhood and communities of North Dakota.  This past ND legislative session offered numerous frustrations for all of us. We haven't forgotten this, nor do we want to sit idly by.  We want to begin reaching out person to person to supporters of Planned Parenthood to talk about the concerns of the sweeping assaults we've seen on women and families in our state.  

Do you feel motivated for action? JOIN US next Thursday October 17th at 5:30 pm for our FIRST CANVASS of the season.  Meet at 5:30 at the Planned Parenthood office in Downtown Fargo, 624 Main Ave. Suite 9) to get the scoop on the canvass and partner up.  We'll carpool from the office at 6 pm to some of the hot, hot, hottest South Fargo districts to talk face to face with supporters. Remember, many of the most vocal opponents of women’s health live right here in Fargo! Each person/partner pair will have a small packet of doors to touch (should take no longer than an hour), then meet back at the office at 7 for some HOT CHOCOLATE, canvass debriefing, and discussion.

Never canvassed before? Never fear! We'll be giving a short Canvass 101 before we head out.  It's easy, it's fun, and most importantly: It's IMPORTANT. Campaigns, movements, and statistics have shown time after time that face to face contact is the best way to make things happen. Showing people you care enough about an issue to get out and talk to them is one of the most effective and powerful ways to communicate your concerns and ideas.

Please join us Thursday, October 17th, at 5:30, and bring a friend for this important volunteer event!

Thanks for your continued support- we feel it and appreciate it, and thus feel our community (and neighborhood networks) growing!

Senator Heitkamp Needs to Hear from You!

Call 202-224-2043 and tell Senator Heitkamp to stand strong against  attempts to defund Obamacare by those who are playing politics with women’s health!  Women represent nearly half of the uninsured and have unique health care needs, particularly during their reproductive years.

As part of the health care law, preventive health care needs for women, like birth control, annual well-women exams and cancer screenings, are available for free without a co-pay.

And women will no longer have to pay more for health insurance than men and can no longer be denied insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions like breast cancer, having a C-section, or being the victim of domestic violence.

Call Senator Heitkamp at 202-224-2043 and say ‘As your constituent I ask you to stand strong against attempts to defund Obamacare.’

Get those Pro-choice Boots on the Ground!

Greetings from the Planned Parenthood office in Fargo!  We are diving head first into fall here- enjoying watching the leaves slowly change, the occasional morning crispness in the air, and looking forward to our own version of football season- tackling the work we have ahead of us ;)

Our kick-off volunteer night last Tuesday September 17^th was a great success: we had rock star Pub Crawl attendees and gathered tons of new supporter signatures as we trekked our way up the Broadway scene. Thank you to all who joined us- and for your help in networking  and raising awareness about Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights in ND!  This work happens because of support like yours!

HEADS UP: For the next volunteer night- we have something really awesome planned (well, we think so), BUT there will be a change in date.  Please note, instead of being on the 3^rd Tuesday (October 15^th), it will take place on THURSDAY (October 17^th) for this month.   We plan to canvass neighborhoods talking to Fargoans about women’s health and reproductive rights. Remember, many of the most vocal opponents of women’s health live right here in Fargo! So throw on your sneakers and scarves and make a afternoon of it with us!

Not in Fargo? Contact Molly to help organize some pro-choice awesomeness in your town! Molly at mmclain@ppmns.org. 

By Molly, North Dakota Grassroots for Planned Parenthood MN,ND,SD

Is Congressman Cramer Representing You?

 

UPDATE: The date for this event has changed. Coffee with Cramer will now take place on Friday, October 18th from 10:00 am - 11:00 am at Babb's Coffee on Main in Fargo.

North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer (R) is hosting a public forum in Fargo this month. Have a few questions for him? Remember:  Congressman Cramer has voted numerous times to repeal the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare). Cramer has said ‘It is important to continue to push against Obamacare’ and that he will work to ‘defund and repeal the law’.

The Affordable Care Act is the greatest advancement in women’s health in a generation!  Because of Obamacare…

• You cannot be discriminated against because of your GENDER!
• You cannot be discriminated against because of a preexisting condition!
• You get many preventative health services, like birth control, covered without co-pay!
• Your insurance company MUST offer coverage for all critical areas of care- like pregnancy!
• You cannot get dropped from coverage when you get sick!
• You are protected from ridiculously high medical cost by out of pocket spending limits!

 

 Is Congressman Cramer working for you? Tell him what you think!

Friday, September 27^th  at  Babb's Coffee House (604 Main Ave) from 11am-12pm. 

 

Plenty of Ways to Plug in!

We know many of you are active supporters and volunteers and to all of you we want to say: Thank You!  Perhaps you’ve been wanting to get more involved, but weren’t sure of how to plug in.  We can help!  We are beginning to roll out Volunteer nights every 3^rd Tuesday from 6:30 to 8:30.  Mark it on your calendars! We will get in touch in the weeks prior to give you more details on what we’ll be doing and how you can make a lasting impact on women’s health advocacy.

To kick off the fall, our September 17^th Volunteer night will be a local pub crawl- come join the fun of growing our network of supporters by going pub to pub with trivia questions and pledge cards for reproductive rights.  Enjoy a  lemonade or a beer as we trek up Broadway looking for new supporters (and fun). This will also serve as a chance for our volunteers to mingle amidst each other and get to know everyone that is doing this same important work better. We’ll meet at the Planned Parenthood office in the Block 6 Building: 624 Main Avenue Suite 9 (downtown Fargo) around 6:30. 

Can’t make it to our first fall event?  Don’t fret; we’ll be sure to keep you in the loop on all of our upcoming volunteer opportunities.  Thanks again for your wonderful support!

In the mean time, some events to keep on your radar from now through the end of the year are:

North Dakota Women’s Network Annual Meeting on October 19^th.   There will be a Personhood 101 workshop from 1-5 at the HoDo and the Woman of the Year Celebration honoring Karla Rose Hanson from 7-9 pm.  

North Dakota Human Rights Coalition has their annual event this November 9^th at the Fargo Country Club from 4-9 pm.  The focus will be “Mobilizing for 2014”- Find out what non-profits can do in the political process and assist in establishing an action plan for the 2014 election. 

This Fall, the North Dakota Women’s Network has their annual Ready to Run training in Bismarck- date to be announced.  Ready to Run™ is a bi-partisan program for women who want to run for office, seek higher office, work on a campaign, get appointed to office, or learn more about the political system.

On December 3^rd Planned Parenthood will have our 9^th annual Progress on the Prairie event- details to TBA.

We hope to see you at our September 17^th volunteer night, or at one of our upcoming events!