Morning Brief: Abortion Rights Protests, Loren Miller’s House Saved, LAUSD Students Play The Bowl

Good morning, L.A. It’s Monday, June 27.

It was hot out there this weekend but that didn’t stop people from taking to the streets to protest the United States Supreme Court’s decision Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade. Protestors gathered all over the county, from Downtown LA to the beach at Santa Monica. At Smith Park in Pico Rivera on Sunday, several dozens of folks were out holding signs that said things like:

“My life. My body. My rules.”

“Guns should not have more rights than women.”

“We won’t go back.” (with a picture of a hanger).

Abortion services are still available in California, but 11 states have banned abortion since the ruling, and more are expected follow. Outrage over this issue brought Angelenos together from different backgrounds, genders, shapes, abilities and ages.

As folks walked with their signs in Pico Rivera, shouting chants like “My Body, My Choice. Now Listen to my Voice,” cars honked their horns in solidarity. Pico Rivera resident Jacqueline Perez organized the march at Smith Park through the Planned Parenthood website, after she realized there were no events being planned near her. “We can create more change in other states if we really come together,” Perez says. “I lived in other states where I have friends that don’t have the same rights. So if we can at least be a voice that can share their stories, we can let them know ‘Hey, we’re here for you,’ then that’s what we can do.”

Rain Morales tells me she’s not only fighting for her sisters and her cousin, she’s also fighting for a bunch of people she doesn’t know who aren’t going to have access anymore. “We’re all just frustrated and angry that we’re going 50 years backwards,” Morales says. “I'm fighting for those who are minorities, people of color who are going to be affected the most.”

Protestor Rain Morales leads a chant during a protest against the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overrule Roe v. Wade on Sunday, June 26, 2022.

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She’s right.

Black women already face disproportionate reproductive health disparities as it is. We are three to four times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications. Many of us have reproductive issues that could make pregnancy difficult. I think about Serena Williams and how she had to advocate for herself during a life-threatening birth. It’s tied to a long, horrendous history of discriminatory, racist healthcare practices that goes back to the time of slavery. Black and Latina women also have higher rates of unintended pregnancies and abortion due to barriers to high quality contraceptive services and knowledge in how to use them effectively. Indigenous people will also be disproportionately affected by abortion bans. People in the LGBTQ+ community will also be impacted due to stigma and healthcare barriers, like lack of access to contraception.

Andrea Martinez came up from Orange County to join the march because, she says, people around her have been affected by abortion policies. “I feel like it’s my responsibility that if I’m open to speaking up, I speak up for them,” Martinez says.

Protestor Andrea Martinez holds up sign during a protest against the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overrule Roe v. Wade on Sunday, June 26, 2022.

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Yvette Santana is the mother of two daughters. One of her daughters, Ines, joined the protest with her. She started to get emotional when she spoke about how she was here to protest on behalf of her girls. “I’m just here to make some noise for my girls and for all the little girls out there. One day they might come across a situation that they’re not comfortable with,” Santana says. “I just want them to have the same respect and dignity that other women across the world have in this regard.”

Protestor Yvette Santana and her daughter Ines hold up signs during a protest against the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overrule Roe v. Wade on Sunday, June 26, 2022.

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Though she lives in a liberal state such as California, Jacalyn Talamentes says, it’s important to stand up for everyone. “Women shouldn’t have to travel somewhere else to do something that they need to have done. Their access has been denied. We can’t just sit here and say ‘Oh. It’s okay. Because in California, we’re good.’ We have to fight for everybody.”

Protestor Jacalyn Talamentes holds up a sign during the Pico Rivera protest against the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Sunday, June 26, 2022.

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As always, try to stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below the fold.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• From growing volunteer networks to fundraising that covers travel expenses, ​​California is preparing to become a safe haven for abortion care. And while some states could potentially target their residents for seeking abortion care out of state, Gov. Gavin Newsom passed legislation to ensure that abortion providers and patients in the state are protected from civil action started in another state.
• As states across the country pursue completely opposing stances on abortion, it could raise inter-state tensions to a level not seen in centuries, according to some experts.
• What can Democrats in Congress do to fight the ruling? (Hint: unless the Senate filibuster is overturned, not much.) They’ve tried before — some might say they had 49 years to try — but here is why previous efforts to codify abortion rights ruling didn’t work.
• At a time when emotions are running high and a lot of persistent myths about abortion are resurfacing, here’s everything you need to stay cool and counter with the facts.
• Living in an abortion rights haven like California, it’s easy to underestimate just how far-reaching the consequences of this ruling can be. But some observers say the Supreme Court ruling essentially criminalized pregnancy across the country.
• I know it can be hard to have hope right now, but here’s your little reminder that allies can be anywhere. Charles Schulz, the creator of the popular comic strip Peanuts, helped normalize Title IX back when it was first passed and still controversial.
• And now for some good news: remember how we said the L.A. City Council would be voting on honoring the legacy of Black civil rights attorney Loren Miller? As of Friday, his Silver Lake home was officially designated as a historic-cultural monument.

Before You Go...The Kids Are Alright

J.B. Dyas (left) is vice president of education and curriculum development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and co-directs the LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Big Band.

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The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival had a very special group open on Sunday: students from L.A. public schools.

The Beyond The Bell All-City Jazz Band was composed of up-and-coming musicians to watch out for.

Kai Tano, a recent high school grad and tenor saxophonist in the band, talked to my colleagues about what it meant to be given this opportunity. “Everyone in L.A. knows how famous this venue is,” Tano said. “It’s a very surreal feeling to be able to perform on a stage with the same people we considered role models.”