OPINION: An Open Letter to My Unborn Daughter

My Baby Girl,

If I could be granted one wish for the day you are born, I would wish for you to be born into a world where you are able to decide what is right for you. That’s the reason I have carried you in my belly — and my clipboard under my arm — all over Arizona gathering signatures to end our state’s abortion ban. 

This summer we succeeded, alongside thousands of volunteers and despite the 110-degree heat, in securing enough support to get abortion access on the ballot. And on election day, Arizonans voted overwhelmingly to pass Proposition 139 and enshrine the right to abortion in our state’s constitution. 

I feel thrilled about this win, grateful to the many partners and people who worked tirelessly on this campaign, and relieved that women in Arizona will now be able to make their own healthcare decisions.

I also feel frustrated that in this election we’ve chosen a president who championed the fall of Roe v Wade. The future and our freedoms feel uncertain.

Like so many women, I have had an abortion. And like so many, I never told anyone. Experts estimate that one in four women has an abortion in their lifetimes, and yet stigma stops many of us from sharing our stories. The day the Supreme Court dismantled our reproductive rights, I went to the family group chat on WhatsApp to tell them my story. Though I was nervous, my loved ones were supportive and kind. My Tia Margarita responded – “I had an abortion, too.” 

My Tia immigrated to the U.S. 40 years ago from Colombia. At the time abortion was criminalized in her home country. Doctors were being arrested, clinics were getting raided, and women were sentenced to prison if they were discovered to have had an abortion. Her procedure was held at a clandestine clinic, and performed without anesthesia. She considered herself lucky for recovering completely – she immigrated to the US not long after that. She carried this secret for more than four decades. And she never thought a day would come when women in the U.S. would lose such a fundamental freedom. This reality, and my disclosure, invited her to share her experience.

And I am so grateful she did. Sharing our stories empowers others around us to do the same. 

I had an abortion in my twenties. It was unceremonious. I walked into my local Planned Parenthood health center and received safe, compassionate abortion care from doctors who did not pass judgment or shame me. I was with the wrong guy, and I wasn’t ready to start a family. This was the right decision for me, and I never looked back. When I reflect on my abortion today, I could not be more grateful for the healthcare that allowed me to shape my life and my family in the way that is right for me.

I have also experienced pregnancy failure, which is often managed through abortion medication in healthcare settings. Without any intervention, miscarriage can be extremely painful and in some cases can lead to complications. My doctor provided me with the healthcare I needed to manage this loss.

I am hopeful that in your lifetime, we will put an end to abortion bans not just in Arizona, but across the country and the world. I am hopeful that by sharing our stories, no one – including you and your sister – ever has to feel ashamed for making personal healthcare decisions. 

The results of our presidential election makes the passage of Proposition 139 feel more consequential than ever for the people of Arizona. We need every protection we can get to safeguard our reproductive freedoms. We aren’t done fighting, or sharing our stories, or organizing for a better future.

You have been such a peaceful baby. I haven’t felt tired or sick carrying you. Regretfully I have been eating lots of fast food, working late nights, and not drinking enough water on the campaign trail. But you’ve been quietly with me, rolling around here and there but calm during the day. 

I think you know we are busy doing something special. In the quiet evenings we connect and you remind me you are here, and that we will soon be together. You and your sister remind me why I am in this fight – and why we can’t stop now.

I’m so proud of us. Thank you for being with me on this journey.