LULAC Says SCOTUS Ruling On Roe V Wade Opens New Uncharted Advocacy Challenge

Nation's Largest and Oldest Latino Civil Rights Organization Says, Women Are Polarized on Abortion Versus Life Even Beyond Their Social Activism

Washington, DC - The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) issued the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the State of Mississippi and Jackson's Women's Health Organization. The 6-3 ruling by the justices effectively strikes down Roe v Wade, which upheld in 1973 a women’s constitutional right to an abortion and banned states from banning programs that infringed upon those protections.

Domingo Garcia - LULAC National President
“Today’s ruling is a blow to the rights of women and families everywhere. The right to have a baby and start a family should be between the woman, her family, and her clergy. The government has NO right to tell people what to do with their bodies and personal family decisions. Many poor women of color already have many obstacles to overcome. Many cannot afford the cost of raising and paying for multiple children, often in a single-parent household."

Elsie Valdes Ramos - LULAC National Board Member, Vice-President for Women
"The sanctity of life should not be trivialized as part of the political debate du jour. I am urging women across the United States and Puerto Rico to make this a moment to reclaim our moral right to own this discussion and reflect profoundly on what it means. My experience has been that abortion is not one simple decision or action; rather, part of a larger perspective a woman has about herself and her values. The impact of this single act can last a lifetime for a woman, and I believe deeply that it is a bridge that, once crossed, is never forgotten. Reducing the matter of abortion versus life to political rhetoric denies women the opportunity to empower themselves and defeats our society from providing future generations with a clear picture of why America arrived at this moment in its history.”

Sindy Benavides - LULAC National Chief Executive Officer
“Today is a bleak day in America and reminds us that who we elect to lead our nation matters. As a mother, daughter, and sister, the decision by the highest court of the land promises to have a lasting impact across both our generations as Americans and as women. Women have the God-given right to make decisions about their own bodies based on their beliefs, and it is up to each mother to inculcate those views in her children and equip them for their lives. While this decision shows intersectionality between the spiritual and secular aspects of our lives in the United States, the deeper truth is between each woman and her conscience and faith. I hope that everyone today reflects on the outcome of the decision of the Supreme Court and understands that each one of us has to play an active role in our country to ensure our deepest beliefs and values of dignity, respect, and equality for all are indeed exercised in our legal system."

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/