The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) and Advocates for Youth teamed up to create a new leadership program for young people aged 17-24 who’ve had abortions—and want to make the world better by sharing their personal stories.
The young people in the program, called Youth Testify, will receive training aimed to making them impactful, educated, and strategic storytellers. Not only will participants learn more about reproductive rights in our country, but they’ll also learn about community organizing.
Youth Testify wants to use the stories of the most vulernable—the people with the most barriers to their rights—to highlight the reproductive injustices that exist today. Teen Vogue explains:
The goal of the program, according to the NNAF, is to show that young people who have had abortions are the experts on reproductive rights as well as the experts of their own experiences, and must be trusted with making decisions without anyone else’s permission. The participants come from states all over the country including California, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, and have had anywhere from 1 to 3 abortions.
I admire the program’s aim to focus on the most marginalized voices. If the most marginalized people fare better in our society, then everyone does better.
Youth Testify is part of a long tradition of young people being at the forefront of creating change. “Young people are leading the way on every fight worth having.” Deb Hauser, President of Advocates for Youth, told Teen Vogue. “Whether they are marching for gun control, police reform, immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ health and rights, racial justice or reproductive justice, young people are mobilizing for a more just and equitable world. Our job is to provide them with the tools and support they need to make their vision a reality.”
Learn more about Youth Testify and their leaders here.