How Local Leaders Protect Our Rights In An Extremist Era
6 min
Right now, local leaders are the last line of defense to protect their communities from some of the most dangerous decisions happening at the state and federal levels. The fight to defend reproductive freedom offers a clear case study.
Three years ago, Dobbs v. Jackson ended the longstanding federal right to abortion set by Roe v. Wade. Since then, two opposing responses have unfolded: state legislatures and governors in red states have raced to restrict (or outright ban) abortions, while local leaders have held the line closer to home.
Town, city, and county level officials have stepped up to protect their communities and open pathways to reproductive care where they’re needed most.
Local Power Post-Roe:
Roe is gone. Federal and state governments are once again stacked with ultra-conservatives and MAGA extremists. And anti-choice drivers haven’t stopped at banning abortions – they’re pursuing homicide charges against patients, denying lifesaving care in emergency situations, and inflicting senseless cruelty across the nation.
Their extremism extends beyond one issue. Rep. Lauren Underwood, who trained as an RN, argues: “The ultra-conservative Court's opinions in this ruling make clear that our civil rights are broadly under threat — everything from who we can marry, to which Americans are protected from illegal discrimination is now at risk.”
With all of that adding up to a full-fledged campaign of violence against women, the buffer local leaders provide to their communities can’t be overstated. Their work rarely makes headlines, but it makes the difference between life and death, poverty and prosperity, or autonomy and subjection for many.
That influence shows up in local seats all over the country. School boards determine reproductive curriculum, standards for health literacy, and access to accurate and unbiased information. City councils map out where clinics operate and can provide supplemental support for abortion seekers with transportation or funding. Prosecutors decide whether to criminalize or humanize reproductive care in their jurisdictions.
The playbook for abortion access isn’t written in Washington D.C. alone. Where federal legislators have built blockades, local leaders are constantly maneuvering around them to deliver necessary care to their communities and protect their constituents.
Local Leaders Save Lives:
This scene played out in Texas, where strict abortion laws were triggered following Roe’s overturn. It’s the largest state to restrict abortions, leaving countless patients barred from care and mass legal confusion in their wake.
But whether or not those laws are actually enforced falls to positions like prosecutors and DAs, and some have made their stance clear: they will not pursue charges against abortion seekers.
Travis County, Texas DA José Garza announced he will not prosecute abortion-related cases, calling it at odds with his sworn duty to protect public safety in a joint statement. Fulton County, Georgia DA Fani Willis has made the same commitment, citing taxpayer dollars as too valuable to use against critical reproductive health. These offices may not control what is written into law, but they have full reign to decide which cases to charge and how to pursue justice in their own jurisdictions – a distinction that can make or break abortion access locally.
One Texas woman recounts how difficult it was to receive a desperately needed abortion without getting arrested. In the lone star state, “aiding” and “abetting” are words used to describe doctors providing lifesaving healthcare. Imagine how different her experience could’ve been, physically, emotionally, even financially, had she seen a local leader publicly declaring her protection.
Maybe she wouldn’t have had the financial burden of traveling out of state to get care. Maybe her mom wouldn’t have had to risk her physician’s license to help her daughter. Maybe she wouldn’t have felt like saving her own life was a crime.
So You Want To Protect Our Rights?
We’ve established that the U.S. Congress isn’t the only major player in post-Roe abortion rights. And we’ve made the case for local leaders opening doors that can save lives and defend our freedoms. If you’ve heard enough, and you’re ready to get to work, we want to get in touch.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put it best: “Now is the time to use every tool in our toolbox to protect women and reproductive health care.” No office is too small to impact your community, and your drive for change is the only resource you need to get going – we’ll provide the rest.
You can get started right away with our signature course “So You Think You Want To Run?” or find more information, resources, and upcoming opportunities (all for free) on our website.
Protecting abortion, and by extension any of our personal freedoms, starts with electing people bold enough to fight for it. That person might be you.
Want to go deeper? Check out the following trainings that are great resources to launch your campaign and develop local leadership:
