The Newsletter of the Deeds Not Words Community
July 22, 2021 | Deeds Digest No. 191

Hey #Changemakers,

This is Jane’s Due Process 👋  We help anyone under 18 in Texas navigate parental consent laws and confidentially access abortion and birth control. We run a live hotline and text line (866-999-5263) where our trained volunteers answer questions related to teens' reproductive rights. And we can deliver free repro kits (including 2 pregnancy tests, condoms, and emergency contraception 💊) for folks who live in the Austin and Lubbock areas via our text line!

Like many Texans, we were devastated by the passing of Senate Bill 8, AKA the 6-week abortion ban that was signed by Gov. Abbott in May. Jane's Due Process joined a group of abortion funds and practical support organizations, clinics, and clergy to file a lawsuit challenging the ban. Under this new law (which, BTW, doesn’t go into effect until September 1st), anyone can sue people in Texas for helping someone access abortion in the state.

The law is designed to scare us #Changemakers out of doing this work— but we won't back down. Like all abortion restrictions, this law reinforces systemic racism and impacts young people’s ability to make decisions about their own bodies.

"A 6-week ban is extremely harmful to minors who already have to get judicial bypass to access abortion," said HK Gray, Jane's Due Process Advocacy Fellow. "In my case, I waited 12 weeks just for my bypass to be granted. If this law had been in place when I had my abortion at 17, I either would've had to face the difficulty of going out of state or be a mother of 2, which is not what I wanted for my life."

Jane’s Due Process is hopeful that we’ll be able to block the ban before it goes into effect on September 1st. But whatever happens, we will continue supporting young people in Texas seeking abortion care. 

We want to stress that right now you can still access abortion in Texas. Go to our website to learn how to get an abortion or support someone getting an abortion in Texas. Jane’s Due Process is available 24/7 by phone or by text between 8am and 11pm CT every day of the week at 866-999-5263. We will never stop fighting for young people in Texas and are proud to do this work with incredible #Changemakers like you! 

In Solidarity,
The Jane's Due Process Team

We are excited to introduce the Changemaker Program, our revamped high school program for young leaders passionate about activism and interested in making a real-world impact.

Launching this Fall 2021, the Changemaker Program is a civic engagement and leadership development program equipping young people ages 14-18 with the tools and frameworks for creating long-lasting sustainable change in their communities. 

Students will identify and lead a change project on a social and/or gender justice issue affecting their community. Over the course of one school year, students will work with trained teachers in their schools to research the issue, design a solution, and take action. 

Are you a teacher or administrator in Central Texas interested in leading the Changemaker Program in your school? Join us! We are hiring teachers to pilot the program for the 2021-2022 school year.

For more information, please contact our Curriculum & Training Specialist Ananas Mustafa at ananas@deedsnotwords.com 

We're also accepting applications for Campus Organizers! With 13 chapters in colleges and universities across the state, we're mobilizing the next generation of leaders to make impactful and lasting change in their communities. 

We provide our chapters with meaningful, hands-on, advocacy experiences, using personal storytelling and other organizing tactics to effectively influence progressive change across Texas. All led by an amazing Campus Organizer— sound like you? 😍

Learn more about this paid leadership program and apply today! 💪

Two months after Gov. Abbott signed a law banning abortion as early as six weeks, more than 20 abortion providers responded with a lawsuit against top Texas officials aimed at stopping one of the country’s strictest abortion measures to date. Known as the “heartbeat bill,” Senate Bill 8 is heavily criticized because it limits abortion to two weeks after a missed menstrual cycle, a time when some women don’t yet know they’re pregnant. Similar “heartbeat” bills have been passed by other states, but none have gone into effect. Many have been blocked in state courts.

Here’s more of what's inspiring us…

 Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll soon unveil plan to restrict transition-related medical care for transgender children

Earlier this week, the Governor said he was preparing to take action to restrict transition-related medical care for transgender minors in Texas after legislation to do so failed during the regular session. The move came despite many Texas families, medical professionals, and more testified against the bills to stop their passage — and after Abbott did not include them on his initial agenda for the ongoing special session. Abbott faced pressure from some on his right to include the proposal in his special session agenda, and when he did not, the scrutiny only mounted.

Here’s more of what has us fired up…

Did you know we’re a recipient of the Buffalo Exchange Tokens for Bags program this year? That means you can now donate to Deeds Not Words just by shopping at Buffalo Exchange in Austin! 

Instead of a plastic bag, the Tokens for Bags program offers customers one “token” valued at five cents (the cost to produce a bag) to donate to one of several local charities. The program has generated over $857,745 for hundreds of local nonprofit organizations since 1994 and has saved over 17.1 million plastic bags from the landfill. 

Happy sustainable shopping, Changemakers!

#Changemaker of the Week: Our Changemaker Champions! 

Our Changemaker of the Week isn’t one person, but ALL of the fearless Changemaker Champions, our legislators who broke quorum at the Capitol last week! Standing up for voting rights yet again after their walk-out last session that stopped SB 7, the voter suppression bill, the Governor had prioritized and fast-tracked this bill to be heard again. In a brave stance for democracy, these legislators fled the state and stood up against voter suppression by stopping the special session in its tracks without enough votes to pass any bills, including anti-trans, anti-abortion, and anti-critical race theory bills. Let's keep encouraging them at this critical time! 

THANK YOU to these legislators for fighting for Texans' rights and demonstrating serious courage. 
 

We see you, Changemakers! 👏

Deeds Not Words is galvanizing the power of young Texans across the state, training the next generation of women leaders, and creating an impact through our legislative work. Your support allows us to continue pursuing our mission of a more equitable Texas! 
🎉 Support our Changemakers 🎉
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