We were thrilled to have two Ibis staff members be a part of Take Root, a conference held in Norman, Oklahoma focused on reproductive justice from the perspective of those living in "red" states in the US.
Bridgit Burns, Project Manager, presented in a workshop session focused on the Evaluating Priorities project, along with Fran Linkin from the Center for Reproductive Rights and Annie Norman, a former Ibis intern and public health student at the University of Oklahoma. This research found that despite anti-choice policymakers' claims of concern for women's and children's well-being, states with the highest number of abortion restrictions tend to have poor health outcomes and few evidence-based policies to support women and children. In this workshop session, Bridgit spoke to Ibis's findings, while Fran and Annie shared about the rollout of the findings and their use in on-the-ground advocacy thus far. Workshop participants brainstormed ways to apply the results in their own advocacy work within their local contexts.
Ibis's Vice President for Development and Public Affairs Britt Wahlin spoke on a panel about healthcare access and reproductive justice, highlighting Ibis's efforts to move an oral contraceptive over the counter in the US. We enjoyed the opportunity to meet and work with our colleagues from around the country!