{"id":160,"date":"2021-09-23T10:05:11","date_gmt":"2021-09-23T16:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/?page_id=160"},"modified":"2021-09-24T11:53:04","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T17:53:04","slug":"restrictive-new-texas-abortion-law-wont-stop-the-work-of-this-lifelong-reproductive-rights-advocate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/restrictive-new-texas-abortion-law-wont-stop-the-work-of-this-lifelong-reproductive-rights-advocate\/","title":{"rendered":"Restrictive new Texas abortion law won\u2019t stop the work of this lifelong reproductive rights advocate"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”About Next Gen: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ background_color=”#545480″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”rgba(0,36,105,0.49)” background_color_gradient_end=”#c7d1e3″ background_color_gradient_type=”radial” background_color_gradient_start_position=”76%” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/5984947070_3045addd6a_k.jpg” background_position=”center_left” background_blend=”hard-light” custom_padding=”2%|0px|2%|0px||” locked=”off” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”To be an American row: DO NOT EDIT” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ custom_margin=”|auto|-11px|auto||” custom_padding=”15px|0px|22px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”|0px||” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||” custom_width_px=”1280px”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/newnextgenlogo2018_transp.png” title_text=”newnextgenlogo2018_transp” admin_label=”Next Gen Image” _builder_version=”4.7.7″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Project Description” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”|700|on|on|||||” header_font_size=”25px” header_2_font=”Oswald|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”left” header_2_text_color=”#98bedb” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” custom_margin=”29px|||||” saved_tabs=”all”]<\/p>\n

What does it mean to be an American?<\/h2>\n

We are finding, coaching and training public media\u2019s next generation. This #nprnextgenradio<\/a> project is created in Texas, where six talented reporters are participating in a week-long state-of-the-art training program.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this project we are speaking to people representing a diversity of experiences and backgrounds in gender identity, physical ability, whether they are Indigenous, native born, a refugee or an immigrant without legal status\u2014to ask what it means to be an “American.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mTLsWeSTxW4″ admin_label=”YouTube Video” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ min_height=”373.4px” custom_margin=”||-27px|||”][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”16px”]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Under a new Texas law, anyone who helps someone obtain an abortion after six weeks \u2014 including driving them to a clinic \u2014 could be sued. As Mizelle Mayo reports, that puts Rachel Carter at risk. She’s a full-time volunteer with an Austin-based nonprofit providing reproductive resources and services.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ custom_padding=”6px||3px|||” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ custom_padding=”3px||6px|||”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”HERO IMAGE OPTION 1: Background image: DELETE IF NOT NEEDED” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ background_enable_color=”off” background_image=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/Mizelle_Lauren_Animated.gif” background_blend=”multiply” custom_margin=”-2px|||||” custom_padding=”12%||39.4%|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.10″ collapsed=”on”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ custom_padding=”6px||3px|||” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ custom_padding=”3px||6px|||”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Illustrator credit” _builder_version=”4.9.10″]<\/p>\n

Illustration by Lauren Iba\u00f1ez<\/em><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ custom_padding=”7px||35px|||” collapsed=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.1″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″][et_pb_post_title date=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”Post Title” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ title_level=”h3″ title_font=”Oswald||||||||” title_font_size=”42px” title_letter_spacing=”2px” title_line_height=”1.2em” meta_text_color=”#04a3e3″ meta_font_size=”18px”][\/et_pb_post_title][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″ custom_padding=”||12px|||”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n

Rachel Carter\u2019s reproductive rights activism started early. At 16, right after getting her driver\u2019s license, she remembers shuttling people to and from their abortion appointments. Carter, now 31, recently started doing this again. But in September, when SB 8 \u2014 Texas\u2019 restrictive new abortion law \u2014 went into effect, ride requests dropped.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really started to see a general decrease,\u201d says Carter. \u201cAnd more trepidation in the voices of the people that I was helping.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the new Texas law, anyone who helps someone obtain an abortion after six weeks \u2014 including driving them to a clinic \u2014 could be sued for a minimum of $10,000. That puts Carter, a full-time volunteer with The Bridge Collective<\/a>, at risk. The Austin-based nonprofit provides reproductive resources and services to Central Texans, including rides to abortion appointments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis law makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong when I know I’m not,\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n

Carter\u2019s life has informed and strengthened her commitment to accessible reproductive health care for all. She credits her experiences attending women’s marches as a girl, facing discrimination in school and serving in the U.S. Army as fueling her activism in adulthood.<\/p>\n

She says the new law won\u2019t deter her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.5.1″][et_pb_audio audio=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/MIZELLE-FINAL-MASTER.mp3″ title=”New Texas abortion law won’t stop this reproductive rights advocate” artist_name=”Mizelle Mayo” album_name=”Next Generation Radio | The Texas Newsroom| September 2021″ admin_label=”Story Audio” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ background_color=”#002868″][\/et_pb_audio][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/Mizelle01.jpg” alt=”\u00d2The American dream is not my Indigenous dream. It’s so different than that,\u00d3 Jolie Varela said. \u00d2As an Indigenous woman, I would like to see our ceremonies restored, our traditions restored, our homelands restored, and our land back. When people come from other places and they come in the name of this American dream or in pursuit of this American dream, I don’t think they realize how that American dream erases Indigenous people, and further infringes upon our rights as Native people.\u00d3 (Photo by Jarrette Werk)” title_text=”Mizelle01″ align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ custom_padding=”||0px|||”]<\/p>\n

Rachel Carter, 31, stands in front of her house in East Austin surrounded by the plants she grew during the pandemic. (Photo by Mizelle Mayo)<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”3px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/Mizelle02.jpg” alt=”Rachel holds two photos in front of her.” title_text=”Mizelle02″ align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 2″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″]<\/p>\n

Carter holds two photos of herself posing with her parents. The first with her mother (left), Rhonna \u201cSissy\u201d Carter, was taken after she returned from Iraq in 2011. The second with her father, Thomas Carter, was taken during the Warrior Leader Course Graduation in 2011. (Photo by Mizelle Mayo)<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 2″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n

Carter\u2019s mom, Rhonna \u201cSissy\u201d Carter, took her to women\u2019s marches when she was a baby and instilled feminist values, like equality, in her daughter. Carter saw her mom as a role model and followed in her footsteps. She learned about the history of women\u2019s rights. Carter even remembers having stickers with the word \u201cNow!\u201d in bold letters plastered on her bedroom wall \u2014 imagery used by feminists in the ’70s calling for reproductive rights.<\/p>\n

At school, she faced discrimination. As early as third grade, Carter remembers being confronted with the intersectional oppression that comes with her biracial identity. Kids refused to play with her.<\/p>\n

But her mom always taught her to respect others. Carter recalls her mom saying \u201cDon’t come from a place of hate. Even if you’re angry, you can come at it from a place of more empathy and compassion.\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/Mizelle03.jpg” alt=”\u00d2The American dream is not my Indigenous dream. It’s so different than that,\u00d3 Jolie Varela said. \u00d2As an Indigenous woman, I would like to see our ceremonies restored, our traditions restored, our homelands restored, and our land back. When people come from other places and they come in the name of this American dream or in pursuit of this American dream, I don’t think they realize how that American dream erases Indigenous people, and further infringes upon our rights as Native people.\u00d3 (Photo by Jarrette Werk)” title_text=”Mizelle03″ align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 3″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 3″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″]<\/p>\n

Carter poses with fellow troops during her deployment to Iraq in 2009. During one of her first missions, she remembers other soldiers teasing her about being the first one to “fall out.” But she says no one bothered a male soldier who also fell out due to heat exhaustion. (Photo courtesy of Rachel Carter)<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 3.1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n

As a former self-described \u201cbad kid,\u201d Carter wanted to change the direction of her life. After high school, in April 2009, she joined the U.S. Army.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy story is not that much different than most women that have been in the service, or most female-identifying that have been in the service,\u201d Carter says. \u201c[I experienced] lots of sexual harassment, sexual assault, etc.\u201d<\/p>\n

She remembers speaking up about sexual harassment in Iraq, but said that resulted in no repercussions for anyone. Instead, she faced questions about how she wore her clothes.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 3.2″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n

After a year in Iraq, Carter was deployed to Afghanistan. That tour, she says, was different. She was more confident.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely felt like I had more power … more say so over my bodily autonomy,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfghanistan kind of fixed what was wrong with the Iraq deployment for me. I was able to speak up when I was being harassed, and something was done about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carter left the Army in 2012, transitioned back into civilian life, and tried out college for a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to go to college to be a professor of women’s studies. So, I think that is me just kind of making 15-year-old Rachel really proud.\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Then, in 2020, Army soldier Vanessa Guill\u00e9n<\/a> was murdered in Fort Hood, Texas. Carter reflected on the sexual harassment she experienced and witnessed in the Army. This ignited more passion in Carter and convinced her to shift her focus to reproductive rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what you were raised to do!\u201d Carter remembers telling herself. \u201cYou were raised to make sure that people can access health care!\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 4″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n

With a renewed outlook, she joined The Bridge Collective earlier this year as a full-time volunteer. Before the new Texas abortion law went into effect, her days included connecting people to reproductive health services or driving them to abortion appointments.<\/p>\n

Pre-SB 8, Carter says she could barely count on her fingers how many people she drove. Now, she says, \u201cit seems like we’re getting a lot less requests. It started to decrease a little bit before SB 8 as well.”<\/p>\n

As she continues her activism, Carter says she’s counting on the love and support of those close to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom is very proud of me. She’s hyper-worried right now because of the law. She’s worried about me getting in trouble or anyone else getting in trouble. But everyone that knows anything about what I’m doing is very proud of me and very supportive of me,\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/Mizelle04.jpg” alt=”People with signs march in front of the Capitol building in Austin.” title_text=”Mizelle04″ admin_label=”Image 4″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 4″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″]<\/p>\n

Carter and other volunteers from The Bridge Collective, a nonprofit advocating for reproductive justice, march from the state\u00a0 Capitol to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott\u2019s mansion in Austin in 2020. This was the first protest Carter participated with The Bridge Collective during a women\u2019s march. (Photo courtesy of Rachel Carter)
<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/49\/2021\/09\/Mizelle05.jpg” alt=”\u00d2The American dream is not my Indigenous dream. It’s so different than that,\u00d3 Jolie Varela said. \u00d2As an Indigenous woman, I would like to see our ceremonies restored, our traditions restored, our homelands restored, and our land back. When people come from other places and they come in the name of this American dream or in pursuit of this American dream, I don’t think they realize how that American dream erases Indigenous people, and further infringes upon our rights as Native people.\u00d3 (Photo by Jarrette Werk)” title_text=”Mizelle05″ align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 5″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 5″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″]<\/p>\n

Carter in her backyard in Austin. When she\u2019s not advocating for reproductive rights, she likes to focus her energy on yoga and tending to her farm animals and plants. (Photo by Mizelle Mayo)
<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text 4″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ text_font_size=”18px” text_line_height=”1.8em”]<\/p>\n

She also welcomes everyone she knows to embrace feminist values.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, I’ve learned that it’s not just women’s rights. Especially when it comes to reproductive rights in Texas,\u201d Carter says, acknowledging the progression of women\u2019s rights to include the rights of all genders and identities.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo now, it’s more people’s rights when I think about fighting for reproductive rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

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What does it mean to be an American? We are finding, coaching and training public media\u2019s next generation. This #nprnextgenradio project is created in Texas, where six talented reporters are participating in a week-long state-of-the-art training program. In this project we are speaking to people representing a diversity of experiences and backgrounds in gender identity, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":456,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"coauthors":[15],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/160"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/456"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/160\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/texasnewsroom2021.nextgenradio.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}