Roe v. Wade Attorney Sarah Weddington to Speak in Napa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 16, 2007 Roe v. Wade Attorney Sarah Weddington to Speak in Napa Day-long event to commemorate 34-year anniversary of landmark decision by focusing on political process to protect choice NAPA, California – Winning Roe v. Wade attorney Sarah Weddington is set to deliver remarks at the Napa and Sonoma Valleys Roe v. Wade Anniversary Luncheon and Action Summit on February 1 at the Meritage Resort in Napa. The event comes 34 years after the landmark Supreme Court decision and weeks after Sutter Medical Center in Santa Rosa announced abortion services will no longer be provided after the hospital closes its doors in the coming year. "Even 34 years after Roe v. Wade and less than one year after Californians upheld a woman’s right to choose by defeating Prop 85, maintaining access to abortion and reproductive healthcare is still an uphill battle," said Amy Everitt, state director of NARAL Pro-Choice California. "We are hosting this summit because it is critical for residents of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys to use the political process to protect choice in their communities." The event is chaired by local community leaders Sue and Dick Wollack of St. Helena; Anne Carver Sutro and Denis Sutro of Calistoga; and Barbara and John Shafer of Napa. Featured speakers include Sarah Weddington; Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America; Amy Everitt, state director of NARAL Pro-Choice California; and David Mermin, partner in Lake Research Partners. Local pro-choice leaders will host workshops on how to use the political process to protect choice. Topics will include effective contact with elected representatives, diverse perspectives on choice, ensuring comprehensive sex education in schools, and guaranteeing local pharmacies carry and dispense birth control. "The hard-won access to abortion and reproductive healthcare in the Valleys is being chipped away by an aggressive, anti-choice minority; this must end. Summit participants will gain the tools needed to ensure that choice is protected for generations to come," Everitt said. General registration is $40 and includes the cost of lunch and the summit activities. Need-based subsidies and childcare stipends are available. Participants may register online at www.ProChoiceCA.org or by calling 415/890-1020. Sarah Weddington’s keynote address is scheduled for 12:00 noon and will be open to the press. NARAL Pro-Choice California is the political arm of the pro-choice movement. The group works daily to elect pro-choice candidates, promote pro-choice policy, and mobilize pro-choice voters. Contact: Tamara Murray, 415/890-1020
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