I Be Black Girl Wants You to Pay Close Attention to These Bills: LB 781 & LB 933
Michaela Atkins speaks at a rally for women's rights in front of Omaha City Hall in October 2021.
By Michaela Atkins
As the Reproductive Justice Organizer for I Be Black Girl, it’s my job to ensure we have freedom to choose healthcare that is right for us. Reproductive justice describes our right to have control over our bodies, to have kids or not have kids and to parent the kids we have in safe communities. I grew up in North Omaha, just minutes away from Metro North Community College and North Omaha is where I found a passion for advocating for my community and my people.
Residents of my community, as well as folks across Nebraska, need to know that certain state senators are trying to pass laws that will have a direct impact on our lives, health and futures. The legislative session is currently underway and there have been multiple bills introduced to strip Nebraskans’ rights and access to quality health care including abortions. One of the bans introduced (LB 781) would eliminate abortion access at approximately six weeks, before most people even know they’re pregnant, and the other (LB 933) would ban abortions altogether if the U.S. Supreme Court reverses Roe v. Wade at the end of this term. The Nebraska legislative session only runs through April, so the time - our time - to speak up is now.
“These types of bills take away our freedom to make the decisions that are best for us, removing our ability to make that decision based on our individual circumstances.”
In addition, there are other bills that water down the health education young people are getting in our public schools. Not only are some politicians trying to take away the rights to quality and complete health care, they are also trying to devalue the importance of comprehensive and medically accurate sexual health education that students receive.
We deserve to make our own decisions about our bodies and students deserve an education that helps them be able to make the best decisions for their circumstances and their futures. These bills would deny that.
These proposed abortion bans would inflict harm that cannot be undone. Being from a Black family in Omaha I’m able to recognize the inequities within systems, including our educational system that already hinders access to inclusive information about abortion and sexual health. So if Nebraska state senators restrict the accessibility of education and health care even more, it will disproportionately impact Black communities and families the most, particularly young Black people.
When there is a threat to our reproductive rights, it is also a threat to all human rights. Regardless of how someone may feel about abortion, most of us would agree that the decision to create or not create a family should be left up to that individual, without government interference. No one should have the power over another person to make a decision about their life or their body.
As a community, we have the ability to liberate each and every one of us through education and empowerment. I want us to remember how important it is that Black voices and experiences are at the forefront of any movement because when we have justice and equity for our community, that opens the opportunity for others to receive the same.
“As we watch the Nebraska legislative session unfold, I want everyone to pay close attention to the bills, policies and programs that are introduced and reflect on how they will impact Black people’s lives.”
Our voices, experiences and existence are just as powerful and important as anyone else’s, and we have the right to be heard.
Some Other Bills Will Improve Abortion Access
Although we have legislation introduced to minimize our rights, we are also seeing bills with the intention of removing barriers to healthcare. One bill (LB 716) focuses on allowing more qualified health care workers to perform abortions and therefore increase accessibility to more people, and another (LB 715) aims to help alleviate the cost by allowing insurance to cover the procedure. We know that accessibility and cost are two of the most common barriers that impact the folks living in North Omaha in comparison with other areas in Omaha. As North Omahans, we need to engage and support legislation that is for the betterment of our people.
There are many ways to get involved and the time to do so is now. The option to email and call local senators is a great way to get engaged and advocate for yourself and those around you. An easy way to follow what is happening in the Nebraska legislature is to subscribe to our local organizations’ newsletters like I Be Black Girl, ACLU of Nebraska, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Women’s Fund of Omaha. These are just a few organizations that are committed to protecting the reproductive rights of Nebraskans.
So what are we saying? We are saying that we deserve to decide.
