Rise Up for Reproductive Rights Rally - Nov. 8, 2025

It was a radiant day. Well, vibe-wise anyway.

According to the weather report it was cold and gloomy.

What was radiant was the fact the so many people came out on a cloudy day to stand up for a fundamental truth: WOMEN’S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS. And people took notice.

We got the attention of both 21 WFMJ and local newspapers.

The segment shown on the 11pm news was amazing and really helped amplify the message, thanks in no small part to a great interview by a certain fearless leader!

But we weren’t without opposition. As we were setting up our tents and tables we heard loud music start up from across the street.

Anti-abortion protesters had showed up as well.

Apparently they too were willing to brave the cold and stand up for their beliefs.

Not gonnalie, that was a challenging moment.

It would have been easy to stay segregated and yell at each other from across the street, but that isn’t what we chose to do.

Some of us decided instead to dialogue with them, to ask them questions and applaud their commitment to their cause (it really was quite chilly.)

Women holding “We love our country END fascism” sign and “Fight the banality of evil”

It was a strong mix of women and men, and despite the cold we stood on Midlothian Ave in the

South Side of Youngstown to fearlessly announce their commitment to the bodily autonomy of all humans.

“Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights” written in chalk by a rally goer

And this is where it gets really inspiring. We took turns. We listened. We shook each others’ hands.

One of the anti-abortion protestors even pulled over as he was leaving to give me a fist bump.

And best of all, one of them agreed to donate 100 bottles of baby formula to our cause.

All in all a radiant day :)