Power

Meet the Team on the Front Lines Providing Abortion Access in the Midwest

Onerous abortion restrictions leave care out of reach for many, particularly in the Midwest.

[GRAPHIC: Undue Burdens movie logo]
Undue Burdens is a documentary that follows the Midwest Access Coalition as they work to help provide access to abortion in the Midwest and beyond. Courtesy photo

From mandatory waiting periods to parental consent for minors, abortion restrictions in the Midwest put abortion care out of reach for many.

That’s where the Midwest Access Coalition comes in, providing travel support to help ease the cost of abortion care. Their work is highlighted in Undue Burdens, a short documentary now available to stream for free.

“Every time I watch [Undue Burdens], I’m struck by the feeling that if I were to just close my eyes and listen to the stories, I would have no idea if the person talking about their abortion experience was a present-day person, when abortion is legal, or someone from the 1960s, when abortion was illegal,” said Galina Espinoza, Rewire News Group’s president and editor in chief.

She recently hosted a conversation with two of the filmmakers behind Undue Burdens—director/producer Andrea Raby and impact producer Sydney Bauer, along with Midwest Access Coalition executive director Diana Parker and Dev Gosberry, a doula and the coalition’s director of training and client coordinator.

From new abortion restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic to Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s recent confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court, 2020 has been a tough year for reproductive rights advocates. And with more anti-abortion cases making their way through federal courts—the final stop before potentially reaching the Supreme Court—2021 isn’t looking any more optimistic.

Watch the conversation with the filmmakers and the people working on the front lines to provide the necessary care that patients need. To view the short film (and to get support for hosting a watch party) you can go here.