Hi everyone! My name is Samah Ahmed and I am continuing with my internship with the New Orleans Abortion Fund this semester.
Women’s March
As soon as I returned to school from winter break, I joined NOAF and hundreds of other New Orleans residents at the Women’s March in January. It was a wonderful way to start off 2018 and my final semester at Tulane as I saw many of my classmates, co-workers, and neighboring residents take to the streets with signs and costumes (I even saw a group of people dressed as Handmaids from Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale) and chants and even flags (with signs like “not a sh*thole country”), as other movements were incorporated into the march as a way to show dissatisfaction with the Trump Administration in general. I even donned one of NOAF’s famous vulva costumes to raise awareness of our Fund and show solidarity with the movement.
Upcoming NOAF Outloud Events
I spent a good portion of last semester preparing NOAF’s OutLoud program details and networking with groups who would be interested in hosting these events. I am excited to finally host an OutLoud event tonight with a group of LSU medical students at a Medical Students for Choice Meeting. Some of the themes we will explore during our discussion will include the impacts of state and local legislation on people seeking abortion care in Louisiana, the influences of various economic and social factors on people seeking abortions, and the feelings and motivations behind people’s abortion stories. We will explore these themes through videos & personal stories.
I look forward to hosting this event tonight and talking openly about abortion, which is often too stigmatized for discussion.
Fundraising Opportunity
Finally, I’m excited to be part of a fundraising team for NOAF’s annual Game-a-Thon fundraiser. The New Orleans Abortion Fund does critical work in raising money to support women who are not able to afford the full cost (which incredibly high, and always out-of-pocket) of an abortion. If you are interested in contributing to this cause, please consider donating any amount at all to our fundraising page or joining our fundraising team as we try to support this important organization: https://bowl.nnaf.org/team/158073