Northwest Arkansas socialist group hosts abortion rights rally in Fayetteville
Over 200 abortion rights supporters gathered at Fayetteville's town center for a rally after the Supreme Court announced the overturn of Roe V. Wade Friday.
The rally was organized by the Northwest Arkansas Socialist Alternative, part of the national organization whose mission is stated: "fight in our workplaces, communities, and campuses against the exploitation and injustices people face every day."
Anna Hamaker, member of the organization, encouraged protestors to join their movement.
"Our position is basically, to radicalize the working people to build a mass movement to fight for abortion rights, free health care for all, safe affordable housing, the right to form union and things like that," she said. "We want to emphasize that the Democratic Party does not work for us anymore. They have not fulfilled their promises."
The rally lasted two hours to let many protestors speak to share their experiences with abortion, sexual violence, birth control and more.
Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for governor in Arkansas, spoke at the event alongside Kelly Krout, candidate for lieutenant governor.
One of the protestors who spoke, Ollie Moss Bloodthrone, lives with stage three endometriosis. She also identifies as transgender and nonbinary.
"Without birth control, I would die," she said. "This is also a very big thing because hormones are also something that helps with that. I have several friends who have taken their lives because they have not been able to get access to health care and access their rights. That's always something that I'm going to stand for."
Bloodthrone said her grandfather taught her to live every minute to the fullest.
"I deserve to have my rights, so does every human, regardless of race, sex, gender, where they came from, poverty level, immigrant or not, they deserve to have rights," she said. "I'm gonna live until I'm not and as long as I'm living, I'm gonna fight."
Bloodthrone believes the pro-choice movement is for everyone.
"It is pro-Black people, it is pro-poor people, it is pro-LGBTQ," she said. "It is pro-those that even if you do not like them, they should deserve to live."
Maxwell Morrow from Rogers, Arkansas decided to speak in front of the crowd at the protest because he was motivated by what others had to say.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: NW Arkansas socialist group hosts abortion rights rally in Fayetteville
