Mayor Dickens Signs Legislation to Donate $300,000 to Abortion Fund
Wednesday, August 10th, 2022
Mayor Andre Dickens today signed legislation — introduced by District 5 Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari — to allocate $300,000 to support the efforts of Access Reproductive Care (ARC) Southeast. The nonprofit organization provides funding assistance for costs associated with abortion, including travel and accommodations.
“The Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade will have a long-lasting negative impact on health and economic security, disproportionately affecting people of color and low-income households,” said Mayor Dickens. “As attacks on access to safe and legal abortions are underway, I am proud that Atlanta is standing firmly behind reproductive justice for our residents. Thank you to Councilmember Bakhtiari, members of the Atlanta Reproductive Justice Commission, and all the members of City Council who put their support behind this measure.”
The Mayor and Councilmember Bakhtiari were joined by members of the Atlanta Reproductive Justice Commission, City of Atlanta Chief Equity Officer Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim and other reproductive justice advocates for the signing ceremony.
“I am thrilled to see this legislation signed by our Mayor today,” said Councilmember Bakhtiari. “I am grateful to the administration for their commitment to helping people get the resources they need for access to reproductive healthcare and to the reproductive justice organizers around the city for their tireless work on this effort. This funding is critical now that Georgia’s 6-week abortion ban has officially gone into effect, and it is my hope that the city’s partners and other municipalities will follow suit. I am hopeful that this is just the beginning, as there is still so much work to do. But today, we can take a moment to celebrate this win.”
Mayor Dickens continues to work with City Council and the Atlanta Reproductive Justice Commission to explore ways that the City can further support Atlanta residents that need access to reproductive healthcare. To that end, he has assembled a cross-functional Reproductive Rights team within the City of Atlanta led by the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Individuals looking for assistance provided by ARC Southeast can visit this link or call 855-227-2475.
