SAAN Reproductive Freedom Virtual Film & Discussion Series

Presented by the State Abortion Access Network and SAAN's members across red, blue, and purple states.

Virtual | ~~Aug. 6,~~ ~~Sept. 16,~~ Oct. 23 | 7:00 to 9:30 PM ET

You're invited to join us for our 3-part virtual documentary film series that tells the truth about abortion bans.

Abortion is healthcare. Full stop. And yet, today, 1 in 5 must travel out of state to access abortion care.

Over 20 states have severely restricted or banned abortion. As of June 1, 2025, there have been 2,472 provisions introduced and 19 abortion restrictions enacted across the country.*

Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant, LGBTQ+, rural, young, people of differing abilities, and the financially underserved bear the greatest burdens of these bans. It's estimated that restrictions on abortion cost the U.S. economy $105B each year.**

But even during the bleakest moments, people are courageously fighting back.

We're here to share just a few of their stories.

Meet people impacted by abortion bans, activists pushing back against systemic injustice, and those shaping the resilience and solidarity that define this movement.

Whether you’re tuning in from across the country or organizing a local watch party, thank you for being part of this community. Your presence helps fuel the fight for reproductive freedom — in every state, for every person.

Register for one film or all three! You may also donate directly to support SAAN's members, state-led advocacy organizations building power at the local level, where it's needed the most.

🎟️ Series Schedule - film screening & panel discussion, 7:00-9:30 pm ET:

Wednesday, Aug. 6: Personhood -- Event Concluded
Wednesday, Sept. 16: Plan C -- Event Concluded
Thursday, Oct. 23: Zurawski v Texas

🗓️ Event Flow:

7:00 PM ET – Film screening (streaming link sent to all registered guests)
8:30 PM ET – Live panel discussion with activists, experts, and providers
9:15 PM ET – Wrap-up and next steps for action

You may also contact us to learn more about how you can help. We must build state power so that the people closest to the problems are defining the solutions.

*Guttmacher Institute | **Institute for Women’s Policy Research

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🎟️ FILM SERIES LINEUP:

🗓️ Thursday, October 23: Zurawski v Texas

This film follows three Texas women who were denied medically necessary abortion care while facing life-threatening pregnancy complications as they bring their case to the Texas Supreme Court, with the help of Molly Duane, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. This film speaks to the terrifying reality of what it means to be pregnant in a U.S. state that has banned abortion—and the bravery, grit and determination that it takes to speak out.

After the film screening, stay for our live panel discussion with:

Special Guests:

Molly Duane • Senior Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights

raven e. Freeborn • Executive Director of Avow Texas, SAAN member

Abbie Perrault • Zurawski v Texas Filmmaker, Director, & Producer

Moderated by Jan Mercer Dahms • Managing Director of the State Abortion Access Network (SAAN)

🗓️ August 6: Personhood: Policing Pregnant Women in America -- Event Concluded

This documentary tells the story of a rural Wisconsin mother who was jailed after telling her doctor about occasional pre-conception drug use. Tammy Loertscher's fetus was given an attorney, while the courts denied Tammy her right to due process and body sovereignty. Recently unsealed court recordings provide a rare glimpse into how these closed-door proceedings that have impacted thousands of American women. The film follows Tammy’s story as she rebuilds her life and fights to overturn Wisconsin's ‘Unborn Child Protection Act.’

Special Guests:

Jo Ardinger • Personhood: Policing Pregnant Women in America Filmmaker and Producer

Kellie Copeland • Executive Director of Abortion Forward; SAAN Co-Founder and Advisory Board Chair

Farah Diaz-Tello • Senior Counsel of If/When/How

Cherisse Scott • Founder & CEO of SisterReach

Moderated by Jan Mercer Dahms • Managing Director of the State Abortion Access Network (SAAN)

🗓️ September 16: Plan C -- Event Concluded

Shot over four years capturing the work of activists and providers who mail abortion pills during the COVID pandemic in the face of crumbling reproductive rights across the US. As blue states work to protect and expand access, red state politicians work to criminalize it. What is the responsibility of those in blue states to support their red state neighbors – and what are the risks? Who gets criminalized and who stays safe? Who will die, and who will live, and who gets to choose?

After the film screening, stay for our live panel discussion with:

Special Guests:

Imani Askew-Shabazz • Partnerships Director of Plan C

Taylor St. Germain • Deputy Director of Reproductive Equity Now, SAAN Member

Elisa Wells • Co-founder of Plan C

Moderated by Jan Mercer Dahms • Managing Director of the State Abortion Access Network (SAAN)

What is the State Abortion Access Network (SAAN)?

The State Abortion Access Network is a multi-regional network of state-led advocacy nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting and expanding abortion access across red, blue, and purple states. SAAN was founded by and for state-based organizations to challenge a post-Roe nation. We're flipping the historic dynamic of top-down approaches to state and local work. Join us! Now is the time to invest in local communities to unlock long-term impact.

SAAN Reproductive Freedom Virtual Film & Discussion Series

By State Abortion Access Network

SAAN Reproductive Freedom Virtual Film & Discussion Series

Stories that move us. Voices that mobilize us. A 3-part virtual film and discussion series that exposes the truth about abortion bans and laws that limit reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy.