Episode 77: Abortion and the Black Community: A Conversation with Pro-Black Pro-Life
Why is that the vast majority of abortion clinics are located in minority neighborhoods? Cherilyn Holloway, founder of Pro-Black Pro-Life says, “what many call access is in reality extermination.” Holloway’s love of neighbor and desire to see the members of her community thrive is what caused her to start asking why there are a disproportionate number of abortions and abortion clinics in the black community.
Holloway says, “The human rights issue of our time is that we don’t value all lives.” Further, “we have to become a culture that supports and values motherhood.” Holloway calls abortion a bandaid—a quick fix to complex problems that need the attention, holistic care, and resources of the broader community, especially the church. Pro-Black Pro-Life was started so that black women considering abortion would know they have other options. Seeing a connection between racial justice and pro-life issues, Holloway’s vision is to reach the black community with a whole-life message, so that black women might feel empowered to choose life. She wants to make abortion altogether unnecessary.
On this episode of All Things we discuss the 49th Annual March for Life that took place last week (including a confrontation by a Neo-Nazi group in attendance), where race and life issues intersect, why Holloway calls abortion both a genocide and a bandaid, black maternal health (Did you know black women are 3-4x as likely to die in childbirth as white women?), and the need for the pro-life movement to integrate itself into marginalized communities so that we might create holistic structures to support vulnerable moms. Holloway has a fascinating life story herself and brings much wisdom and experience to the table. As the calendar turns from Sanctity of Human Life Month to Black History Month, this episode of All Things speaks to both.
Does the March for Life have a white supremacy problem? - Kevin Clarke
Racial Disparities Persist in Maternal Morbidity, Mortality and Infant Health - AJMC
Beyoncé, Serena Williams open up about potentially fatal childbirths, a problem especially for black mothers - Allyson Chiu
Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2014 - CDC
Study: Abortion is the leading cause of death in America - Danny David
Alternatives Pregnancy Center in Colorado
Abortion is Not an Unforgivable Sin - Jen Oshman