photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Many gathered for a women’s rights rally in South Park on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

There was no lightning in the sky during Lawrence’s rainy women’s rights rally on Saturday, but you might have heard a thunderous chant at the end: “We’re not going back!”

It came from the dozens of people leaving South Park carrying their umbrellas, deck chairs and signs — a slogan that defined Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign and one that Johnson County LGBTQ+ activist Jae Moyer said everyone Kansa should take it to heart.

“I want all these people to know that if you don’t stand for unity and peace and common sense, then we’re moving forward and we’re not bringing you with us because we’re not coming back,” Moyer said to the crowd in the gazebo.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Many people brought umbrellas and ponchos were provided at the women’s rights rally on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

Held in anticipation of the Nov. 5 general election, Saturday’s rally featured quite a few notable women on Lawrence’s political scene: state Rep. Barbara Ballard; state Sen. Marci Francisco, the incumbent running to represent District 2; Melinda Lavon, chair of the Douglas County Democratic Party; Dena Sattler, candidate for Kansas Senate District 3; Brooklynne Mosley, presumptive representative-elect for Kansas House District 46; Ursula Minor, president of the Lawrence chapter of the NAACP; Dr. Ashley Bloom; and Amii Castle, attorney and professor at KU.

Many of them urged the public to support Democratic candidates and highlighted the challenges that individuals in America face in accessing abortion care and making their own reproductive health choices.

“Others here like me remember life before Roe v. Wade,” Francisco said. “Women lost their lives because safe reproductive health care wasn’t available.”

Francisco added that while Kansans have voted to keep abortion legal in the state after Roe v. Wade is overturned in 2022, there is more work to be done to address economic and health care barriers.

“The Health Rankings report shows Kansas 32nd in the nation for how well our health system is doing for women,” Francisco said. “Maternal health statistics show black women face far more challenges at birth.”

Minor said black women’s maternal rights include the right to safe and healthy pregnancies and births and the right to make decisions about their bodies.

“However, women of color face higher rates of maternal mortality than other women in the United States,” Minor said. “… A recent study projected that banning abortion would increase US pregnancy-related deaths by 39 percent for African-American women.”

Castle, meanwhile, warned about Project 2025 — a multifaceted plan devised by the Heritage Foundation for the next Republican president to overhaul executive power — and what it could mean for women’s reproductive rights.

“It’s a 900-page blueprint for Donald Trump to implement scary policies, especially for women,” Castle said.

Castle said returning abortion to the states was something Trump was proud of, but abortion policies in states like Texas and Oklahoma have few or no exceptions for rape or incest.

“We’re hearing these horror stories about the consequences of these Trump abortion bans,” Castle said. “Women are denied medical care because doctors fear they will go to jail if they treat pregnant women. Women are dying while waiting for medical care.”

Signs that say, “We’re not coming back!” were handed out at a women’s rights rally on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

But Saturday’s rally wasn’t just about high stakes, it was also about optimism and looking to a brighter political future.

Mosley said that when he thinks about progress, he doesn’t see it as a destination, but a journey. And it won’t stop anytime soon.

“There was a time when the destination was simply wearing pants, and look at us now,” Mosley said. “There was a time when the destination was just to get your name on the ballot, and now we occupy offices and have our perspective at the table.”

“Our destination is the White House, and we’ll be able to do that on Tuesday,” Mosley said.

Ballard said women have voted the most in federal elections and won’t stop now. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, she said it was because the people didn’t have a vote — only the Supreme Court did.

“We were hoping it would stay the same, but we didn’t have a vote,” Ballard said. “They took it and sent it back to the state. Then they gave Kansas an opportunity to challenge it and oh no, it’s down.”

Dr. Ashley Bloom of LMH Health speaks at a rally on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

Bloom said that no politician has any place telling a woman or a family when, where or how they should raise their family or raise a family.

“We have people in our community who fear that if (Project) 2025 goes through, they won’t be able to parent their children, and so it’s our job to protect them and stick together.”

Everyone at the rally was brought together to fight for women’s reproductive freedoms and affordable health care for everyone, Sattler said, and she urged everyone to make their voices heard long after the crowd at South Park scattered.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Sattler said. “We will vote. We will vote for Kamala, but all the way.

“This is important.”