Black Women Deserve Better. Our Country Deserves Better.

Note: On Sept. 30, 2024, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney issued a Final Order striking down Georgia’s six week abortion ban. The state’s attorney general has appealed the ruling to the Georgia Supreme Court. Providers have resumed providing abortions beyond six weeks while the stay blocking the ban remains in place.
The recent news of the devastating, preventable deaths of Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller — both of whom died after not being able to get the abortion care they needed in Georgia — sent a shock wave through the nation. As reproductive justice advocates who fight every day to mitigate the destructive effects of the Dobbs decision, we warned profusely that eliminating the constitutional right to abortion would cause people to suffer acute health complications, infertility―and yes, even death. But even still, knowing these two Black mothers were taken from their families as a direct result of Georgia’s post-Dobbs abortion ban is an infuriating reality I don’t think any of us were prepared to live in.
I can’t look at the picture of Amber next to her son’s smiling face, or Candi with her family at Christmas time without holding back tears. And yet, the collective sorrow felt by the public at this moment pales in comparison to what Amber and Candi’s families have endured since their passing two years ago (but just now reported for the first time). My heart is with them as they relive the tragic events, hopeful that their immense pain will bring about change.
The Atlanta metropolitan area of Georgia, where Amber and Candi lived abundantly joyful lives, is often referred to as the “Black Mecca,” where Black intellect, creativity, activism, and entrepreneurship is cultivated and often celebrated. But when it comes to caring for Black women and families, the state’s reputation is less than stellar.
Georgia consistently ranks top among states for the highest rates of maternal mortality, along with many of its neighbors in the Deep South. And when it comes to Black women, the maternal mortality rate is more than double that of non-Hispanic, white women. Georgia has also declined to expand Medicaid—which would extend health insurance coverage to nearly 200,000 uninsured Georgians. Instead, the state has poured millions of taxpayer funds into crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) that mislead and coerce pregnant individuals seeking care. Additionally, Georgia does not require paid family or medical leave for all workers, has not increased its minimum wage beyond the federal $7.25 threshold set in 2009, and has a childhood poverty rate above the national average.
The heartbreaking stories from Georgia hit especially close to home for me, as I called Atlanta my home for over a decade. I began my life there as a college freshman at an illustrious historically Black college in the heart of the city. I made lifelong friends―my sisters―and developed the undaunted commitment to service that thrives in me today. We were taught to care for our community while our institution cared for us. They provided us with counseling and quality health care services, including comprehensive reproductive care. It pains me to think about how students there today have fewer options and less freedom than we did nearly 20 years ago.
My best friend was one of the first people I met in Atlanta. She recently reminded me that during our sophomore year, she went to the hospital after taking abortion pills―medication that was and still remains one of the safest drugs on the market―to complete her intended abortion. The routine care she received was a D&C (dilation and curettage), the same procedure doctors denied Amber Nicole Thurman in the 20 hours leading up to her death. If Amber had received a D&C in a timely manner, she would likely be alive today.
Over the years I forgot this detail of my friend’s experience. What I remember most from her abortion is how relieved she felt to be able to continue her education, her relationships, and her life on her terms. To this day, she has no regrets about her decision, and still believes it was the best thing she could’ve done for herself at the time.
Taking away a constitutional right to abortion has stolen so much from us. Precious children have lost mothers. Parents have lost children. Partners have lost the love of their lives. Sisters have lost best friends. And best friends have lost sisters.
Let’s be clear. Abortion is health care! And abortion bans are killing pregnant people across the country. We must stop these extreme bans on our autonomy and our freedoms now!