Our Promise to You on What Would’ve Been the 53rd Anniversary of Roe v Wade

As of today, January 23, 2026, 41 states have abortion bans in effect, including 13 states with total bans and 28 states with bans based on gestational duration. For millions of people, including far too many Black women and birthing people, abortion care is no longer a right… it is functionally out of reach.

At Black Women for Wellness (BWW) and Black Women for Wellness Action Project (BWWAP), we are clear about what this moment means. The fall of Roe reinforced a system that has always attempted to control Black bodies and Black reproduction.

The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade — which shifted the decision of access to a safe and legal abortion to the states — has cast a shadow on reproductive freedoms, putting at risk the ability of women and birthing people to make personal, private decisions about their bodies and pregnancies. 

Abortion bans do not save lives. The preventable deaths of at least seven women have been linked to being denied timely medical care. Pregnancy should never mean the loss of responsive healthcare, yet across the country, politics are being prioritized over the health and safety of pregnant people.

Black women already face deep structural barriers in accessing quality reproductive healthcare, including abortion. Creating laws that criminalize women and pregnant people impacts Black people more so than others. We are aware that practicing self determination and having autonomy over our bodies as Black people has long been problematic in this country. 

The United States currently faces alarming statistics, with the highest maternal death rate among developed countries. Black women, in particular, are 3 to 4 times more likely to experience a pregnancy-related death than any other race. Forcing women to carry unwanted pregnancies can have deadly consequences, particularly for Black women.

Women are dying as abortion bans leave us to navigate broken medical systems alone, while our doctors are silenced by fear of the law. These bans criminalize pregnancy outcomes, place providers under threat, and force patients into impossible situations.

We know the stakes. Unwanted or unsupported pregnancies directly affect financial stability, housing security, educational attainment, and employment opportunities. Reproductive justice means access to the full spectrum of reproductive and sexual health care. It means the right to decide whether or not to continue a pregnancy, free from coercion, shame, or fear. It also means having the resources to parent with dignity when we choose to do so.

In the face of government failure, our promise to Black women is unshakeable:

• We will continue the critical work for reproductive justice, fighting for access to affordable, safe, and legal abortions for all women / pregnant people —  no matter where they live, who they are, or how much money they have or do not have.
• We will continue to defend the fundamental human rights of autonomy, dignity, and self-determination over our bodies and our lives.
• Black Women for Wellness, along with our sister organization Black Women for Wellness Action Project, will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder to advance the Reproductive Justice movement because we know we can’t back down, our lives are on the line and too much is at stake.

“We must go beyond Roe and ensure everyone can make informed decisions about their own bodies, free from barriers, coercion, stigma, and oppression,” says Tyla Adams, BWW’s Sisters in Control Reproductive Justice program manager. “Anti-abortion extremists have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to dismantling bodily autonomy, advancing policies that endanger lives and inflict harm in multiple, intersecting ways. Today, we reflect on the devastating impact abortion bans have had on our communities and honor the women we’ve lost and their stories.”

“While the Dobbs decision was a setback,” she adds, “it also compels us to envision, and fight for a more expansive future for access and reproductive freedom.”

LaKisha Camese, Interim Policy Director for BWW and BWWAP, shares: “On what would have been the 53rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are clear-eyed about the harm caused by its dismantling — harm that has fallen hardest on Black women, girls and gender-expansive birthing people. This current federal administration has intensified attacks on our bodily autonomy, safety and right to make decisions about our own lives. But let there be no mistake: this fight is far from over! BWW and BWWAP remain steadfast in our promise to have the backs of Black women and girls. We will continue to organize. We will continue to advocate. And we will reclaim our reproductive rights.”

This is why we do the work we do. 

“BWW exists to lift the voices, experiences, wisdom and lives of Black women and girls, who are most impacted by restrictive laws, denials of basic human rights, limitations of health care access and instabilities caused by unfair and unjust policies,” says Janette Robinson Flint, BWW’s co-founder and executive director. “Reproductive justice is a basic human right and on this anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we see the impact of its repeal. Our promise We Got You still stands.”

As we mark what would have been the 53rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, let this moment remind you that this work is urgent. The stakes are real. And Black Women for Wellness/Action  Project will continue to be at the forefront of this fight today and always.

Here’s how you can take action today:

• Donate: Support Black Women for Wellness and help ensure Black communities have the resources we need to thrive while advancing Reproductive Justice.
• Join the movement: To stay connected and take action, sign up for our newsletter and become a member.

In solidarity,

Black Women for Wellness and Black Women for Wellness Action Project