Horizons Fall 2015 Newsletter

Page 1


Thank you First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio!

Through their “Share the Plate” program, members of First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio (First UU) contributed $3,749

to support the great work of Planned Parenthood South Texas. In addition to doing something wonderful for the

men, women and teens who rely on us (funding nonjudgmental charity health care), our friends at First UU did something wonderful for staff. Members of the congregation wrote personal notes of gratitude which were presented to every member of Planned Parenthood staff, along

Your kindness touched our hearts and lifted our spirits, and we are so grateful for all you do to encourage justice and compassion in our community.

with a gift card.

Above: Members of First

UU with Jeffrey Hons.


2015 Board of Directors Chair Alan Kramer Vice-Chair Alison Boone Treasurer Barbara Moschner Secretary Kathy Armstrong Immediate Past Chair Marty Hixon Lila Aguirre Elise Boyan Cheryl Davis, DMD Ceci Goldstone Pat Jasso Pat Kalmans Ellen Lake Janet McNutt Don McRee Yvonne Pelayo Stuart Schlossberg Susan Smith Joyce Townsend Gerri Wolfle

Planned Parenthood South Texas

Table of Contents PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE l 2 conversations Exhibit l 4 Opening Reception November 5 habla con tu hermana is back! l 6 Beloved Promotora Program Returns to the Valley Now we fight back! l 8 Setting the Record Straight and Going on Offense What’s your statusl 12 More than 100 People Receive Free STD Screenings volunteers needed l 13 Help us make a difference from our patients... l 14 Thank you notes from our patients Congratulations Jeffrey! l 15 Recipient of the SA Reproductive Equity Award A Letter from dudley harris l 16 Pottery Sale Benefits Planned Parenthood

President & CEO Jeffrey Hons Senior Vice President & COO Polin C. Barraza, RN

We provide and protect the health care and information people need to plan their families and their futures. www.ppsouthtexas.org


had so much fun at the Champagne Dedication of our new building at 2140 Babcock Road. Capital campaign donors were invited for a special evening to celebrate their philanthropy that has made our Next Generation Facility a reality. Hosted by Capital Campaign Chair, Pat Smothers, the evening included fantastic food, tours of the facility, and much champagne. In a dramatic moment we unveiled a 4ft x 4ft photograph of Debra Sugerman’s Dive In, to hang in the Smothers Lobby as a never-ending thank you to Pat for her leadership and drive.

We built 2140 Babcock for health care, not for parties, and so every space was filled with capital campaign donors who came to see the building. Going forward, we will be scheduling tours and receptions so that the entire family of Planned Parenthood South Texas supporters and partners will have an opportunity to see our new home. 2

2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS


I hope you saw recent news that the City of San Antonio hired an outside zoning expert to review all matters in relation to our new building—this following unrelenting pressure from our detractors accusing the city of favoring Planned Parenthood and ignoring zoning rules. Despite all the noise from these angry people, the outside expert found that all is in order at 2140 Babcock and everything was handled properly. This does not surprise me. For the past 2+ years I have spent a great deal of time focusing on the new building—raising money, meetings to plan the layout, careful planning for the move so as to have perfect continuity of the clinical operation. Now that we are…well, here, I realize there is important work that has been on hold for some time. I am looking forward to spending more of my time planning our future, developing ideas, creating new opportunities for Planned Parenthood South Texas to achieve the mission with greater success. There is much more for us to do. I’m excited. I hope you are, too.


Conversations

An exhibit curated by Scott A. Sherer, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Art History, University of Texas at San Antonio

Curator’s Statement

S

ometimes, even the most simple situations surprise us with variable challenges. We may find the experience of talking across the kitchen table, chatting at the photocopier, catching a stranger’s attention at a supermarket, composing an old-fashioned letter, an e-mail, or a text to be smooth and easy. At times, we may have difficulty expressing thoughts and approaching particular topics. Emotions change and opinions waver between firm and flexible. We have immediate responses and we deliberately prepare for the infinite possibilities of response and potential affect. All of us inherently respond to the people and the world around us, and we all know that both what we say and how we say it combine to affect meaning.

This exhibition, Conversations, presents the underlying character of the exercise of women’s unvoiced private thoughts, intimate discussion, routine presentation, and dramatic declaration. The artists consider narratives of communication in women’s lives, as well as the very processes inherent in the actions of thought, reverie, dialogue, and inscription in personal and cultural history.

6

2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS


Exhibit Opening Reception

5:30pm- 7:30pm

Thursday, November 5 Exhibit open to public thru Nov. 21.

French & Michigan Gallery

@ 115 Michigan Ave. A portion of all sales will be donated to Planned Parenthood. Please RSVP to Angela Koester at angela.koester@ ppsouthtexas.org or 210.572.5278 Planned Parenthood recognizes the importance of art as an integral element of community—a source of inspiration and a reminder of humanity’s potential for greatness. Left: Anabel ToribioMartinez. Interference, 36” x 56”, oil on panel, 2013

The Artists Anabel Toribio-Martinez’s paintings depict intimate moments of women’s lives, of the power of private thoughts and of the nuanced threads that extend throughout the tenuous character of relationships.

Mira Hnatyshyn’s work depicts the strength

of women in contemporary culture, honoring the self and challenging the legacy of discourses that influence women’s lives and the lenses through which we may view women in life and in representations.

Julia Barbosa Landois’s works on paper consider how language operates, how words such as “mom” and “madre” may carry a range of connotations from humorous pop-culture memes to the vulgar. Jenelle Esparza’s sculptural installation focuses on the function of the power of words and their relationships to women in various stages of their lives as they pass insight and information across generations. Libby Rowe considers the character of visual

and textual modes of communication that connect and transform virtual distances that link the unique space where one might have a cup of tea to the unique space of another sitting faraway in another time zone.

Christie Blizard challenges the character of

how meaning is traditionally “framed” in public and private spheres. Based upon her investigations of the possibilities and limitations of painting and performance, in a recent project, she has been accessing national television media with her body, her text paintings, and her challenge to others to consider how media influences our psyches and the societies in which we live. 2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

5


Promotora Program Returns to the Valley

A

fter a two and half year hiatus, Habla Con Tu HermanaSM is back. In 1999, Planned Parenthood began a unique, peer-to-peer community education program, Habla Con Tu Hermana (Talk to Your Sister). Through trained promotoras, Habla Con Tu Hermana delivered comprehensive sex education, as well as information on other important topics, to women in our communities. The program was designed by Latinas for Latinas and early on, Habla Con Tu Hermana was one of the few promotora programs across the country working to inform and educate Latina communities about reproductive health. Due to continued political attacks on Planned Parenthood that led to severe cuts in funding, we were forced to make the difficult decision to temporarily pause Habla Con Tu 6

2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS


a

Hermana in 2012 and focus our efforts on health care delivery and services. Through this time, some of our most active and dedicated promotoras continued tabling events and providing health information on a volunteer basis. Late last year, we launched a pilot program in Brownsville and Harlingen that included a combination of: health services vouchers, two free health screening days, social media promotion and patient navigation. The pilot program proved to be a great success and served as a catalyst to relaunch Habla Con Tu Hermana in Rio Grande Valley.

Pa u l a S

al d

“The need for Habla Con Tu Hermana continues. The women who live in the Valley work hard and want a better life for their families,” says Paula Saldana, Lead Patient Navigator/ Community Health Worker.

“Education about family planning, breast and cervical cancer prevention, and talking to your kids about sex are meaningful and we provide all of this through Habla Con Tu Hermana. But what sets us apart is that we also guide her through the process of getting health care, which can be scary for many women. We are educators, we are navigators, we are translators — we are sisters.” Community outreach has already begun and Habla Con Tu Hermana has had a presence at area health fairs and festivals, including: Cameron County Social Services Health Fair, Vive Tu Vida Health Fair, and Pride in the Park. Habla Con Tu Hermana will also host six sidewalk health fairs at Planned Parenthood called, Clinica Festival, the first on October 30. n

For more information about Habla Con Tu Hermana, please contact: Valerie Mascorro at (210) 572-5288 or valerie.mascorro@ppsouthtexas.org. 2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

7


E

very year, more than 2.7 million people—women, men and teens—rely on Planned Parenthood in the U.S. They come to us for birth control, early screenings for breast and cervical cancers, gynecological care, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. They are young, they are older. They come from all ethnic backgrounds. Some have insurance, most don’t. What they have in common is a need for quality health care. Over the summer, a series of highly edited, deceptive videos were released by an anti-abortion group claiming that Planned Parenthood profits from fetal tissue donation. Actors went “uncover” for what appears to be at least two years in an attempt to entrap employees. They didn’t find any wrongdoing, so they edited the videos and spliced them in a way to increase shock value, while the numerous times where Planned Parenthood staff showed sensitivity and seriousness were removed over and over again.

8

2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

That need isn’t going away, no matter how many times anti-choice groups attack Planned Parenthood (see left). State and federal investigations, sensational “journalism”, and clinic protests don’t address the real health needs of the people who walk through our doors. Unfortunately the attacks won’t end soon. And that is why we, along with millions of our supporters, are fighting back and setting the record straight. Since the release of the discredited videos:

w A forensic analysis of five of the

videos found evidence that they had been deceptively edited and manipulated. There were at least 42 splices where content is cut and edited together to create the appearance of seamless conversations and change the meaning of statements. On one tape,


a Planned Parenthood staff member in Colorado says 13 separate times that any arrangements related to fetal tissue donation need to be reviewed by attorneys and follow all laws – and all 13 are edited out of the video. Another video was edited so that a Planned Parenthood staffer appeared to be speaking about changing abortion procedures when she was actually talking about lab protocols.

w Of the eleven states that opened

investigations, seven have completed their inquiries—all of them clearing Planned Parenthood of wrongdoing. Investigations are still ongoing in four states, including Texas. It is worth noting that Planned Parenthood does not participate in fetal tissue donation in any of the states that opened investigations.

w On September 29, supporters

across the nation stood together with Planned Parenthood in its first national Pink Out day. Nearly 300 events were held across the country, including free STD testing at select health centers, including our clinic on Ashby (see pg 10). While the in-person events provided Planned Parenthood supporters with opportunities to get involved and advocate for reproductive rights, people also participated in Pink Out through digital and social media.

w In early August, an NBC News/

Wall Street Journal poll revealed that Planned Parenthood has a higher

favorability rating than any other group or individual tested – including the U.S. Supreme Court, President Obama, both political parties, and all candidates running for president. A CNN/ORC poll found that 7 out of 10 Americans oppose shutting down the government over Planned Parenthood funding. And a recent Fox News poll showed that the majority of voters agree that Planned Parenthood should continue to receive federal funding. All in all, TWELVE national polls conducted in the wake of these attacks show strong support for Planned Parenthood. At the same time, our opponents have faced a series of setbacks: The “Center for Medical Progress” (CMS), the organization that created the videos, has encountered legal troubles of its own, including a continued on next page...


continued from pg. 9

federal lawsuit and a California state investigation on whether the CMS violated California law in its video production. Further state and federal anti-choice lawmakers have admitted to viewing the video at least several weeks before they were released, increasing the suspicion that the videos are a politically-motivated coordinated effort. If there was genuine concern about fetal tissue donations, why didn’t these lawmakers voice their objection when they first saw the videos? Presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina, who had enjoyed a bump in the polls after the second Republican debate, saw her numbers drop again, after refusing to admit that she lied about a Planned Parenthood video she purported to have seen (the video does not exist). David Daleiden, the founder of CMS, and creator of the videos, confirmed that Fiorina was lying about the video she claimed to have seen, and further, admitted that parts of the videos weren’t even of procedures at Planned Parenthood. A congressional vote to defund Planned Parenthood failed to pass in the senate, and the congressional hearing proved to be disastrous for anti-choice politicians. House Oversight Committee chair Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), who grilled PPFA president Cecile Richards for five hours, admitted he found no wrongdoing. Still, anti-choice 10

2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

T h e N a t io n

ut for Pinks O nthood Planned Pare

O

n the same day that PPFA President Cecile Richards testified at a biased congressional hearing for more than five hours, scores of supporters across the country showed their solidarity with Planned Parenthood during the first national Pink Out day. In San Antonio, advocates rallied in front of U.S. Congressman Lamar Smith’s district office to show support for the people who rely on Planned Parenthood for their health care, and to bring attention to Smith’s dismal voting record when it comes to health care, immigration reform and other policies that seek to improve the lives of middle class Americans. Area college students also participated in Pink Out. Student volunteers at the University of Texas at San Antonio main campus shared health information and encouraged their peers to show their support for Planned Parenthood. Similar events took place at the University

Supporters in the Rio Grande Valley.


of Texas Rio Grande Valley, both the Brownsville and Edinburg campuses. In the evening supporters in the San Antonio gathered at the local eatery, La Botanica, for an informal celebration and recap of the day’s activities. Among the successes of Pink Out:

• Major TV networks and newspapers in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley covered Pink Out Day—and it was featured on the front page of the San Antonio Express-News! • 7.86 million people engaged the Thunderclap, a social media event when users all make the same post at the same time. • 2.47 million #StandWithPP petition signatures were delivered to Congress • 362,000+ changed their profile image and/or cover photo on Facebook to support Pink Out. • The hashtags #PinkOut and #StandwithPP trended nationally in the Top 3 and #StandwithPP was 7th globally.

lawmakers have promised to deepen their investigations against Planned Parenthood— with the most extreme politicians pledging to shut down the government in December unless PP is defunded*. This pledge has led to great division among the Republican Party leadership, leading many to believe it was the cause of Rep. John Boehner’s decision to resign as House Speaker, and throwing the search for a new speaker into chaos. No amount of politics, however, changes the fact that women, men and teens need quality reproductive health care. They still need birth control. They still need gynecological care. They still need screenings for STDs. And women still need safe and legal abortion care. The need for compassionate, nonjudgmental health care is why people continue to walk through our doors. Unlike those who relentlessly attack Planned Parenthood, our patients know us. They trust us. They know when they visit a Planned Parenthood clinic they will be treated with dignity and respect. And they know that we will continue to fight back, with all our might, to ensure that we will always be here for them—no matter what. n *As of now, the government is temporarily funded through mid-December, with federal funding for Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid and Title X provider intact. 2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

11



There’s more than one way to help!

Client Escort We are currently looking for volunteer Client Escorts at our health center in the South Texas Medical Center (San Antonio). Client Escorts provide support to our clients and help create a safe and welcoming environment at our health centers. Client escorts maintain a positive image of Planned Parenthood; they are peaceful & non-confrontational. Hours are flexible and vary (typically daytime hours). If you are interested in making a difference and joining our amazing group of volunteers by becoming a clinic escort, please contact Mohamed Ali at (210) 572-5298 or mohamed.ali@ppsouthtexas.org.

Advocates You can make a difference using your voice! Advocacy volunteers help further Planned Parenthood’s public affairs initiatives through activities that include: block walking, phone banking, health center advocacy, event tabling and organizing. Hours are flexible and can include weekend and evening hours if preferred. For more information about advocacy opportunities please contact Mabel Diaz at (210) 572-5276 or mabel.diaz@pptexasvotes.org 2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

13


r u o m o Fr ients t a p I’m very proud to say I nned have been coming to Pla y Parenthood for years, the l fee have always made me s welcome and have alway helped me. Thanks!

This has been the most pleasant visit at any clinic I have ever been to. Everyone has been so nice, helpful and extremely informative!

– Karen

– Priscilla

Came in today to get on birth control and the staff was very helpful. I got a full exam. Everyone was so informative and I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. Thank you so much!

– Amanda

Doctor, thank you for your professionalism, openness and respect for your patients. Thank you for helping me and others in the community. I appreciate you and your staff’s empathy. I hope you have a wonderful day.

– Jocelyn

14

2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

Me encanto como me atendieron y todos son muy amables.

- Marisol


San Antonio Reproductive Equity Award

UE LA LUCHA SIG

We are on the right side of history. You need to decide what kind of world you want your children and your grandchildren to live in and make it happen. You cannot stand on the sidelines any longer. You must get involved.

O

n October 16, Jeffrey Hons received the San Antonio Reproductive Equity Award (REA) from the Lilith Fund, an organization dedicated to removing barriers to abortion access. “We have REAs each year to celebrate the commitment and achievements of members of our community in the fight for reproductive justice,” said Misty Garcia, Lilith Fund board member. “Jeffrey’s been on the frontlines of local, state, and national battles over reproductive rights. He led the work to raise $6.5 million and create an ambulatory surgery center in San Antonio. His dedication to reproductive rights is unwavering.” The theme of the evening was La Lucha Sigue (The Struggle Continues), a reference to the daring Mexican luchadores, and an acknowledgement that the fight for reproductive rights is not over. Lilith Fund Board Member Holly Benavides likened Jeffrey to the El Paso luchador, Cassandro. “One of Cassandro’s favorite maneuvers is a risky and stunning dive onto his opponent, knowing that it is impossible to execute such a maneuver unscathed,” said Holly. “Thank you, Jeffrey, for your own stunning feats each day.” n

-Jeffrey Hons To learn more about the Lilith Fund, please visit: www.lilithfund.org L-R: Holly Benavides, Jeffrey Hons and Misty Garcia.


16


Above: Dudley with (L-R) Nisha and Blanca

@ 219 Palo Grande (Near Bitters and 281) San Antonio, TX 210-452-0119 www.thebeautifulbowl.com 2015 FALL/WINTER HORIZONS

17


Address Service Requested

www.ppsouthtexas.org

2140 Babcock Road San Antonio, Texas 78229-4424 210.736.2244

Planned Parenthood South Texas

NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SAN ANTONIO TX PERMIT NO 1498


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.