October 17, 2024
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Underwood to speak at abortion rights rally in DeKalb on Saturday

Event marks 2 years since Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade

By Kelsey Rettke
Larissa Vander Kurr, from Sycamore, chants with the crowd Friday, June 24, 2022, during a rally for abortion rights in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore. The group was protesting Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion.

Larissa Vander Kurr, from Sycamore, chants with the crowd in this Shaw Local file photo Friday, June 24, 2022, during a rally for abortion rights in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore. The group was protesting Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional protections for abortion. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

DeKALB – U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, will speak at an abortion rights rally Saturday in DeKalb, planned to help mobilize voters to support candidates in November who back reproductive rights, organizers said.

DeKalb-area activists are calling Saturday’s event a Rally for Reproductive Rights to mark two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections upheld in Roe v. Wade.

The demonstration planned by Responsive Engagement Activating Civic Talent will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at Peace Corner, First Street and Lincoln Highway in downtown DeKalb and is expected to feature a lineup of speakers and musicians.

Speakers will kick off at 5 p.m. and include Underwood; Mary Ellen Schaid, executive director of the DeKalb-based crisis center Safe Passage; Rianne Hawkins, senior director of public policy and advocacy for Planned Parenthood of Illinois; Laura Vazquez; and Sara Dady, according to a news release from the organization, also known as REACT.

The event is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of DeKalb County, Safe Passage and the DeKalb Area Women’s Center.

June 24 will be two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, setting off a catalyst that fueled states across the country to enact stricter laws or ban abortion outright.

Abortion remains legal in Illinois, an outlier in Midwestern states. Missouri, Indiana and Kentucky have banned abortion, while Wisconsin has enforced a 22-week abortion ban.

Rallies and demonstrations are expected across the country over the weekend to mark the two-year SCOTUS decision.

Abortion now is banned at all stages of pregnancy, with limited exceptions, in 14 Republican-controlled states, The Associated Press reported. In three other states, it’s barred after about the first six weeks, which is before many know they are pregnant. Most Democratic-led states have taken actions to protect abortion rights and become sanctuaries for out-of-state patients seeking care.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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