Activists gather outside of Orlando City Hall for abortion rights in June 2022. (Photo by Jheff Mathis)
ORLANDO | On Saturday, Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani is hosting the “Bigger Than Roe Orlando” march and rally at City Hall in Orlando as part of the National Weekend of Action for Abortion Access.
The event looks to organize abortion rights activists during the 50-year mark of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 landmark decision giving women the right to abortion access and care. The decision was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2022 after nearly five decades as the law of the land.
“We are now a nation without a constitutional right to abortion, with GOP extremists hostile to access, seeking to ban abortion in Florida,” organizers stated in a press release for the event.
Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, 13 states have enacted bans on abortion access and many others have proposed further restrictions.
Eskamani will be joined at the event by state Reps. Johanna López and LaVon Bracy Davis, as well as Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost. Other speakers include Ruth’s List Florida’s Tiffany Hughes, Hope CommUnity Center’s Andrea Montanez, community advocate Arlo Dennis, University of Central Florida’s Dr. Jen Sandoval, youth activist Lola Smuth and Florida NOW’s Debbie Deland.
The event starts at 12 p.m. with speakers programs following close behind at 12:30 p.m., and then a march around the city until 2 p.m.
Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Tallahassee on Sunday to speak on the Roe v. Wade 50th anniversary and to emphasize that abortion rights remain a focus for Biden administration.
There are nearly two dozen rallies and marches planned for this upcoming weekend. To find the event closest to you, visit Floridians for Reproductive Freedom’s website.
