As you know, we are currently fighting legislative attacks on abortion access and pushing back against the NC General Assembly’s attempts to criminalize reproductive health care.  And as you also likely know, this has been the worst legislative year on record for abortion access in the U.S. For those of us who truly believe in reproductive freedom, we owe it to the members of our community who would be most impacted by the potential end of federal-based protections to come together to form a united, collective front against the pending onslaught of state-based restrictions.

With major developments underway, we wanted to make sure you heard the following news from us:

On June 28, NARAL Pro-Choice America’s board of directors voted to fully nationalize the organization, by eliminating all 11 independent state affiliate organizations, including NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina—a major change in the 50-year structure of the organization. We are disappointed by this decision, especially as it was made without our input and against our recommendation. We are troubled that a new D.C.-concentrated restructure will not leverage the success of state-based organizations like NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, who has worked with our trusted partners to defend abortion access and reproductive freedom in North Carolina to defeat the anti-abortion SB 359 in 2019, keep abortion clinics open, and challenge state and local funding for anti-abortion fake clinics.

While much remains to be decided, the bottom line is this: We here at NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina aren’t going anywhere! We were here yesterday, we are here today, and we'll be here tomorrow. Our team is committed to continuing as the strong North Carolina-based organization you know and love that has served our state for over 40 years, and we’ll keep moving forward with the same values, board, and staff.

All that might change might be our name.  What is important is that we are still here in North Carolina doing the essential work of defending reproductive freedom, abortion access, and more in our state—and we are more committed than ever to this work! In fact, we believe this change will present us with new and limitless opportunities to meet the challenges ahead.

As we chart a new path forward, let’s remember what we’ve always known in North Carolina: True and authentic social change happens at the local level. We remain focused on our shared mission to build community and grassroots power and ensure true reproductive freedom for all North Carolinians. Because, together, we know that our movement is greater than the sum of its individual parts. We see a future of abundance for NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina with even more collective impact, empowered to do more to support communities within and beyond our state borders.

We are filled with gratitude for all of our supporters and partners, and we cannot wait to embrace our ongoing work with a North Carolina-strong and sustained movement of the future.

Thank you for everything, and please know you are welcome to reach out with any questions or to share any feedback with our team.

In solidarity,

Tara Romano, Executive Director
Toni Curry, Development Director
Lynne Walter, Advocacy and Organizing Manager
NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina