Statement from Joy D. Calloway, Interim President & Interim CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, on the anniversary of Planned Parenthood’s founding
Contact: Jacquelyn Marrero, [email protected], 646-642-6682
For Immediate Release: Oct. 16, 2020
NEW YORK – “Today we acknowledge the 104th anniversary of Planned Parenthood’s founding. Our organization has come a long way since welcoming women to the first Planned Parenthood health center in Brownsville, Brooklyn on October 16, 1916. Over the course of a century, we’ve made monumental strides in advancing health care and education for generations of New Yorkers. The steadfast commitment of our staff and supporters helped create a state where more people have the tools, information and freedom to live strong, healthy lives.
Planned Parenthood’s legacy is cemented in history, yet we have a long, tumultuous journey ahead of us. That journey requires Planned Parenthood of Greater New York to reckon with our own history and the totality of our legacy, including our founder Margaret Sanger’s actions and beliefs, and break through the grips of structural inequities within and outside of our health centers and wider organization. We do this difficult, but necessary work, in service of Black and Latinx families, immigrant communities, and LGBTQ folks who for too long have carried the weight of injustices on their shoulders.
Through PPGNY’s Reviving Radical initiative, we have begun our work to listen and partner to transform our relationships within communities of color. I am honored to now be part of deepening accountability to our communities.
Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s mission to deliver, advance, and protect sexual and reproductive health care has never been more crucial than now. Amy Coney Barrett’s recklessness on the bench and before the Senate Judiciary Committee reaffirms our commitment to fight for reproductive freedom. Unlike Barrett, we know that access to affordable birth control, STI tests and treatment, cancer screening, wellness exams, and safe, legal abortion are fundamental components to bodily autonomy. That’s why every day, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York welcomes and cares for people from all walks of life into our health centers. We are proud to deliver care with compassion and purpose – today, tomorrow, and always.”
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Planned Parenthood of Greater New York (PPGNY) is a leading provider, educator, and advocate of sexual and reproductive health care in New York State. PPGNY offers a wide range of services at its 30 locations across 65% of NYS - including gynecological care; birth control; cancer screenings; pregnancy testing; STI testing and treatment; HIV prevention, testing, and counseling; transgender hormone therapy; and vasectomy. In partnership with the City of New York and Health and Hospitals Corp, PPGNY is also proud to provide abortion services to anyone who needs compassionate, non-judgmental care. PPGNY is a trusted source of medically accurate, evidence-based information that allows people to make informed decisions about their health and future. As a voice for reproductive freedom, PPGNY supports legislation and policies that ensure all New Yorkers have access to the full range of reproductive health services and education.