Center for Reproductive Rights Creative Council releases video on major abortion rights case to be heard March 4th at U.S. Supreme Court

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Reproductive Rights, a global human rights organization, today released a powerful video in which its Creative Council and friends raise awareness about the importance of its upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case, June Medical Services v. Russo, which challenges a Louisiana law designed to eliminate access to abortion care and shut down clinics. The Center successfully challenged an identical law in Texas that the Supreme Court struck down in 2016.

Watch the Center for Reproductive Rights Creative Council video here

In the video, Creative Council members ask for the public's help to protect access to abortion care because "Louisiana lawmakers are trying to deny women their rights. They can't defeat Roe lawfully. So they're doing their damnedest to block access to abortion care by fighting tooth and nail to defend this deceptive law that they know is medically unnecessary and unconstitutional."

The actors, producers, directors, artists, and cultural icons close the video, saying, "So join us. Together, we are powerful. The law, precedent, and the people are on our side. Spread the word."

The compelling one-minute long video will be distributed on the Center's social media platforms on Facebook (@reproductiverights), Instagram (@reprorights), and Twitter (@ReproRights), and at www.reproductiverights.org, as well as by the celebrities on their own social media channels.

"It's crucial that everyone understand what is at stake in this case: safeguarding a woman's constitutional right to access abortion care. We are challenging a law that would force all but one of Louisiana's remaining abortion clinics to close, leaving one million women of reproductive age in Louisiana with only one abortion provider," said Nancy Northup, President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights. "We're also fighting to protect the integrity of the court from politicians who ignore legal precedent and disregard the facts. The Center is grateful to these artists and creatives for using their voices and platforms to make sure Americans know the facts about abortion rights."

Formally announced in October, the Center for Reproductive Rights' Creative Council includes chair Elizabeth Banks (producer, director, writer, actor), as well as founding members Amy Brenneman (actor and producer); Lisa Edelstein (actor, producer, writer, and director); Sarah Jones (Tony-winning playwright/performer and producer); Aja Naomi King, (actor); Cindi Leive (journalist and former editor-in-chief of Glamour); Carol Lim and Humberto Leon (co-founders of Opening Ceremony); Busy Philipps (actor and New York Times best-selling author); and Erika Savage (lawyer and executive at Morphe Cosmetics).

Mark Duplass (producer, director, writer, and actor) and Adam Scott (actor and producer) also participate in the video series.

Other videos in the series will focus on why the celebrities are reproductive rights advocates and another is about the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), a federal bill that would protect the right to access abortion care by creating a safeguard against bans and medically unnecessary restrictions that apply to no other health care.

Supreme Court Rally and Oral Arguments

On March 4th, while lawyers from the Center for Reproductive Rights present arguments inside the U.S. Supreme Court, reproductive rights, health and justice leaders and activists, celebrities, members of Congress, providers and storytellers will stand united in support of abortion access.

Supreme Court rally and oral argument details
Date: Wednesday, March 4: Oral argument and rally at the U.S. Supreme Court
Time: 8AM EST - 12 Noon EST
Where: U.S. Supreme Court, 1 First St NE, Washington, DC 20543
Watch via livestream (Center for Reproductive Rights YouTube channel): 
https://youtu.be/om5c20c_HB4

Visit reproductiverights.org and myrightmydecision.org to learn more about protecting access to abortion care in Louisiana and across the country.

About the Center for Reproductive Rights
The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world. Headquartered in New York City, the non-profit, non-partisan organization has regional offices in Bogota, Geneva, Nairobi, and Washington, DC. Since its founding in 1992, the Center has been involved in every major abortion rights case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court including winning the most recent Supreme Court case Whole Woman's Health vs. Hellerstedt in 2016. This year, just four years after that victory, the Center is back at the Supreme Court fighting to preserve that win and the constitutional right to abortion in June Medical Services v. Russo. 

SOURCE Center for Reproductive Rights