California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, San Francisco Supervisors Connie Chan and Gordon Mar, AAPI Legislative Caucus Members and Prominent Leaders in the Bay Area Chinese Community Call on California to Protect Reproductive Freedoms by Voting YES on Prop 1
Livestream of event can be viewed at Yes on Prop 1 Instagram @yesonprop1ca
San Francisco, CA – California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu joined San Francisco elected officials, reproductive justice organizations, AAPI legislative caucus members, and providers in San Francisco’s Chinatown, urging voters to protect reproductive health care freedoms in California by voting YES on Proposition 1.
“Proposition 1 is about standing together and ensuring that no matter where you live or who you are, you have access to essential reproductive health care, including abortion and contraception,” said California State Treasurer Fiona Ma. “I’m proud to be here with leaders in the Chinese community to show our support for such an important measure and hope that we can come together and vote YES this fall.”
“I am honored to support Proposition 1 because I strongly believe every Californian should have the freedom to make their own decisions about their lives, their health care, and their bodies, including about abortion and contraceptives,” said San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu. “The Supreme Court should NOT have any say in the reproductive health care choices we make with our doctors. Prop 1 will ensure that Californians have the right to abortion care for generations to come and reproductive health care decisions stay out of the hands of politicians or judges and remain in the doctor’s office where they belong.”
“The AAPI Caucus is committed to ensuring the AAPI community has equal access to essential services, including health care like abortion and contraceptives, which is why we are proud to stand strong in our support of Proposition 1,” said Senator Richard Pan, M.D. (D-Sacramento). “As a physician, I know how important it is that medical decisions like abortion stay between a person and their provider, not driven by political agendas. Abortion bans happening across the country are confusing for our AAPI and immigrant communities, especially as these changes are not communicated in native languages. The result is reduced access to care for those who need it most. Prop 1 will ensure that abortion and contraceptive access remain available, regardless of which political party is in power or who controls the court.”
While existing law in California does provide protections for reproductive rights, a recent opinion from the United States Supreme Court puts those protections in jeopardy. Proposition 1 would enshrine the right to abortion care and the right to choose or refuse contraceptives into the California Constitution, protecting essential reproductive freedoms from political influence for generations to come.
“As an Asian American immigrant who has served in San Francisco for almost two decades, I know first-hand how critical it is for people to have access to affordable, safe, and comprehensive reproductive health care,” said San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan. “I’m proud to join countless of leaders and advocates in voting “yes” on Proposition 1 and show that California is ready to protect our rights to abortion for generations to come.
“Anti-abortion extremists have made it abundantly clear that they will not stop to undo decades of progress with the overturn of Roe v. Wade,” said San Francisco Supervisor Gordon Mar. “Here in San Francisco and California, we must continue to protect reproductive freedom, like the right to abortion, by explicitly providing this right in our State Constitution so that everyone, regardless of who controls the government or courts, will have the reproductive healthcare they need. We have to remain committed and show California’s leadership in the fight for reproductive freedom.”
“As a health care provider, I can tell you that the privacy between patients and their doctor must remain sacred – because it saves lives; allows people to choose when to start a family; and allows them to achieve their dreams,” said Dr. Lawrence Cheung, a San Francisco physician. “We can, and we must, take action on the ballot this year by voting YES on Proposition 1 – to explicitly add the freedom to choose abortion into the California Constitution. Voting YES will ensure that everyone – including the most vulnerable – will be able to continue accessing the care they need and deserve.”
“Underlying all of CAA’s work is the principle that every person can make his, her, or their own health decisions, which includes abortion and contraception,” said Annie Lee, Policy Director at Chinese for Affirmative Action. “Reproductive rights are an AAPI issue, which is why we are so proud to support Prop 1.”