AAPI Victory Alliance Highlights Impact of Roe v. Wade Overturn on AAPI Women

By Jessel Thomas First Posted: May 04, 2022 09:42 PM EDT

Last night, an initial majority draft of the Supreme Court's opinion on Roe v. Wade indicated that the court would overturn the landmark decision, a ruling that would eliminate the constitutional right to abortion nationwide. Amid Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and, as AAPI Equal Pay Day starts, AAPI Victory Alliance released a statement on the grim impact an overturn of Roe v. Wade will have on AAPI women and women with low incomes.

(Photo: Fireside Campaigns)

AAPI Victory Alliance Vice Chair Luisa Blue issued the following statement:

"As a former ICU nurse and retired international union officer, I have dedicated my life to serve alongside the AAPI community to ensure we all have equitable access to health and social services, as well as fair wages. During AAPI Heritage Month and, on AAPI Equal Pay Day, reproductive justice advocates can't afford to ignore the impact of abortion bans on the AAPI community, especially for AAPI women and AAPIs with low incomes. For too long, AAPIs have been rendered largely unrepresented in reproductive rights discourse. Overturning Roe v. Wade will not halt women from seeking life-saving access to abortion care, instead, it will threaten the lives of many, because of this impending decision, the lives of immigrants and AAPI women with low incomes are at increased stake."

AAPI Victory Alliance Board Member Lala Wu issued the following statement:

"It is no question that legislative and judicial attacks on reproductive health and abortion access will inevitably affect marginalized communities most, particularly AAPI women, immigrants, and AAPIs with low incomes. As the co-founder and executive director of Sister District, my work with state legislatures includes expanding access to quality abortion care for everyone across the country. Laws that restrict an individual's bodily autonomy are draconian, inhumane, and threaten the lives and livelihoods of all marginalized people."

AAPI Victory Alliance Board Member Katie Nguyen Kalvoda issued the following statement:

"The Supreme Court's draft majority opinion to strike down Roe v. Wade is a frightening precursor to a complete unraveling of the protective laws in place to progress the country forward towards equity and justice. Systemic racism, economic insecurity, and immigration status multiply the barriers marginalized communities face when seeking reproductive health care. To know that the U.S. Supreme Court-the highest court in our nation created to protect individuals-plans to dismantle federal legislation ensuring women's rights is an outrage."

AAPI Victory Alliance Board Member Maria Castaneda issued the following statement:

"Even now, nearly 50 years since the landmark Roe v. Wade case was established, access to abortion care is not available for everyone. Throughout my career, I've worked to ensure that health care access is available to everyone-especially AAPI women and women with low incomes who routinely encounter systemic barriers while seeking access to abortion care. During AAPI Heritage Month and AAPI Equal Pay Day, AAPI women need comprehensive equal pay policies such as union representation and access to quality reproductive care that includes abortion access."

AAPI Victory Alliance Chairman and co-founder Dr. Tung Nguyen issued the following statement:

"As a medical researcher, I know firsthand that those within our AAPI community face a unique set of challenges while seeking access to quality abortion care because of language barriers and immigration statuses. To overturn Roe v. Wade would be both an attack on the autonomy of AAPI women, immigrants and AAPI with low incomes and would greatly exacerbate the existing divide between AAPIs and access to equitable reproductive health care."