By: Current and Former Planned Parenthood Volunteers & Staff
Printed: Ithaca Times / Ithaca.com
As current and former Planned Parenthood volunteers, supporters, and staff, we've dedicated ourselves to protecting access to and advocating for reproductive health services. We've spent countless hours making sure our local clinics meet the varied needs of our clients, including access to abortion. The overturning of Roe is a stark reminder that we must elect the best advocates who will continue to defend our reproductive rights and support our region's health care needs in general.
We strongly believe Lea Webb is the State Senate candidate who will serve the women and children of our region and New York State the best. Among Lea’s many endorsements, we’re most impressed by the endorsement by Eleanor’s Legacy, which has been supporting prochoice Democratic women running for state and local office throughout New York State for more than 20 years. Their selection of Lea Webb in this primary speaks volumes about the Lea’s bona fides as a fierce and effective advocate for reproductive justice for all. Lea has always advocated for women and has secured real results for them. For example, in 2013-2015, she was the Southern Tier Coordinator for the Women’s Equality Coalition, organizing seven counties to help get the Women's Equality Agenda passed in 2015. For years before that, she was a Citizen Action organizer for health care for all, working to ensure that health insurance in New York would cover birth control and abortion. Lea understands that without reproductive justice, the burden falls hardest on people of color, immigrants, people in rural areas, and those without the money to travel for their care. Further, she knows that access to reproductive health care is just part of the picture. That's why, when she served for eight years on Binghamton City Council, she worked to expand affordable housing, passed legislation supporting equal pay for women, remove lead paint from homes, provide access to affordable healthy food, and prevent the privatization of nursing homes—actions that center the needs of women and children across the lifespan. Lea is an accomplished public servant with the experience needed to represent us well in Albany. A lifelong resident of the Southern Tier, she has the depth of knowledge about the needs of our communities that we are looking for. As our State Senator, she will work to ensure that reproductive rights are further protected and abortions remain accessible by supporting the equality amendment in New York State’s Constitution, and by pushing for adequate funding for our clinics, to meet the increased volume that is expected as people come here from out of state.
Importantly, our elected officials must work effectively with others. Lea has proven herself to be a tireless collaborator and problem solver, always thinking of those who need our services most. We wholeheartedly endorse Lea Webb for State Senate in the August 23 primary.
August 3rd, 2022