Rally with President Barack Obama and Common Tommorrow!

Join other Planned Parenthood supporters at the Moving America Forward Rally with President Barack Obama and Musical guest Common tomorrow!

Where: Midway Plaisance
1130 Midway Plaisance North
Entrance: North and South sides of Woodlawn Avenue at 59th and 60th Streets
Chicago, IL 60637

When: Saturday, October 30th
Doors open: 4:00 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  You can RSVP with this form.

For security reasons, avoid bringing bags to the rally if at all possible -- you should expect airport-like security. No signs, banners, or laptops are permitted.
Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Barack Obama

PPIA Volunteers Rock!

Last night, PPIA volunteers participated in a phone bank to urge Illinoisans to vote for Pat Quinn for Governor.  Quinn and his pro-choice running mate, Sheila Simon, are supported by PPIA.  

Our fantastic volunteers know that we need a Governor who will provide leadership when it comes to the policies that are important to women and their families.  That's why they're working hard to ensure that voters know that Quinn and Simon are the pro-choice candidates that we can trust.  PPIA CEO, Carole Brite, was on hand to rally the troops!  

It was a great night.  To all our volunteeers, thanks for a job well done!  We truly appreciate all that you do.  To learn how you can get involved, click here.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, volunteer, elections

100% Pro-Choice, Pro-Women

U.S. Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias held a press conference this morning with representatives from various Illinois advocacy groups who once supported Congressmen Mark Kirk but now have lost trust in him. Planned Parenthood Illinois Action was in attendance, along with the Illinois Education Association, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, NARAL, and Defenders of Wildlife.

PP CEO, Carole Brite, spoke at the event and had this to say about Giannoulias:

"Planned Parenthood has endorsed Alexi Giannoulias because he has shown unequivocal support for our issues. He believes everyone should be able to make personal, private medical decisions without government interference. He doesn’t think this right is reserved for those who have special advantages such as money. He believes this is a right for ALL."

As State Treasurer, Giannoulias went outside the scope of his office to fight for women’s reproductive rights in the Illinois General Assembly by actively supporting legislation such as the Reproductive Health and Access Act. Giannoulias is pro-choice and pro-women and PPIA has endorsed him for U.S. Senate.

Check out this video footage from the press conference.
To see a full list of PPIA endorsed candidates, click here.

Why Wait Till November 2nd? Vote Early!

We're all busy.  Sometimes our schedules are just too full, or the unexpected comes along and plans get thrown out the window.  Luckily, when it comes to voting here in Illinois, you don't have to worry about missing your chance to make your voice heard this election day on November 2nd.  

Early voting is currently open, so go ahead and travel to your early election place to conveniently cast your ballot now!  Early voting ends tomorrow, October 28th, so get there while you can.  It's your civic duty.  Why wait? 

Find your early voting location here.  To see PPIA's endorsed candidates, click here.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, elections

Do your part. Let your friends know the truth about Bill Brady.

A recent Tribune/WGN poll has Bill Brady coming out with a slight edge over Pat Quinn for the Illinois Governor's race.  According to the article:

"The poll indicates a sizable chunk of voters — nearly one in three — still have no opinion of Brady despite a year of campaigning for the state's highest office."

Nearly one in three have no opinion?  We've got work to do!  We need to continue to spread the word about Bill Brady's terrible record on women's health issues:

- Bill Brady thinks a pharmacist should decide whether or not to fill your birth control prescription.

- Bill Brady opposes legal abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.

- Bill Brady opposes requiring insurance companies to pay for mammograms, pap smears, and prescription contraceptives.

Do your part TODAY and tell 5 people you know in Illinois the truth about Bill Brady! 

Email your friends, call your family, tell your co-workers!  Take a moment right now.

A recent Sun Times editorial summed it up: 

"In Illinois, nobody has played dodgeball harder than state Sen. Bill Brady, the GOP nominee for governor. And nobody has had better reason. Brady's deeply conservative views on many social issues, if widely known, would appall the more moderate Republican and independent voters he needs to win."

Read the full Sun Times editorial here.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, elections

"Vote Illinois" Rally With President Bill Clinton!

Former President Bill Clinton will be coming to Chicago tomorrow to join Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senate Nominee Alexi Giannoulias in a "Vote Illinois" Rally!
Join Planned Parenthood Illinois Action at the rally and in supporting 100% pro-choice and pro-family planning candidates like Quinn and Giannoulias.

We cannot stress enough how CRITICAL it is that we get the vote out and elect pro-women's health candidates into office. So please, spread the word about voting in Illinois, check out our endorsed candidates, and hopefully we will see you there tomorrow!

Details:
Tuesday, October 26
Doors Open at 9:30am
Palmer House Hilton
Grand Ballroom
17 E. Monroe Street

*The event is free and open to the public. Getting to the event via public transportation is encouraged.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Bill Clinton, Pat Quinn, Alexi Giannoulias

Vote for Alexi Giannoulias for U. S. Senator!

Conservative activists are working to turn out votes in key states, including Illinois, in order to put the leadership of the U. S. Senate into anti-choice hands. We can't afford to let this happen!

In the Senate EVERY vote counts! That's right. It's so close in the Senate that one vote can literally change the outcome for women's health legislation.

That's why we need Alexi Gianoulias in the U. S. Senate!

Alexi Giannoulias supports a woman's right to choose, access to family planning services, and comprehensive sex education.

Alexi has a record of standing up for Illinois women!

As State Treasurer, Alexi went outside the scope of his office to fight for women’s reproductive rights in the Illinois General Assembly by actively supporting legislation such as the Reproductive Health and Access Act. We need Alexi Giannoulias as our U. S. Senator.

You can vote for Alexi Giannoulias TODAY! Early voting has started and will continue through October 28th. During this time period you can vote in person at one of the special early voting locations set up by our local election authority. To find your early voting location, look up your local election authority HERE.

You can also vote on the traditional Election Day which is November 2nd.

Whichever way you vote - vote for Alexi Giannoulias for U. S. Senate!

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Alexi Giannoulias, Pro-Choice

Women Helping Women Around the Globe

Check out this article from The New York Times by Nicholas D. Kristof. It features the stories of brave individuals who have set out to change the world in their own small ways. Using creativity and determination, they've made a difference for many people.

For example, while interning in Mozambique, Elizabeth Scharpf, a Harvard business school grad, stumbled upon a widespread problem that was a taboo topic. From the article:

"A female boss griped to Scharpf about absenteeism caused by women reluctant to come to work during their menstrual periods. “It was because pads were too expensive,” Scharpf recalls. “I was trying to figure out why I had never heard of this before. This was causing productivity rates to go down.”

Scharpf found this problem occurring in school-age girls as well, and in many other parts of the world. Young girls were missing class for fear of embarrassment. Missing class means missing vital information that is part of a proper education, ultimately leading to missed opportunities for advancement. Read the full article, titled "The D.I.Y. Foreign-Aid Revolution," to learn how Scharpf decided to solve the problem.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, global

It Gets Better Project: Giving Hope to LGBT Youth

Given the recent, disturbing violence and incidents of suicide within the LGBT community, Dan Savage, a columnist and author, launched the "It Gets Better Project" to give hope to LGBT youth who are being bullied or harassed because of their identity or orientation. He is asking adults to upload videos speaking directly to teens who may be feeling suicidal, to give them hope for their futures.

The statistics are alarming. According to the campaign website:

- 9 out of 10 LGBT students have experienced harassment at school.
- More than 1/3 of LGBT kids have attempted to commit suicide.
- LGBT youth with “highly rejecting” families are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than those whose families accept them.

We think this project is a great idea. See the first video from Dan and Terry below.



To learn about the project, or post your own video, check out the website for more information. Give hope to a teen who may need it now more than ever.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, LGBT, It Gets Better Project

Need Friday Night Plans?

TGIF! Still looking for something fun to do tonight? Relax. We've got it covered. Grab your friends and head to Martyrs' to see Graham Czach, a Chicago-based musician, who will be hosting his first solo CD release party! Did we mention that he has asked Planned Parenthood to partner with him for the big event? Yep, that means you can kick off your weekend with some good music while supporting Planned Parenthood at the same time!

Graham Czach’s passion and philosophy behind the music is to touch, unite, and make a difference in people's lives by spreading lasting universal messages through one of the only universal languages, music. Graham strives to bring about change for the better in humanity and beyond. One of his songs is called “Choice,” a song that embraces and supports a woman’s ability to make the decision to have an abortion, and he is deeply and personally connected to a woman’s ability to choose.

Czach has generously agreed to donate a portion of the proceeds from the show to Planned Parenthood of Illinois. Click here to purchase tickets online in advance for $12, or you can purchase tickets at the door on Friday evening for the same price!

Martyrs' Restaurant and Pub
3855 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL
9:30PM
Tickets are $12


Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, events

It's Not Always About Abortion

Take a minute to read this AMAZING piece by Pamela Merritt from RH Reality Check. Titled, "Reproductive Choice: It's Not Always About Abortion," Merritt tells her story about dealing with uterine fibroids and how her experience shaped her views on choice. This piece is a much-needed reminder for all of us - pro-choicers included - that people have different beliefs, feelings, and experiences when it comes to the many aspects of reproductive health. We need to trust women to make the best health decisions for themselves and respect those decisions.

Merritt says:

"That’s what choice is all about, having the ability to partner with a doctor to make decisions that are right for the individual. That doesn’t mean those decisions would be right for someone else, but that’s the point lots of people missed. This was about my health and my uterine fibroids."

Kudos to Merritt for hitting the nail on the head when it comes to expressing our views on the true meaning of reproductive freedom and justice. Read the full story here.


Technorati tags: abortion, reproductive justice

Graham Czach Concert Coming Up Soon! Have you bought your ticket yet?

This Friday Oct. 15, talented and versatile singer/songwriter Graham Czach will be performing at Martyrs (3855 Lincoln Ave., Chicago) to celebrate the official release of his debut album Lucid and to raise money for a number of extraordinary organizations (including yours truly).

Czach will be performing with his original band members who came from well-known, respected music groups like Lupe Fiasco and Umphrey's McGee. Czach is an activist and an avid pro-choicer, so much so that his album features a powerful song about abortion rights titled "Choice."

Not only is Czach a Chicago Music Award winner, he is also a 3-time consecutive winner of the Union and Civic Arts League of Chicago Jazz Improv Competition. His influences include Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

If you haven't bought your tickets yet, click here to purchase them for only $12. A portion of the event sales will be donated to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Green Peace, the American Cancer Society, and the Art of Living Foundation! So, for good music, a good time and a good cause, we hope to see you at Graham Czach's release party!

For more information on Graham Czach, click here.

Technorati tags: Graham Czach, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, live music,

First Day of Early Voting! Make Your Voice Heard!

We've got some good news to share with you. You don’t have to wait until November 2nd to vote in the election! Today marks the beginning of the early voting period in Illinois. It ends on October 28th.

During this time period you can vote in-person at one of the special early voting locations set up by our local election authority. If you live in the City of Chicago, you can check for locations here. For all other residents, go here to look up your local election authority.

What's more, for the first time in Illinois, you don’t need a reason to vote absentee. This means you don’t have to go in person to vote. So, why not vote naked?! Check out this entertaining video if you have a minute. For more information on absentee voting, click here.

Of course, you can always go the traditional route and vote on Election Day - Tuesday, November 2nd. But no matter which way you choose, make sure you are an informed voter. Learn about the candidates at our website http://www.ppiaction.org/.

Technorati tags: elections, voting

Join Pat Quinn in Putting Illinois Back to Work!

PPIA-endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Pat Quinn, will be holding the "Putting Illinois Back to Work Rally" on Tuesday, Oct. 12 with special guest, Vice President Joe Biden! Today marks the beginning of early voting in Illinois and this event will be one of many efforts by the Democratic party to get the vote out.

Throughout his political career, Pat Quinn has voiced and proven his commitment to providing jobs for Illinois as well as giving women and families the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Under Governor Quinn, Illinois saw a steady decrease in unemployment in 2010, and women have acquired greater access to essential reproductive health care.

Only very recently have we seen Governor Quinn overtake extreme Republican candidate Bill Brady in the polls, and the race remains a close one. It's so important for voters like you to join Vice President Biden in supporting Pat Quinn with Planned Parenthood Illinois Action! We're getting as many supporters as we can to show Governor Quinn our support.

The rally will be held at the Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Local 130 at 1340 W. Washington Blvd. Doors open at 4:00PM and close at 5:00PM. The rally is free and open to the public. Look for our PPIA supporters in pink shirts and help us let Illinois know who's the right choice for our state!

Technorati tags: Pat Quinn, election 2010, rally

Rally with Pat Quinn on Monday!

This Monday, October 11, Governor Pat Quinn will be rallying around the state with special guest, Matt the Welder. A Champaign-area welder of 15 years, Matt Langendorf gained local notoriety with his self-made commercial for the Quinn/Simon campaign, which will begin airing around the state this weekend. Check out Matt’s commercial below, and join us in rallying for a Governor who will create jobs for Illinoisans and support women’s health!

The rallies are free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!

9:00 AM – Chicago

Plumbers and Pipefitters Office

45 N. Ogden, Chicago

10:30 AM – Rockford

Rockford Airport

60 Airport Drive, Rockford

11:45 AM – Rock Island

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 25 Hall

4600 Blackhawk Rd., Rock Island

1:00 PM – Peoria

Labor Temple

400 NE Jefferson Street, Peoria

2:35 PM – Decatur

Main Terminal

910 S. Airport Rd., Decatur

4:00PM – Marion

Operating Engineers Local 318 Hall

3310 Water Tower Road, Marion

5:40PM – Champaign

Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall

1005 N. Dunlap Ave., Savoy

Technorati tags: Pat Quinn

Join Illinois Women in a Canvass for Quinn this Saturday!

Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Lieutenant Governor nominee Sheila Simon invite you to join them in a "Canvass for Quinn!"

On Saturday, October 9th, Rep. Schakowsky, Simon, and many other women will be walking the neighborhoods and talking to women and families about Governor Pat Quinn and Lieutenant Governor candidate Sheila Simon. You'll get to enjoy some coffee and cinnamon rolls before heading out to knock on doors. Get your friends and family to come along!

This event is a great opportunity to spread the word about why Pat Quinn and Sheila Simon are the right choice for Illinois. A Brady/Plummer victory could mean serious restrictions on our reproductive rights and access to health care! Help make a difference in the crucial November election by participating in the canvass for Quinn/Simon!

Send your RSVP to info@quinnforillinois.com or call 312-654-8888 for more information.

Details:
Saturday, October 9th
10:00AM - 1:00PM (breakfast followed by the canvass)
6400 W. Raven St., Chicago, IL

We'll see you there!

To sign up for PPIA Action alerts and stay informed on other ways to make a difference, go to http://www.ppiaction.org/.

Technorati tags: Pat Quinn, Sheila Simon, elections, Canvass For Quinn

Meet Sheila Simon, PPIA-endorsed Candidate for Lieutenant Governor!

Last week, PPIA hosted a get-together in Springfield for cocktails and conversation with Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Sheila Simon. For those of you who missed it, it was a great opportunity to learn more about where the PPIA-endorsed candidate stands on issues affecting the lives of Illinois women and families. Unlike Republican Gubernatorial candidate, Bill Brady, and his running mate for Lieutenant Governor, Jason Plummer, Simon is a steadfast supporter of a woman's right to choose.

Simon spoke to guests about Illinois families who are struggling to support their children on minimum wage, and how Bill Brady believes the minimum wage should be lowered--a measure that could devastate hardworking families. Simon also talked about the importance of requiring insurance to cover mammograms, a life-saving preventative health care service. The requirement recently became law, despite Bill Brady’s vote against it.

Sheila Simon knows how essential it is for insurance companies to cover health procedures that are applicable only to women. After her daughter was born, the hospital informed her that she had to be discharged because her insurance wouldn't pay for her stay any longer. Luckily, we now have a law that requires minimum hospital stays for childbirth--24 hours for vaginal delivery and 48 for c-section—an essential bill that Bill Brady voted against.

Simon, a mother of two daughters, believes being pro-choice just makes sense, and that victims of sexual violence and rape need to have choices available to them. She knows, and we agree, that Bill Brady is just too extreme for our state, and that the women and families of Illinois deserve better. We deserve the right to choose, and we deserve affordable life-saving healthcare no matter our gender.

PPIA is honored to have spent such a wonderful evening with Sheila Simon and we encourage you to vote her in for next Lieutenant Governor! As a lawyer, teacher, and a working mother with a wealth of experience and lifetime of service, Sheila Simon is truly the right choice.

To see pictures from the event, click here. Or for more information on Sheila Simon and other PPIA-endorsed candidates, click here!

Technorati tags: elections, Sheila Simon, Lieutenant Governor, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action

Protest Against Bill Brady a SUCCESS!

Today at 11am in Chicago on the corner of Randolph and Stetson, a group of PPIA supporters came together to tell Republican candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, that WOMEN'S HEALTH MATTERS! Check out more pictures from the event on Facebook.

Bill Brady held a fundraiser today with Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, a governor that Brady says he admires. This past summer, Christie cut $7.5 million in family planning funds from the New Jersey budget forcing many health care providers to close and leaving scores of women without preventative, essential care. THIS is a governor that Bill Brady admires?! His admiration for Christie illuminates the importance of re-electing PPIA-endorsed candidate Pat Quinn and saying NO TO BILL BRADY!

Bill Brady has a frightening history of voting against important bills that would provide access to affordable health care to women in need. He has opposed health insurance coverage of mammograms, opposed requiring pharmacies to fill birth control prescriptions, opposed legal abortion (even in cases of rape and incest!), and opposed requiring health insurance companies to cover birth control. We need voters like you to get out there and make sure that women's health and bodies are controlled by women themselves, NOT by extremist politicians like Bill Brady.

Democratic candidate Pat Quinn has consistently supported women's health and reproductive rights throughout his political career. Amazing strides have been made toward gender equality in health care because of his work, and a Brady victory could mean losing miles of progress.

We want to give a huge thanks to those who came out today to say NO TO BILL BRADY and YES TO PAT QUINN! We love our supporters and are always excited to welcome more.

To learn about upcoming PPIA events and sign up for action alerts to find out how YOU can become a PPIA activist, click here. We have a ton of exciting phone banking and canvassing events coming up and need as much help as we can get to make sure Bill Brady stays away from our healthcare decisions.

To learn more about why Bill Brady is too extreme for our state, and to hear all about the PPIA protest, read this release or check out an interesting web site we came across.

Technorati tags: Bill Brady, protests, election 2010

Protest Bill Brady and His Antiquated Views on Women's Health Care

This week, Republican candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, will be palling around with New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie. This summer, Christie cut $7.5 million in family planning funds from the New Jersey budget. As a result, providers have been forced to close and women are going without preventative health care. Brady says he admires Christie’s record. Let's tell him what we think!

Join us tomorrow in protesting Bill Brady’s fundraiser with Governor Christie.

Tuesday, October 5th
11 am – 12 p m

meet at the NW corner of Randolph and Stetson, Chicago, IL

(across the street from the AON Center which is located at 200 E. Randolph)

Please send over a quick RSVP to volunteer@ppil.org to let us know that you can make it.

As Governor, Bill Brady would play politics with women’s bodies and their health care to further his extreme political agenda. His friends and his record are terrifying for women in Illinois.

- As Governor, Bill Brady would control family planning funds for women
- Bill Brady opposed health insurance coverage of mammograms
- Bill Brady opposes requiring pharmacies to fill birth control prescriptions
- Bill Brady opposes legal abortion, even in cases of rape and incest
- Bill Brady opposes requiring health insurance companies to cover birth control

To get all the details and RSVP, send a quick email to volunteer@ppil.org.

We came across this website that says it all. Take a look for yourself and see how bad Brady really is for the women of Illinois.

Technorati tags: Bill Brady, elections

Jennie's Story

Take a minute to watch this powerful video from Personal PAC. Jennie courageously gives a personal account of a tragic experience and reminds us why it's so important to defeat anti-choice, anti-women candidate, Bill Brady, in the November 2nd general election.



Jennie is not alone. In 2001, there were 5,618 reported incidents of criminal sexual assault in the state (Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority). Unfortunately, many more go unreported.

We want every woman in Illinois to know that a vote for Bill Brady is a vote for a Governor who believes that if a woman is raped, she should NOT be allowed to get a safe and legal abortion. Bill Brady supports legislation to amend the U.S. Constitution to outlaw abortion with NO exceptions. This extreme view is truly dangerous for women.

The choice for Governor is clear. We need a Governor who understands that women deserve access to reproductive health care without government interference. Pat Quinn will stand up for the women of Illinois.

To learn more about the election and other PPIA-endorsed candidates, click HERE.

Technorati tags: elections, Bill Brady