Abortion-rights activists set to organize again in Kodiak

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A group of abortion rights activists from Kodiak say they’re planning a march in solidarity with women around the country after Friday’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Peggy Smith was one of the organizers of an abortion rights rally held in Kodiak in May after a draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked. Over 70 people attended that demonstration at Sargent Park in downtown. Now that Roe has been overturned, Kodiak activists are going to be organizing again, according to Smith.

“We’re going to start writing letters, we’ve got a group of people, we’re gonna get more names, more addresses, more emails to start writing our legislators,” Smith said.

Smith has been organizing abortion rights rallies since the 90s. While Alaskans access to abortion hasn’t been changed by the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision, anti-abortion-rights activists have long been discussing ways to limit abortion access in Alaska. Smith wants to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“I’m most definitely going to have to start paying more attention again, I see– and get people to volunteer … And we’ve been lax, and we’ve got to start participating more,” Smith said.

Lori Siebe has helped Smith organize abortion-rights-supporting protests in Kodiak for decades, and helped her organize the rally in May. Siebe sees the Supreme Court’s decision as being opposed to womens’ fundamental rights.

“This is America, this is Alaska. Everyone should be able to- as they’re not hurting someone else- be able to do in their life what they choose is best for themselves… love who they want, decide when they want to have a family,” Siebe said.

Smith and Siebe have been watching planned demonstrations across the country in response to Friday’s Supreme Court ruling. They say they’re planning an abortion rights march in Kodiak to take place July 9th at 1 p.m. in Sargent Park.

This story has been updated to include the date and location of Smith and Siebe’s planned abortion rights march.

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