About
We Testify is an organization dedicated to the leadership and representation of people who have abortions, increasing the spectrum of abortion storytellers in the public sphere, and shifting the way the media understands the context and complexity of accessing abortion care. We Testify invests in abortion storytellers to elevate their voices and expertise, particularly those of color, those from rural and conservative communities, those who are queer-identified, those with varying abilities and citizenship statuses, and those who needed support when navigating barriers while accessing abortion care.
We Testify unapologetically believes that people who have abortions are our future. We believe that everyone who has abortions deserves unconditional love and support. We believe that people who have abortions deserve to be in every space where decisions are being made. To borrow from the disability justice movement, there should be nothing about us without us. We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.
Latest Updates
‘Ours to Tell’
We Testify and Planned Parenthood are proud to debut “Ours to Tell” — a short film about the power that comes with the freedom to access abortion. Directed by Academy Award-winning director Rayka Zehtabchi, produced by Ventureland in association with PRETTYBIRD, and featuring actress and comedian Natasha Rothwell.
Digital Stickers
It’s time we have fun and loving digital stickers and GIFs that look like those of us who have abortions and reflect our real experiences. We created digital stickers and GIFs for you to use to show up for your loved ones who’ve had abortions and remind everyone that they love someone who had abortions—maybe that someone is you!
Self-Managed Abortion Comics
To change the conversation, the We Testify abortion storytellers partnered with artists who’ve had abortions to illustrate their stories. Read and learn more about why we chose to self-manage our abortions.
“The desire to control other people’s futures through their reproduction is a problem of power and dominance created and upheld by white people — and truthfully, it is white people’s job to recognize and dismantle it.”
Keep reading Renee Bracey Sherman in “Anti-Abortion Ideology And White Supremacy Have Always Been Entangled”
“So, when it was all said and done, I did get my abortion. I am so thankful that I did. My abortion allowed me to get out of an emotionally abusive relationship and finish college to become an advocate for other survivors and reproductive justice.
Because of my abortion, I met my husband, and I had a baby on my terms. We are now parents to the sweetest little girl who is the center of our universe.”
Keep reading Maleeha Aziz in “My Abortions Made Me a Mom”
On the latest episode of ACCESS Podcast, We Testify storyteller Kayla talked about her experience being pregnant and denied abortion care while incarcerated.
Listen to Kayla on Episode 7: “What Are the Consequences of Being Denied an Abortion?”
Listen to We Testify storytellers on other episodes of ACCESS Podcast.
Staff
Renee Bracey Sherman (she/her)
Founder & Executive Director
Renee Bracey Sherman is a reproductive justice activist, abortion storyteller, and writer. She is the founder and executive director of We Testify, which she created in 2016 to center the voices of people who’ve had abortions. For over a decade, Renee has been recognized as one of the most vital voices elevating the conversation about abortion experiences, and using creative and innovative strategies to shift the conversation centering Black people, people of color, and other marginalized identities. She is also an executive producer of Ours to Tell, an award-winning documentary elevating the voices of people who’ve had abortions, and the co-author of the forthcoming book COUNTERING ABORTIONSPLAINING from Amistad/Harper Collins.
Nikiya Natale, J.D. (she/her)
Deputy Director
Nikiya Natale is an activist, an attorney, and an abortion storyteller with extensive experience in social justice work. Prior to joining We Testify, she was the Advocacy and Outreach Director with TEA Fund. Nikiya previously worked as the Legal Director for a local civil rights and advocacy organization, ran her own legal practice focusing on asylum law, and managed the immigration legal program at a refugee resettlement agency. Nikiya's passion for the work stems from her own multiple abortion experiences.
Kenya Martin (she/her)
Program Manager
Kenya Martin is a reproductive justice activist, mama, Black feminist, and the Program Manager with We Testify and an abortion storyteller for the last 5 years. Originally from Houston, Texas, now residing in Richmond, VA, Kenya is hailed as The Abortion Diva for her outspoken advocacy of people who have abortionS and work to destigmatize all who’ve had multiple abortions. She has nearly a decade of activism experience stemming from her patient turned counselor and advocate experience at Houston Women’s Clinic.
Emma Hernández (she/her)
Media Relations Manager
Emma Hernández is an experienced bilingual program director, project manager, and multimedia artist with a demonstrated history of working in library, government & non-profit communications. She is an abortion storyteller, 2021 Planned Parenthood Youth Power Fellow, and 2018 Library Journal Mover & Shaker. She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Indiana University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas San Antonio. She is also an alumna of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Latina Leadership Institute.
Carina Reyes (she/her)
Development & Communications Coordinator
Carina Reyes is a Boricua feminist, mother, multimedia artist, and producer. She has been involved in environmental, immigrant, and reproductive justice movements for over 10 years. Carina recognized the power of storytelling during her time as a community organizer for California Latina for Reproductive Justice. As a theory and movement space, reproductive justice was the first to honor her experiences as both a single Latina mother and as someone who had multiple abortions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is We Testify?
We Testify is an organization supporting people who’ve had abortions to share their stories, particularly those of color, those from rural and conservative communities, those who are queer-identified, those with varying abilities and citizenship statuses, and those who needed support when navigating barriers while accessing abortion care. We Testify works with individual abortion storytellers to share their stories, as well as lead campaigns to change the conversation about who has abortion and why, and to address abortion stigma in our communities.
What does We Testify believe?
We Testify believes that everyone who has abortions deserves to be loved, supported, and uplifted during their experience. We support everyone’s decision to have an abortion at any time and for any reason. We Testify believes that the conversation about abortion should be led by and center people who’ve had abortions’ experiences, feelings, desires, and vision for abortion access. Abortion access is our legacy and we are the ones to carry it forward for generations to come.
How do I become an abortion storyteller?
If you’re sharing your abortion stories, you’re already an abortion storyteller! Due to limited staff capacity, we’re only able to offer support to storytellers within the We Testify cohorts, but we hope to open up the next cohort for applications in the near future. For now, you can share your abortion stories on our website and with your community.
How does We Testify support abortion storytellers?
We Testify supports abortion storytellers by offering hands on emotional and logistical support when they share their abortion stories. That can look like preparation for a rally speech, debriefing after a storytelling experience, opportunities to think through what parts of their story they’d like to speak publicly about, and support during anti-abortion harassment and bullying.
Why does We Testify compensate storytellers?
We Testify believes in economic justice, the value of all labor—including emotional labor—and that storytelling is labor. We believe that storytellers should be compensated for the hard work they put into preparing for speaking engagements, sharing their stories, and reimbursed for distances they have to travel to participate in abortion access events. We know that having an abortion does not solve the issue of poverty and some people need to be compensated for their time in order to be able to continue to care for their families. Unfortunately some people are only able to engage in volunteerism if they have disposable income and time so by compensating storytellers, we are valuing their time, their craft, and ensuring that more people—not only those from wealthier backgrounds—have the ability to engage and share their voice in our movement.
Can I interview a storyteller or have a storyteller speak at my event?
Yes! We Testify storytellers are available for interviews. Please fill out this contact form or email us at media@wetestify.org to tell us if you’re interested in chatting with a specific storyteller, someone who faced specific abortion barriers, or just want speak with a storyteller about their experience.
How can I support We Testify?
Thank you for your interest in generously supporting We Testify. We Testify is a fiscally sponsored project of NEO Philanthropy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in New York City, NY. Our EIN is 13-3191113. You can make donations via our website at wetestify.org/donate. If you would like to inquire about making a wire transfer, please email us at info@wetestify.org. If you have any questions about donating, please contact us at info@wetestify.org and we would be happy to answer them.
Does We Testify perform or help pay for abortions?
Unfortunately, We Testify does not have the capacity to fund abortions. We have many resources to help you get an abortion on our site. You can find your local abortion fund here or your local clinic here.
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We Testify is dedicated to the leadership and representation of people who have had abortions. Whether you have had an abortion or love someone who did, we need your voice in the conversation to change our culture into a more compassionate and supportive one. We need everyone to love those of us who have had abortions aloud and deeply. If you are committed to supporting the leadership of people who have had abortions, sign up to receive our newsletters!