Abortion Conversation Project : : Open and honest conversation about abortion.

Our Vision:

We recognize the transformative power of pregnancy and all its possibilities. We envision a world in which abortion is affirmed as a moral decision without stigma. We believe that open and honest conversations, in a safe environment, about the experience of abortion will begin to create this world.

The Abortion Conversation Project is committed to eliminating the stigma of abortion by creating new ways and opportunities to talk about abortion honestly and publicly. The real life experiences of providers and women themselves will enable people to understand and appreciate the complex moral decision making surrounding a pregnancy decision.

We pledge open conversations that do not demonize those with differing views, or convince anyone that we are "right." We realize that decisions about pregnancy bring up issues of life, death, sex, parenthood, and so much more. We want to create safe spaces for women and men to consider what is best for their lives.

Our Board:

Kate Cockrill, Chair Kate Cockrill is the Stigma Project Director at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California San Francisco. She has a Master's in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley and has worked in abortion research, policy and provision since 2001.

Jeanne Ludlow, PhD, Secretary Jeannie Ludlow is Coordinator of Women's Studies and Assistant Professor of English at Eastern Illinois University, where she researches the power of language in abortion discourse. In addition to being Secretary of the Board of the Abortion Conversation Project, she is a member of the Abortion Care Network, and a member of the national foundation board of NARAL. From 1996-2008, she worked at the Center for Choice, an independently-owned abortion clinic in Ohio.

Teresa Hornsby, PhD, Treasurer Dr. Teresa J Hornsby is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Drury University in Springfield, MO. She is the author of Sex Texts from the Bible (Skylight Paths Publishing, 2007) and has published numerous articles, essays, and reviews. Her research interests presently are post-modern biblical criticisms and the issue of abortion and pastoral counseling.

Ruth Arick Ruth Arick is the owner/founder of Choice Pursuits, a consulting service for abortion providers. Ruth is a former clinic director, and a long-time consultant, speaker, and trainer specializing in abortion care and services. Throughout her career Ruth has worked with major pharmaceutical companies, abortion clinics of all sizes and corporate structure, political and advocacy groups that focus on abortion, and a variety of companies that offer services and products to abortion providers. Ruth knows what it takes to run a clinic, grow a patient base and motivate a staff-- all the while, respecting the range of opinions and complex nature of the abortion issue.

Darcy Baxter Darcy Baxter is currently serving as Intern Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley and as adjunct faculty at The Starr King School, where she teaches theology. Reproductive justice has been the soil of her theological work, starting from the human suffering that is revealed and addressed (or not addressed) through abortion provision. Prior to pursuing liberal religious ministry, Darcy worked at the National Abortion Federation, providing counseling on their national hotline, and at Howard University, where she taught health and sexuality education. Darcy currently serves on the Advisory Board of Backline and is a candidate for ordination in the Unitarian Universalist tradition.

Peg Johnston, Chair Emeritus Peg Johnston is an abortion provider since 1981, and the creator of the Pregnancy Options Workbooks (www.pregnancyoptions.info). She is the primary author of several handouts offered by the Abortion Conversation Project. She is also a past president/chair of the Abortion Care Network and the National Coalition of Abortion Providers.