Texas Equal Access Fund (TEA Fund), Frontera Fund, and Lilith Fund (the hiring organizations) are seeking a temporary, contracted Legislative Coordinator to work an estimated 32-40 hours per week and serve as coordinator and lobbyist for the hiring organizations during the 2023 Texas Legislative Session. The Coordinator will support the hiring organizations and the Rosie’s Law Coalition. The Coordinator will interact directly with state legislative offices and stakeholders, focusing on advancing the interests of Texas abortion funds and also securing legislative support for Rosie’s Law, a bill to restore public and private insurance coverage of abortion care. The Coordinator must have demonstrated a commitment to anti-racism and have experience centering race and gender equity.
This position begins in February 2023 and will continue through the 2023 Legislative Session, ending June 2023. The position pays a monthly rate of $5,650 plus two monthly stipends—one in the amount of $500 for health care and another in the amount of $150 for WiFi and phone use.
Some functions of the Coordinator’s role will happen virtually and some functions will happen in Austin at the State Capitol. If the Coordinator resides outside of Austin, travel to Austin will be necessary during the Legislative Session. Travel expenses or relocation stipend will be available to the Coordinator.
Submit your resume and a 1-page cover letter, as attachments, via email to [email protected], with the subject line “Legislative Coordinator, [your name]”. The deadline to apply is February 16, 2023. Please include your first and last name in the file names of the attachments.
Our new podcast, Gaslit, is all about reproductive justice and the fight to restore abortion access in Texas. We’ve been working on this for a while, even before gaslighting got its word-of-the-year glow up.
Our government has long been gaslighting pro-abortion Texans into thinking that an abortion ban is normal. But it’s not. Join your hosts Shae and Erika for eight episodes coming to you from someplace in Texas. We’ll interview the Texans who are on the ground in the hellscape and talk about what #reprojustice means to us.
Look out for new episodes on Fridays. Future guests include a Texas abortion provider and repro organizers on the border. Let us know what you think and what you want to hear from us in future episodes.
Lilith Fund is seeking a highly-skilled, senior-level leader to take on the role of Executive Director (ED) in Austin, Houston, or San Antonio, Texas. Since LF’s founding in 2001, our programs, initiatives, and impact have grown significantly in complexity and scale, and we anticipate continued evolution in the years to come. We currently have a staff of 11 employees and have an FY2022 operating budget of $2.8 million.
We are searching for a bold leader who can bring an audacious vision for working collectively toward reproductive justice. The ED will approach challenges with a curious and creative mindset, embrace collaborative practices, and demonstrate a commitment to operationalizing racial justice and anti-racism.
The ED will have strategic and operational responsibility for leading LF in a hostile political climate as our movement continues to navigate a post-Roe reality where abortion access is banned in Texas. The ED will be expected to shape and cultivate an organizational culture rooted in LF’s values, collaborate with dedicated and passionate staff to ensure the organization successfully moves to its next stage of impact, including strengthening LF’s organizational infrastructure and processes, and implementing creative strategies as we adapt to an ever changing landscape for reproductive health, rights, and justice.
R: Con la revocación de Roe v. Wade en la reciente decisión de la Suprema Corte de los Estados Unidos, el aborto será prohibido en Texas 30 días después de la fecha de la decisión. Quienes realicen abortos y potencialmente quienes “ayudan o inciten” abortos en Texas estarán sujetos a graves sanciones penales en ese momento, pero una persona embarazada no puede ser enjuiciada. Es importante saber que la SB8 tambien impone sanciones civiles de $10,000 a cualquier persona que no sea una persona embarazada que proporcione o ayude con abortos en Texas, y permite que cualquier persona en Texas (menos a empleados estatales) presente una demanda bajo esta ley.
¿Cuanto tiempo necesito para viajar y tener un aborto? ¿Cuánto tiempo libre debo solicitar?
R: El tiempo fuera depende de varios factores, incluyendo donde esté localizado tu cita y qué leyes están en efecto en el estado donde se localiza su cita.
¿Puede Lilith Fund ayudarme a pagar proceidmiento de aborto?
R: Lilith Fun ha sido obligado a pausar fondos directos para ayuda de a obtener abortos, hasta que podamos evaluar el impacto de el paso de la Suprema Corde de Jackson Women’s Health v. Dobbs case. Si vive en Texas y quiere hablar con Lilith Fund para explorar sus opciones de embarazo, llame al 1.877.659.4304 los Lunes, Miercoles o Viernes de las 7am-10am tiempo del centro y deje un mensaje. Un miembro de nuestro equipo le regresará la llamada. También puede visitar la página Nedabortion.org para una lista de recursos.
¿Por que no siguen dando fondos para abortos?
R: La decisión de la Corte Suprema en el caso Jackson Women ‘s Health v. Dobbs tiene implicaciones únicas para Lilith Fund como organización en Texas, el cual ha sido un campo de batalla para activistas que estan en contra el aborto. En Texas, hay leyes anteriores a la decisión de Roe v. Wade por lo que estos activistas argumentan incorrectamente que podrían volver a entrar en vigor como resultado de la decisión de Dobbs. Aunque el análisis legal aún se encuentra en las primeras etapas, nosotros entendemos que las leyes anteriores a Roe específicamente hacen el “proporcionar los medios para procurar un aborto” sea ilegal en Texas con sanciones civiles y penales. Nuestra organización ha sido repetidamente amenazada por activistas e incluso legisladores, sin ninguna base legal real. Queremos proteger al personal y los voluntarios de nuestro fondo de aborto de la mejor manera posible del riesgo de arresto y que se vean involucrados en el sistema de justicia penal racista. A pesar de nuestra pausa en la financiera directa del aborto, nuestra línea directa permanecerá abierta para brindar información a las personas que llamen, y continuaremos desarrollando programas de justicia reproductiva para satisfacer las necesidades de la comunidad.
¿Podra Lilith Fund proporcionar fondos para el aborto en el futuro?
R: Nuestra meta es poder proporcionar servicios nuevamente lo más rápido posible, aunque habrá cambios significativos en cómo operamos para proporcionar ayuda a personas embarazadas en Texas. Esto es algo temporal, y aunque nos enfurece, no cambia el hecho que estamos comprometidos en apoyar a Tejanos. Regresaremos, y seguiremos en la lucha por el momento.
¿Qué hará Lilith Fund en cambio?
R: A pesar de nuestra pausa de servicios directos de aborto, nuesta linea directa sigue abierta. Apartir de Agosto del 2022, Lilith Fund esta ofreciendo servicios de asistencia financiera para cuidado reproductivo no relacionado con abortos con clinicas que trabajamos, incluyendo ultrasonidos, revisiones, anticonceptivos, consejeria y mas. Continuaremos dando información sobre opciones de embarazo, recursos, y referencias a todes los Tejanos que nos llamen.
¿Lilith Fund solo ofrece ayuda a Tejanos? ¿O solo en ciertas partes de Texas?
R: Lilith Fund se fundó en Austin en el 2001. Tenemos raices en Texas y somos expertos en la situacion del aborto en nuestro estado. Históricamente hemos apoyado principalmente a Tejanos en el centro y sureste de Texas, pero ahora estamos disponibles para ayudar a todas las personas que viven en Texas mientras navegan este clima hostil del derecho y la justicia reproductiva.
Lilith Find aún necesita ayuda mientras navegamos esta terrible decisión de la Suprema Corte y lo que significa para Texas y personas en el país. Hemos pasado por muchos momentos difíciles en los últimos dos años y ustedes que nos apoyan han estado con nosotros en cada paso. Independientemente de lo que viene, no podemos lograrlo sin ustedes.
A: With the overturn of Roe v. Wade in the recent decision from the Supreme Court of the United States, abortion will be banned in Texas 30 days after the date of the decision. Those performing abortions and potentially those who “aid or abet” abortions in Texas will be subject to significant criminal penalties at that time, but a pregnant person cannot be prosecuted. Additionally, SB8 still imposes civil penalties of $10,000 on anyone other than a pregnant person who provides or assists with abortions in Texas, and allows any person in Texas (other than state employees) to sue under its provisions.
How long should I expect to be traveling to get an abortion? How much time off do I need?
A: Time away for your appointment depends on many factors, including where your appointment is located and what laws are in effect in the state where your appointment is located. Visit NeedAbortion.org or AbortionFinder.org for more information.
Can Lilith Fund help pay for my abortion procedure?
A: Lilith Fund has been forced to pause direct funding of abortion care while we evaluate the impact of the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court in the Jackson Women’s Health v. Dobbs case. If you live in Texas and would like to talk to Lilith Fund to discuss your pregnancy options, please call 1.877.659.4304 on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday between 7am-10am CST and leave a message. A member of our team will call you back. You can also visit NeedAbortion.org for a list of resources for Texans.
Can Lilith Fund help cover other costs related to my abortion?
A: No, Lilith Fund cannot cover costs related to abortion care at this time.
Can Lilith Fund help pay for other pregnancy-related costs or healthcare?
A: Yes, We are now offering direct financial assistance for reproductive healthcare services at our trusted partner clinics, including ultrasounds, screenings, contraceptives, counseling, and more. We are assisting all Texans who are traveling out of state for care, along with Texans seeking care within our service areas (Austin, Houston, and San Antonio). We continue to offer information about pregnancy options, resources, and referrals for all Texans who call us.
Why aren’t you still funding abortion?
A: The decision from the Supreme Court in the Jackson Women’s Health v. Dobbs case has unique implications for Lilith Fund as an organization based in Texas, which has been a test battleground for anti-abortion activists. In Texas, there are statutes that pre-date the Roe v. Wade decision that these activists incorrectly argue could go back into effect as a result of the Dobbs decision. While legal analysis is still in the early stages, we understand the pre-Roe statutes specifically make “furnishing the means to procure an abortion” illegal in Texas with civil and criminal penalties. Our organization has been repeatedly threatened by activists and even legislators, even without any real basis in law. We want to protect our abortion fund staff and volunteers to the greatest degree possible from the risk of arrest and involvement with the racist criminal justice system. Despite our pause in direct abortion funding, our hotline will remain open to provide information to callers, and we will continue to build reproductive justice programming to meet community needs.
Will LF fund abortion again in the future?
A: Our goal is to resume services as soon as possible, although there may be significant changes in how we operate in order to be most helpful to pregnant Texans in need. This is a temporary setback, and while deeply upsetting, it doesn’t change the fact that we are committed to supporting Texans. We will be back, and we will continue fighting in the meantime.
What will LF do instead?
A: Despite our pause in direct abortion funding, our hotline is open. As of August 2022, Lilith Fund is offering funding for non-abortion reproductive healthcare services at our trusted partner clinics, including ultrasounds, screenings, contraceptives, counseling, and more. We also offer information about pregnancy options, resources, and referrals to callers. We will continue to build reproductive justice programming to meet community needs.
Does Lilith Fund only help Texans? In certain parts of Texas?
A: Lilith Fund was founded in Austin, TX in 2001. We have deep roots in Texas and are experts in the abortion landscape of our state. Historically we have primarily supported Texans in the Central and Southeastern regions of Texas, but we are now available to support all people living in Texas as they navigate an increasingly hostile climate for reproductive rights and justice.
Lilith Fund still needs you as we work through this heartbreaking SCOTUS decision and what it means for Texans and people across the country. We have been through many challenging moments in the past two years alone and supporters like you have been with us every step of the way. However we move forward, we can’t do it without you.
Please consider making a contribution to Lilith Fund.
AUSTIN — Today, an extremist Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in a stunning reversal of almost 50 years of legal precedent related to reproductive and constitutional rights.
The decision from the Supreme Court in the Jackson Women’s Health v. Dobbs case has unique implications for Lilith Fund as an organization based in Texas, which has been a test battleground for anti-abortion activists. In Texas, there are statutes that pre-date the Roe v. Wade decision that these activists incorrectly argue could go back into effect as a result of the Dobbs decision. While legal analysis is still in the early stages, we understand the pre-Roe statutes specifically make “furnishing the means to procure an abortion” illegal in Texas with civil and criminal penalties. Our organization has been repeatedly threatened by activists and even legislators, even without any real basis in law.
Because of this, Lilith Fund has been forced to pause direct funding of abortion care while we evaluate the impact of the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court in the Jackson Women’s Health v. Dobbs case. Our hotline will remain open to provide information to callers, and we will continue to build reproductive justice programming to meet community needs in compliance with the new law.
We want to protect our abortion fund staff and volunteers to the greatest degree possible from the risk of arrest and involvement with the racist criminal justice system. While we are forced to comply with the new law, we will continue to organize and build power with our communities to ultimately change it.
Statement from Amanda Beatriz Williams, Executive Director:
“We can’t overstate how devastating this ruling is to the communities we serve. Abortion funds have been sounding the alarm about this happening for years, but knowing it was coming does not diminish the deep harm this will cause, especially among low-income people of color living in the South. While we are heartbroken by this news, we will not close our hotline, which will remain open to provide information to Texans. Today we are grieving, but tomorrow we will continue our fight. And while we are forced to comply with the law, abortion funds are experts in building power in our communities and we aren’t going to stop showing up for pregnant Texans.”
Amanda Beatriz Williams is going to step down from her role as Executive Director in mid-January 2023 after nearly seven years of service. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the many groundbreaking milestones Lilith Fund has reached during Amanda’s tenure. We’ll be sharing some of those in the upcoming months.
For now, here is a note from Amanda to the Lilith Fund community:
I am writing to share the news that in mid-January of 2023, I will be stepping down from my role as Executive Director of Lilith Fund after nearly seven years.
I have experienced such incredible joy, growth, and transformation in my role as Executive Director, so it is with mixed emotions that I begin to prepare for this next chapter. I am so thoroughly grateful to have been in service to the organization’s mission, and so humbled to have been entrusted by the board, staff, and our broader community to lead this beloved organization. I come to this moment knowing that this is the right time because Lilith Fund is stronger than ever.
Since I became Executive Director in 2016, Lilith Fund’s organizational budget has grown from $350,000 to nearly $2.8 million. During my tenure at Lilith Fund, we have served thousands of clients in accessing abortion care. When I started my role at Lilith Fund, I was the only full-time staff member, and now we have a team of eleven talented and dedicated employees. To say I am proud of the team I have built and the work we’ve done together the last several years would be an understatement. This growth is a testament to the power of our work together and demonstrates the incredible support Lilith Fund has cultivated over the years.
Along the way, I’ve had the honor and privilege of working alongside an immensely talented team that helped me steer Lilith Fund through this incredible transformation. They have made me the leader I am today.
While moving on is always difficult, I’m grateful for the distinct opportunity to reflect on the achievements we’ve won together. What started as a small hard-working group of mostly-volunteer advocates grew into a truly powerful organization that has earned its place as a courageous and respected voice within our larger movement. Over the course of the next several months, we’ll be sharing some reflections of Lilith Fund’s work and growth under my leadership, and I hope you will join me in celebrating just how far we’ve come—none of which would be possible without our dedicated community of Lilith Fund donors and supporters like you!
I will continue to be in my role as Executive Director until mid-January 2023 and will support the Board of Directors as they embark on a transition and hiring process in the coming months. Please be on the lookout for more information, hiring announcements, and ways to support our leadership transition.
Thank you for putting your trust in our work of funding abortion and for your ongoing commitment to Lilith Fund’s future.
➡️ Yes! Abortion is still legal in Texas and all 50 states.
➡️ Visit needabortion.org for more information on accessing abortion care in Texas.
➡️ Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) is set to go in effect on September 1, 2021, however, there has been a federal lawsuit filed challenging the Texas 6-week ban that may affect the implementation date. Lilith Fund is a co-plaintiff in the suit.
What is Senate Bill 8, the 6-week abortion ban + harassing lawsuits law?
🚨 Senate Bill 8 bans abortions when cardiac activity is detectable in an embryo, which typically is around six weeks gestation. This is before many people even know they’re pregnant. For those with regular menstruation cycles, this bill would ban abortion only two weeks after a missed period.
🚨 The bill makes no exceptions for rape or incest. The only exception is for a medical emergency when the life of the pregnant person is at risk.
🚨 The bill creates a private cause of action that allows anyone, anywhere (including non-Texas residents who have no connection to the person having an abortion) to use frivolous lawsuits to harass anyone who assists Texans in accessing abortion care after 6 weeks.
If implemented, who could sue under SB 8?
➡️ Anyone, anywhere (including non-Texas residents who have no connection to the person having an abortion).
➡️ The person suing does not even need to be connected to the person having an abortion.
If implemented, who could be sued under SB 8?
🚨 Anyone who helps someone access abortion care in Texas after 6 weeks of gestation could be sued. That could include an abortion provider, an abortion fund, or a friend or family member of a person accessing abortion care who helps by giving them money or a ride to an appointment.
If SB 8 is implemented, could I be sued for getting an abortion after 6 weeks gestation?
➡️ No. The person who obtains an abortion after 6 weeks gestation cannot be sued under SB 8.
Isn’t SB 8 unconstitutional?
➡️ Yes. A six-week ban on abortion is clearly unconstitutional and is in direct conflict with the 45 years of Supreme Court jurisprudence since Roe v. Wade that has continuously and systematically upheld the right to abortion care pre-viability.
➡️ Even though many other states across the nation have tried, no 6-week ban on abortion is in effect because it is unconstitutional. However, SB 8 is unlike no other abortion ban passed in other states—primarily due to the enforcement mechanism. The private cause of action provision of SB 8 is engineered to help the state of Texas evade constitutional accountability.
➡️ We are hopeful for a positive outcome in the federal lawsuit challenging SB 8.
How would SB 8 impact abortion access?
🚨 Even before this law is implemented, millions of Texans will hear that abortion has been banned, and they’ll be more confused about their right to access abortion care than they were before. Many will think they simply cannot get an abortion, even though abortion is legal in Texas and all 50 states.
🚨 If the law is implemented, SB 8 could take away Texans’ right to make their own medical decisions before they even know they have a decision to make. A recent study by the Texas Policy Evaluation Project shows that SB 8 would prevent more than 8 in 10 people from obtaining abortion care.
🚨 Even if Texans find out they are pregnant before 6 weeks, other restrictions on abortion in Texas make it difficult for patients to see a provider as soon as they would like. Upon scheduling, patients must navigate many existing restrictions, including a 24-hour forced delay and mandatory sonogram. This 6-week ban will be especially harmful for Texans in rural areas who have to travel extensively to get care. It could also completely bar undocumented people in border towns from accessing abortion care after 6 weeks since they will not be able to travel out of state to access care due to immigration checkpoints.
❤️ Abortion funds will be here to help Texans access abortion care before 6 weeks gestation within the state, and we will help people access abortion care outside of the state after 6 weeks gestation.
Abortion funds and advocates will be here for Texans no matter what.
❤️ Abortion funds will continue to fund abortion for Texans whether or not SB 8 is implemented
❤️ If SB 8 is fully implemented, abortion funds like Lilith Fund will fund abortion for people up to 6 weeks gestation in Texas, and we will fund abortion for Texans who need to travel out of state to access abortion care after 6 weeks gestation.
🌹 We will continue to bust abortion stigma and to organize and build the community power we need to fully restore access to abortion care. We will continue to fight for proactive abortion policies like Rosie’s Law, which would restore insurance coverage of abortion care.
We will need your help to fund abortion now more than ever!
➡️ No.A majority of Texans believe that abortion should be accessible and that all people should be free to determine the course of their reproductive lives. Nobody should face fear, stigma, or unnecessary barriers when seeking reproductive healthcare, including abortion care.
➡️ A recent poll found that a majority of Texans from across the political spectrum opposed the extreme measures in SB 8.
➡️ More than 370 members of the Texas legal community, including city, county and state officials, sent an open letter to the House Speaker and members of the House urging that they oppose SB 8.
➡️ SB 8 is part of a nationwide, extremist strategy to push access to abortion care completely out of reach—and will especially harm Black, Indigenous, and people of color, low-income people, rural Texans, LGBTQIA people, young people, and immigrants.
➡️ The politicians supporting this abortion ban are ignoring the real health needs of Texans, such as Medicaid expansion, COVID relief, finding solutions for our failed energy grid, and addressing Black maternal mortality.
Do medical experts support SB 8?
➡️ No. Medical groups like ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) have said: “It puts doctors in an impossible situation between the law & providing evidence-based, individualized, & medically necessary care to their patients.” “[Six-week bans] are both unconstitutional and unnecessary political interference in the practice of medicine.”
➡️ More than 200 physicians in Texas signed an open letter to the House Speaker and members of the House demanding that they stop this dangerous bill from passing—because it poses a serious threat to our healthcare system.
➡️ Someone experiencing a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy may need emergency treatment to prevent serious damage to their health or to save their life. This legislation could tie doctors’ hands, rather than allowing them to treat their patient without fear of civil lawsuits.
The Texas House of Representatives is considering Senate Bill 8 (identical companion to HB 1515) and House Bill 1280 on the House Floor on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Senate Bill 8 is an unconstitutional, near-total ban on abortion before most people even know they are pregnant. The bill creates frivolous and harassing lawsuits against anyone who helps people in Texas access abortion care. Anyone, regardless of whether or not they are connected to the person having an abortion, could sue an abortion provider, an abortion fund, and anyone else who helped that person get an abortion for a perceived violation of any abortion restriction.
House Bill 1280 would ban abortion in Texas with few exceptions in the case that Roe v. Wade gets overturned and subjects doctors to criminal and civil penalties and disciplinary actions.
Take action with us RIGHT NOW to fight against these devastating bills:
☎️Find your Texas state representative and call their office using the following script: “I am your constituent and I am asking the representative to vote no on SB 8 and HB 1280. SB 8 would not only ban abortion before most people know they are pregnant, it also allows random strangers to harass anyone who helps people access abortion with lawsuits. HB 1280 would ban nearly all abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned. I strongly oppose any legislation that restricts abortion access. The Texas House needs to focus on the real crises facing Texans like access to health care, responding to COVID-19, maternal mortality, and the energy crisis, not Dan Patrick’s political agenda.”
☎️ Call the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, Speaker Dade Phelan, at (512) 463-1000, using the following script: “I’m a Texas resident calling to tell the Speaker to STOP advancing SB 8 and HB 1280, and any other legislation that attacks abortion access. The Texas House needs to focus on the real crises facing Texans like access to health care, responding to COVID-19, maternal mortality, and the energy crisis, not Dan Patrick’s political agenda.”
The 2021 Legislative Session has begun at the State Capitol in Austin. Over the coming days, members of the Texas House of Representatives will debate and adopt rules governing the procedures of the body, including whether or not Texans will be able to participate in committee testimony virtually.
➡️ Call your Texas House member and Texas Senator and tell them that you want a virtual option for committee testimony in the middle of a pandemic. Find your member here if you don’t know and call their office number, and leave a message if you can’t get in touch.
➡️ Call your Texas House member and Texas Senator and tell them that you want a virtual option for committee testimony in the middle of a pandemic. Find your member here if you don’t know and call their office number, and leave a message if you can’t get in touch.
Sample script for phone calls or e-mail: My name is xxx and I’m a constituent of Rep./Sen. _______. I’m reaching out because I want the Texas Legislature to create a virtual option for Texans to be safely able to advocate and weigh in on legislative issues in the middle of a deadly pandemic.
We are in a historic and critical moment, and it’s more vital than ever that the public is able to participate in the legislative process in our state. Give us a safe and virtual option for testimony during this legislative session. As elected officials and our representatives, you must make the legislative process accessible *and* keep Texans safe. Does Rep./Sen. ____ support a virtual option for committee testimony for the 2021 Legislative Session?
