On Monday, September 23, national and local leaders will gather in Flint for a Black maternal health roundtable as part of Team Harris-Walz’s “Fighting for Reproductive Freedom” bus tour. The event, moderated by Maya Harris, will address issues surrounding maternal health and reproductive rights in the context of the 2024 presidential election.
The roundtable will feature several key figures, including Representative Lauren Underwood (D-IL), U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, Paula Thornton Greear, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Michigan, and Danielle Atkinson, founder of Mothering Justice. Additionally, Nancy Davis and Latorya Beasley, both national reproductive rights advocates, will share their personal experiences related to reproductive healthcare access.
The “Fighting for Reproductive Freedom” bus tour kicked off on September 3 in Palm Beach, Florida, and will make over 50 stops in key states. Alongside Flint, the tour will also visit Madison Heights, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Marquette.
“We’re bringing the Harris-Walz ‘Fighting for Freedom’ bus tour to Flint to highlight the clear contrast between Trump’s Project 2025 agenda to ban abortion nationwide and Vice President Harris’ new way forward to protect our fundamental freedoms and combat the maternal health crisis,” said Alyssa Bradley, Michigan Communications Director for the Harris-Walz 2024 campaign. “Donald Trump brags about his extreme abortion ban across the country that we know worsens Black maternal health—and would do even more damage during a second term.”
The event highlights different stances on reproductive rights between the Democratic candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz, and their Republican counterparts, Donald Trump and JD Vance. Harris and Walz have emphasized restoring reproductive protections through federal legislation, while Trump and Vance support a national abortion ban and other restrictions, including policies related to birth control, IVF, and reporting requirements for miscarriages and abortions.
The tour aims to engage Michigan voters on these issues ahead of the election. According to the Michigan Democratic coordinated campaign, more than 41,000 new volunteers have been recruited since Harris’s campaign announcement, and over 225 staff members and 52 field offices are active across the state.
This event in Flint will focus on Black maternal health, which is a critical issue due to the challenges that many women, particularly in marginalized communities, face in accessing healthcare. As the bus tour continues, this roundtable offers an opportunity for local communities to discuss maternal health and reproductive rights.
