Karla Gonzales-García
Editor’s Note: The following is a statement by Karla Gonzales García, Policy Director of Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) on the hearing for Senate Bill 9, which enhances access to contraception for undocumented people and low-income individuals in the state Medicaid program:
The Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR) is proud to lead the campaign for this important bill. We know that access to contraception helps people realize their own reproductive goals, which in turn helps them achieve their educational, employment, and financial ambitions. The ability to get the care we need to manage our health is not just about our own outcomes; it determines the economic situation and health of our families and whether or not we are pushed into a cycle of poverty by the lack of options and decision-making power. For undocumented women who are often demonized and left out of policymaking decisions, this is a matter of health, of justice and so much more.
Immigration status nor income should determine: who gets to care for themselves and their families, who gets to decide when they become parents and build their families, or who is denied care and support. This bill would make clear that Colorado’s efforts to expand access to contraception does not leave certain women behind simply based on a piece of paper or the type of insurance that they use.
Senate Bill 9 is forward thinking and the right thing to do. It builds on the legacy we have set as a state of working to close gaps in care, of being a place where all people are treated with respect, and of actively striving to advance racial and reproductive justice. This bill is a first piece, but certainly a very important one.
Senate Bill 9 is forward thinking and the right thing to do. It builds on the legacy we have set as a state of working to close gaps in care, of being a place where all people are treated with respect, and of actively striving to advance racial and reproductive justice.
We urge fellow advocates and activists to speak out in support of this bill, and our lawmakers to be leaders in support in advancing this innovative and important piece of legislation. Together, we can take bold action to make sure every Coloradan has the ability to plan their families and their futures. Together we can mitigate the harm of our broken federal immigration system by making sure that a person’s status does not deny them the care they need to live with dignity.
Karla Gonzales-García, Policy Director of Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights.
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