By Brandon Cortés
Features Editor
Students gathered in Room 217 in the Adanti Student Center this week for an advocacy event aimed at protecting reproductive health care in Connecticut.
Public health major Chekeenah Jeudi, a senior and co-president of SISTAS, organized the event through her internship with Planned Parenthood’s Generation Action program.
“Generation Action interns act as the face of Planned Parenthood on their campus,” Jeudi said. “Today’s event is all about using our voices to support funding for Planned Parenthood and the people who rely on its services.”
Participants were given scripts to use while making calls, along with information about how recent changes in federal and state funding have affected access to reproductive care.
Hosted by SISTAS in partnership with Planned Parenthood Votes! Connecticut, the phone-banking session encouraged students to call state legislators to support continued funding for Planned Parenthood and its health programs.
Jeudi explained that Planned Parenthood has faced major funding cuts in recent years which have threatened basic services such as cancer screenings, STD testing and reproductive education.
“In Connecticut, a lot of people are on Medicaid — almost half the state,” Jeudi said. “If that’s your only coverage, and you can’t use it at Planned Parenthood, you’d have to pay out of pocket. That’s not something everyone can afford.”
Jeudi said she hoped the event would help reframe how students view Planned Parenthood. For many, the organization is often associated only with abortion care, but she emphasized that its reach extends far beyond that single issue.
Planned Parenthood offers a range of preventive and diagnostic health services that are vital for communities across the country.
“I hope people realize that Planned Parenthood is about so much more than abortion,” Jeudi said. “They provide pap smears, breast exams, HIV and STI testing — things that save lives and keep communities healthy.”
The event drew a mix of volunteers from SISTAS, students from various majors and supporters from other campus organizations.
Tables were covered in flyers explaining how federal funding restrictions have limited access to care since 2019, when Title X changes barred many clinics from receiving funds if they provided abortion referrals.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, those restrictions led to an estimated 46% drop in patients served nationwide in Title X programs, highlighting why advocacy remains essential.
For Jeudi, the afternoon was about more than making calls; it was about creating space for students to understand how local policy affects their own communities.
“We talk about national issues all the time,” Jeudi said, “but it’s important to remember how these decisions impact us right here in Connecticut.”
Between numerous phone calls, students discussed the upcoming legislative session and shared ideas for future events.
Jeudi said SISTAS plans to continue collaborating with Planned Parenthood throughout the year, hosting educational sessions and community drives to promote reproductive health and awareness.
As the event wound down, Jeudi said she felt encouraged by the turnout and by how many students took time to participate and take action into this matter.
“Advocacy starts right here,” Jeudi said. “If we can inspire even a handful of students to care about reproductive justice, then we’re doing something meaningful.”
