NAACP youth council leads march for abortion rights in Springfield

Susan Szuch, Springfield News-Leader
·2 min read
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Participants march south along Benton Avenue toward Park Central Square on Saturday, July 23, 2022. The march to protect abortion rights was led by the Springfield NAACP's youth council.
Participants march south along Benton Avenue toward Park Central Square on Saturday, July 23, 2022. The march to protect abortion rights was led by the Springfield NAACP's youth council.

Springfield's NAACP youth council led a march from Pitts Chapel to Park Central Square on Saturday evening in support of abortion rights.

"We’re coming together not only for women, but men, too, gay or not, for everyone because it’s not just women who are being affected by" Roe v. Wade's overturn, said Miracle Dyer-Lacio, president of the youth council. "It’s just a small start and there’s still a lot we can do, but we’re starting with this today."

About 25 people walked through downtown Springfield, chanting and carrying signs. Dyer-Lacio and Tyler Thompson, secretary of the NAACP youth council, led the group.

The youth council "made phone calls, got permits and booked speakers" for the event, said NAACP President Kai Sutton.

More: Missouri bans abortion with 'trigger law' after U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Once at Park Central Square, several speakers shared stories and concerns about how the abortion ban would impact those who are already vulnerable.

Springfield NAACP Youth Council Secretary Tyler Thompson speaks about abortion rights during Saturday's event in Park Central Square. The NAACP youth council organized the march from Pitts Chapel to Park Central Square.
Springfield NAACP Youth Council Secretary Tyler Thompson speaks about abortion rights during Saturday's event in Park Central Square. The NAACP youth council organized the march from Pitts Chapel to Park Central Square.

"I’ve been alive long enough to see that what is happening to women, people of color, minorities in general is wrong. And I’m determined to do something about it," Thompson said. "... We live in a first-world country with third-world rules, laws and ideals. Unfortunately, those of us who aren’t seen as useful are deemed unimportant and our rights are taken from us. We have so much more to contribute than just our womb, and we will not be reduced to that."

In the United States, a Black person is 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than a white person, according to a 2019 study. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified racism as a barrier to health equity.

More: Chaniece was a young, healthy doctor who died giving birth. Her Blackness raised her risk.

"Birth is the closest a woman comes to death," Dyer-Lacio said. "Within the Black community, we have more mental issues and whatnot, and we don’t get as much support in that."

Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield NAACP youth council leads abortion rights march for all