Say the Word: A Night of Art and Action for Abortion is a series of evenings where award-winning musicians, artists, journalists, organizers, and everyone who cares about this issue come together to learn, listen—and take action.
Say the Word launched with a sold-out July 31 show at Joe’s Pub in New York City and continued through the fall. Lineups have included TV personality Whoopi Goldberg, musician Toshi Reagon, TV host Padma Lakshmi, poet Rachel McKibbens, OB-GYN Dr. Heather Irobunda, singer-songwriter MILCK, the Resistance Revival Chorus, youth activists, legal experts, comedians, and more. Each artist takes the stage for no more than five minutes—the average length of time an in-clinic abortion actually takes.
This series is produced by The Meteor and is supported by The Meteor Fund, an affiliated project of The Meteor, which is fiscally sponsored by New Venture Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS
At the September 21, 2022 event, actress, author, and TV personality Whoopi Goldberg talked about the struggle for the right to legal abortion over the years.
Writer and activist Raquel Willis joined the evening on September 21 with this powerful poem: “I am a Black trans woman who believes in abortion.”
At the July 31, 2022 event, author, director, and actress Amber Tamblyn brought to life real voices on the ground after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Poet Rachel McKibbens brought the house down at the September 21 event with her commanding poem: "Una Oración (Bruja's Soliloquy)."
Indiana OB-GYN Caitlin Bernard, M.D., joined the July 31 event to share her personal struggle to care for patients.
PAST SPEAKERS AND PERFORMERS
Whoopi Goldberg
Actress, author, and TV personality
Moist Paula Henderson
Saxophonist and composer
Dr. Heather Irobunda, MD
Obstetrician-Gynecologist
Padma Lakshmi
TV host, Author, and Activist
Dr. Caitlin Bernard, MD
Obstetrician-Gynecologist
BIIANCO
Musical artist and producer
Dj Monday Blue
Creator and resident DJ of Doyennes of Disc
Hennessy Garcia, Niharika Rao, and Lala Hartman
Activists, NYC for Abortion Rights
Crys Matthews
Singer-Songwriter
Marlene McCarty
Visual Artist
Madison McFerrin
Singer-Songwriter
Rachel McKibbens
Poet
MILCK
Singer-Songwriter and producer
Mishti
Singer-Songwriter
Elie Mystal
Justice correspondent for The Nation
Meah Pace
Singer-songwriter
Toshi Reagon
Singer, Composer, and Musician
Alysia Reiner
Actress and producer
Resistance Revival Chorus
Choir
Kate Rigg
Actress and Comedian
Emma Roth
Civil Rights attorney, Pregnancy Justice
Chase Strangio
Lawyer and Transgender Rights Activist
Dana Sussman
Deputy executive director, Pregnancy Justice
Amber Tamblyn
Author, Director, and Actress
Alia Tejeda
Volunteer Case Manager, New York Abortion Access Fund
Trixie Whitley
Multi-instrumentalist
Chelsea Williams-Diggs
Interim executive director, New York Abortion Access Fund
Raquel Willis
Writer and transgender rights activist
OUR IMPACT
Say the Word donates The Meteor’s portion of proceeds to local organizers. Past evenings benefited the New York Abortion Access Fund, in partnership with Planned Parenthood Federation of America. And throughout the shows, performers and the MC share action steps the audience can take—and QR codes on the table help attendees connect to ways to get involved in the movement, including phone-banking, becoming a local clinic escort, and supporting local abortion funds.
To make a donation to the New York Abortion Access Fund go to nyaaf.org.
Stay tuned here for more details on our next Say the Word event.
