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.