Arizona businesses donate to abortion funds after Roe is overturned – The Arizona Republic
Since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion after nearly 50 years by overturning Roe v. Wade on June 24, some locally owned businesses in Arizona have made their dismay clear to their social media followers.
“We fully support the right to reproductive freedom and the ability to choose what to do with your own body,” Monsoon Market owners Koral and Michela wrote in a June 26 Instagram post.
The two are among a number of business owners across the state who are making the Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom petition — which aims to amend the state’s constitution “to affirm the right to reproductive freedom” — available at their Phoenix store.
According to the petition’s website, more than 356,000 certified signatures are required by July 7 for the initiative to appear on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.
Other Arizona businesses have mobilized their followings by making public their donations to nonprofits that support the right to abortion, starting fundraisers and creating merchandise whose proceeds go toward abortion funds.
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Gay Pride Apparel donating ‘every cent’ of profits to abortion funds
Gay Pride Apparel, a brand created by Maryvale High School graduates Sergio Aragon (who attended the University of Arizona) and Jesus Gutierrez (who went to Arizona State University), quickly designed a $24 shirt that they said would benefit NARAL Pro-Choice America.
“We’re doing what we do best and donating 100% (yes, every cent) of our The STOTUS T-shirt to @prochoiceamerica all through this weekend,” the company’s Instagram account announced in a June 24 post.
Gutierrez clarified in a message to The Arizona Republic that profits from the shirt will “forever” be donated.
The duo, who are now based in Mexico City, also committed 20% of storewide profits to the nonprofit, which fights for “access to abortion care, birth control, paid parental leave and protections from pregnancy discrimination,” according to its website.
The shirt reads “the Supreme Trash of the United States of America” and shows photos of the five justices — Amy Coney Barrett, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Neil M. Gorsuch, Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Clarence Thomas — who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade.
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What Punk Rock Flea Swap is doing
Punk Rock Flea Swap, an event that takes place at Tempe’s Yucca Tap Room every second Sunday of the month, sold a $25 bundle that included a “Arizona needs to drop a Ducey” T-shirt, sticker and pin, with all profits pledged to the Abortion Fund of Arizona.
“Help us help fund safe and accessible Arizona abortions,” reads the flea swap event’s June 25 Instagram post.
On June 26, Punk Rock Flea Swap posted a screenshot of a $400 donation to the Pro-Choice Arizona Foundation’s Abortion Fund of Arizona.
According to the foundation’s donation website, the nonprofit “supports individuals who exercise their right to bodily autonomy when choosing to have or not have children, including community support to ensure thriving environments for families.”
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‘If you’re feeling powerless … donate’
Several other locally owned businesses made their stances clear and encouraged their followers to donate to abortion funds.
Phoenix boutique Local Nomad hosted a fundraiser on its Instagram account and has raised $5,800 for the National Network of Abortion Funds as of June 27. Its goal had been $1,000.
“If you’re feeling powerless … donate,” the shop’s June 24 Instagram post reads.
Changing Hands, a local bookstore chain, announced on June 24 that it donated to the Abortion Fund of Arizona.
“We just gave to @abortionfundofarizona, a project of @prochoiceaz. You can too,” the Instagram post’s caption reads. “Make the biggest impact with your rage.”
Reach Entertainment Reporter KiMi Robinson at kimi.robinson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimirobin and Instagram @ReporterKiMi.
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