Hello Friends and Family,

Please help me put up a billboard to promote reproductive freedom in NC!

I attended an Art for Democracy houseparty in August and from there connected with artist-activist Lena Wolf. Among other art & political activism projects, she has been working with SaveArtSpace to put up billboards in support of reproductive rights in battleground states. North Carolina is back in play for the Democrats now that VP Harris is the top of the ticket - hooray!

I lived in NC for six years during which time I experienced endless examples of how the people and place are exceptional. The kindness and generosity of the people, the majesty of its landscapes…it was all the background for my growing up into adulthood and fully understanding where my values lie. I made friends who I have stayed close to over the years and who I consider “chosen family.” They have daughters. And, they all live in a place with very restrictive laws surrounding reproductive freedom.

This billboard project, to me, is a symbol and act of hope. I hope it can be a source of inspiration. I hope it can be a reminder of what is right, in a place where some things have gone wrong, but can absolutely be put back on track toward an improved future.

Full disclosure: My teachers union negotiated a one-time bonus for us this year. Part of that is going toward this effort. I fronted the full value of the billboard on my own. My plan is to cover $500 of the project, and fundraise the other $2000 here through GFM. That’s why I am the “beneficiary” of this GFM and not SaveArtSpace - I already paid them so we could get this thing up ASAP!

Thank you for contributing! It means a lot.

About the billboard and voting: it will be on Hwy 280 (Boylston Hwy) at Sweetwater Road in Mills River. It will stay up for 6 weeks, Sept 16 - Oct 27. On Sept 6, vote-by-mail ballots start to go out in NC. In-person early voting starts Oct 17. https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting

Learn more at these sites:

https://lenawolff.com/artfordemocracy

https://www.saveartspace.org/

Harris Puts NC in Play article:

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4831547-kamala-harris-donald-trump-north-carolina/#:~:text=North%20Carolina%20is%20back%20in,just%20a%20few%20weeks%20ago.

NC Reproductive Health Care Facts:

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-south-atlantic/patients/health-care-services/abortion-services/nc-abortion-faqs#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20new%20abortion,14%20days%20after%20the%20abortion.