keep our clinic open

I founded Desert Star Family Planning in 2013 to combat the stigma that surrounds reproductive health and bring services to a medically underserved and ethnically diverse community. Desert Star is the only solo Black woman-owned independent abortion clinic in the United States and one of less than 10 Black-owned clinics in the country.

It has been extremely difficult keeping the clinic operating with the legal battles on whether abortion care would be completely banned, or whether we would operate under a 15-week abortion ban here in Arizona. There are so many conflicting laws on the books that created confusion once Roe v Wade was overturned with the SCOTUS Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June 2022. Our clinic provided 2nd trimester abortion care and we would have to see 2-3 more patients for every one patient we saw to maintain the pre 15 week ban level of operations. This unfortunate circumstance layered on top of ongoing COVID staffing challenges has at times felt insurmountable. The reduction in the types of abortions we can do changes how the entire clinic operates and our ability to provide our other services too.

We have entered 2023 with our doors still open. We have been weakened, but not defeated. Now that we have clarity with the 12/30/2022 appeals court decision that we will be able to provide abortion care up to 15 weeks for the foreseeable future, I am now able to turn my attention to staffing the clinic to operate under this reality. Up to this point, I could not forecast or plan how to run my clinic. Shout out to the dedicated volunteers who have held us down and expanded our ability to show up consistently to serve the communities that need us.

I am asking for your support to raise 2 months of clinic expenses while I hire the staff necessary to see the number of patients necessary to keep the clinic open without fundraising.

In Solidarity and Gratitude

Dr. DeShawn Taylor, MD

Founder and CEO

Desert Star Family Planning

www.desertstarfp.com