I started as a Prospect writing fellow halfway through 2024, so my time at TAP has been largely defined by the lead-up to and ramifications of the election. But outside of reporting on the election, I also found myself telling various abortion stories, whether they were dives into obscure health policy or write-ups of the solutions organizers are using to protect abortion rights for the most disadvantaged Americans.
As a Chicagoan of four years, I was in town for the DNC and did my best to give readers an inside glance at the convention while also providing a platform to the voices of dissent outside the convention hall.
“Chicago Protesters Explain Their Views on Voting”
In this piece, I spoke to pro-Palestine protesters about their views on voting. The protest ended up being smaller than many (including the police) assumed it might be, but it was still a clear outpouring of anger against the Biden administration’s policies toward Israel and Palestine. My reporting showed the vast ideological spectrum present among activists, especially when it came to the question of electoral politics.
“Uncommitted Delegates Denied a DNC Speaker”
Next, I reported on a protest that was simultaneously inside and outside the convention. Within the security perimeter but not within the convention hall, sitting next to a CNN- and Politico-sponsored party tent, Uncommitted delegates gathered to advocate for a Palestinian speaker on the DNC stage. The Harris campaign denied that request. You really couldn’t make up the juxtaposition: media outlets throwing corporate-sponsored parties just feet from activists sitting on the chilly concrete, asking for the bare minimum of a voice at the convention.
“Family Providers Face Barriers to Adding Abortion Services”
Moving away from the election, this is a piece I wrote about some of the hidden barriers that make abortion care harder to access, more expensive, and more stigmatized. I spoke to health care providers who told me they faced unfair price changes on their insurance policies when they tried to begin providing abortion care. These are the kinds of stories I care deeply about reporting—shedding a light on overlooked barriers to care that are deliberately obscured by layers of legalese.
“Making Room Under the Bus”
And finally, I'd like to highlight this story that I wrote with writing fellow Janie Ekere, who tragically passed away in mid-December. Janie and I knew that we wanted to add our voices to the conversation about queer rights that had emerged in noxious ways after Harris lost the election, and this is how we did it. Like so many of the pieces Janie wrote, this story takes a stance on the side of the most marginalized, even when mainstream voices villainize and ignore them. As I keep writing in 2025 and beyond, I hope to cultivate in myself that sense of purpose and conviction that Janie exemplified.
