PHOENIX — Yesterday, Democratic candidate for governor Katie Hobbs joined EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler and women of color reproductive rights champions for a roundtable on the intersection of health care, justice, and public policy.

This community-based discussion brought together reproductive health care practitioners, advocates, and elected officials, who had the space to speak on the biggest issues facing Arizonans. Among the topics discussed, participants emphasized the disproportionate harm abortion bans would have on rural communities and people of color, the importance of electing pro-choice champions, and the widespread fallout the state is already experiencing in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“Women and families, especially people of color, people living in rural areas, and low-income communities face significant financial and social barriers to accessing the care they need,” said Katie Hobbs. “As your governor, I promise to defend and expand reproductive rights, especially for those who need it most. I will do everything in my power to protect access to safe, legal abortion — starting with using my veto pen to block any legislation that compromises the right to choose.”

Speakers emphasized the importance of increasing education and career access, as both are major factors that impact Arizonans’ reproductive health. They noted that conversations and policies surrounding reproductive health care must incorporate plans to reduce financial and social barriers — particularly for communities of color, DREAMers, low-income folks, and people living in rural areas. Hobbs convened the group to listen directly to these leaders and uplift their voices as well as discuss her Bans off Arizona and Affordable Arizona plans to address unequal access to reproductive health care resources.

EMILY’s List President Laphonza Butler also highlighted the dangerous policies that anti-choice extremists like Kari Lake want to force on Arizonans, stressing how crucial it is that we elect Katie Hobbs as governor to defend the state from life-threatening abortion bans.

“At a time when women all across this country and men who support us are standing in this gap, in this moment to ensure that the extreme Republican agenda is not one that rolls back the citizen[ship] of women — and essentially turns us into second class citizens,” said Butler. “[We must] be making sure that we have this fight now, so that our daughters and our children and grandchildren won’t have to have these fights as they grow older.”