On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court, on a 5-3 decision, overthrew the 50-year-old Roe v. Wade law which said that women had the right to choose what happens to their body. The 1973 decision was based on the 14th Amendment’s “Due Process Clause” on the right to privacy.

After this ruling there were many demonstrations in support of women’s right to choose around the country. Many NFBPWC members participated in these demonstrations. One member was Judy Chu, a member of East Los Angeles-Montebello BPW and a member of Congress from California’s 27th Congressional District.

Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Chu was the only member of Congress to take part in the June 30th demonstration in Washington, D.C. For her efforts in protecting women’s right to choose, she was arrested along with 181 others. She was later released.

Chu is the author of HR 3755 the “Women’s Health Act,’ which passed the House on September 24, 2021, and is in the Senate as S 1975. The Senate filibuster law has stopped it from proceeding. If enacted, it would protect women’s right to choose.