Alexis McGill Johnson is president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. A longtime champion of reproductive freedom and racial justice, Alexis leads one of the most recognizable names in healthcare and politics. Before she led health equity initiatives, combed through data to understand who needed her help, and led Planned Parenthood, she was inspired by the women she loved. Growing up, Alexis loved the hair salon because she got to share space with the grown women in her community and learn about their private lives. During our conversation, she talked about how powerful access to women she knew, and seeing women like Condoleezza Rice on television, expanded her idea of what was possible for her. She shared the story of her grandmother’s daring flight away from a future of sharecropping to New Jersey for love and freedom, which shapes her own bravery. Alexis isn’t just telling the women she serves to draw on bravery in the face of harrowing political elections; she’s doing it.
In our conversation, we explored how Alexis became interested in advocacy and organizing, and why she believes voting is the best way to protect our power. We discussed the state of reproductive health care, the consequences of abortion restrictions, and the urgent need to address Black maternal mortality. Alexis also shared that while Planned Parenthood is over a century old, its mission to provide accessible and affordable health care to whoever needs it has not changed. She also shared how listeners can get involved with their local Planned Parenthood centers. We also talked about how “movement hope” sustains her more than optimism. Beyond her incredible professional career, Alexis opened up about motherhood and how her politic of autonomy work in practice with her daughters. Alexis takes the future of our right to make decisions about our bodies seriously, and in this conversation, she offers us the tools to do the same.
Planned Parenthood Midterm Voting Guide
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Tune in as we discuss:
(1:10) Voting Is Power and Power Is Sexy
(3:00) What Inspired Her To Pursue A Career In Organizing
(6:15) The Power of the Beauty Salon
(7:15) The State of Reproductive Health
(8:30) Horrific Stories of People Denied Access to Healthcare
(9:40) Planned Parenthood’s 110-Year-Old Mission
(11:00) Black Maternal Mortality Rate & Solutions
(15:10) Why She Has Movement Hope, Not Optimism
(17:55) How Her Grandmother’s Bravery Sustains Her
(19:35) Alexis’ Self-Care Routine
(23:35) Taking Advantage of Silence
(25:05) Distinctions Between Her Public & Private Personas
(29:10) How To Get Involved With Planned Parenthood
(30:45) What Planned Parenthood Protesters Want
(32:25) How Motherhood Impacts Her Work
(35:40) When She Feels The Most Beautiful
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