Rachel, Western PA

Last week, Anna and I trekked to Westmoreland County to canvass in the towns of Mt. Pleasant and Ligonier. We are spoiled, as we are interning at an urban affiliate, mostly covering turf that lies less than 10 miles from the office, with semi-reliable public transportation to get us there. So a distant, more rural canvass was a bit of a shock to our city-scuffed shoes. After a terribly fraught journey to our meeting point for the Mt. Pleasant canvass, we decided that the pouring rain was not going to let up, and so our first taste of canvassing, Westmoreland-style, came the next day, in the small quaint town of Ligonier.

I had hoped that we would find more people at home than we typically do in Pittsburgh. It was a chilly day, threatening rain, and I reasoned that in a small town like Ligonier, there would be… well, less to entice people to leave their homes on a Saturday afternoon. I was wrong; the percentage of knocks that went unanswered was no less than in our many Pittsburgh canvasses. For the people we did speak to, however, there was an important difference.

Pennsylvania has no statewide guidelines for the teaching of sex ed (hence this internship) and from what I gathered, the education young people receive at schools in Ligonier is spotty at best. Mothers could break out with personal stories about the inadequacy of their children’s’ education. On the other hand, Pittsburgh public schools are required to provide comprehensive sex education, and try as we might, this fact stole the urgency from our conversations. Women in Pittsburgh would listen to my story, but then say “Well, my kids already get good sex ed, so I’m not interested,” or “I’m happy with the status quo in Pittsburgh, so I won’t sign.” Woman after woman produced something along these lines: “My kids are out of school,” “I don’t have kids,” “I teach my kids about sex myself.”

I try not to get frustrated, but I sometimes want to interrupt with “But what about all the other kids in Pennsylvania?” What about those kids stuck in a high school much like my own, that in lieu of a real sex education program, offers gruesome pictures of advanced STDs and a few quips about abstinence? I have encountered hardly any hostility towards my message, little denial of the benefits of comprehensive sex ed. But for some people, their thinking stops there, at their doorstep, at the boundaries of their school district. I wish I could inspire everyone with the passion I heard from those Ligonier women, somehow make them see that elsewhere in the state, children just like their own are being denied the education they need and deserve. But I guess that’s the point.

Anna D, Western PA

In the past seven weeks, I have learned a lot about how to communicate effectively and openly with people about politically charged issues like sex education and health care reform. Canvassing has been most interesting, mainly because of the interactions I have with our targets, but also because being on foot for hours at a time in concentrated sections of the Pittsburgh area gives me a new perspective on my hometown. It’s amazing the difference a few miles makes when it comes to the overall disposition of people towards Planned Parenthood.

Because Rachel and I have been mainly canvassing on Fridays and Saturdays, it is especially striking when we are in a rural or suburban area one day and a city neighborhood the next. Overall, we tend to get more positive responses from people closer to the city, and more "not home’s/refusals" from suburban and rural folks (of course there are exceptions). Personally, I most enjoy canvassing in what are stereotypically viewed as “depressed” or “bad” areas of town. My interactions in such areas have been for the most part with very supportive and kind people who seem genuinely interested in helping to get our bills passed. One of my favorite memories from one such canvass is this: after a really enthusiastic young woman signed my petition, we talked for several minutes about her views on the issues and the importance of sex education. She mentioned her toddler daughter several times, and said that as a mother she was especially grateful for the resources Planned Parenthood provides for young people. She even gave me a bottle of water as I was leaving. After I had walked several blocks, I stopped on a street corner to look at my map. A man came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder, asking “Are you Anna?” When I said I was indeed, and asked what I could do for him, he told me that his wife had ordered him to chase me down so that he could sign my petition too!

I really enjoy the work that I have been doing, both because I am excited to be working for a cause I believe in so strongly, and also because it can be so much fun! I have met so many great people and had such engaging conversations; my internship with Planned Parenthood of Western PA has truly made this summer a memorable and very rewarding experience.

Anna M, Southeast PA

Madeline, Juliana, and I just returned from our second trip to Washington D.C. this summer. After an 8 AM early morning train on Wednesday, we squished 8 people into a cab and made our way to L'Enfant Plaza hotel - the site of the conference. We were all extremely tired, but check-in wasn't for another five hours so we decided to explore the hotel a little before heading to the opening ceremony (where we met Cecile Richards!).

After that we shuffled to our respective break-out sessions on everything from the legislative process to using the media to your advantage. Juliana and I attended 'Campaigning from A to Z,' where by far the most useful information was the advice on how to start a Vox chapter at our school. It was an exhausting day of traveling and absorbing information so I didn't feel too lame when I called it a night and went to sleep at 10.

The next day was a whirlwind of Senatorial and Congressional lobby visits regarding community providers' roles in the new HealthCare Reform bill. Most staff that we met were encouraging yet realistic. They agreed that it would be an uphill battle when the issue of "federally funded" abortion emerged. Currently about 80% of insurance providers cover abortion procedures, and we just hope that after healthcare reform women aren't worse off than they are now.

On Friday, Madeline, Juliana, and I skipped out on the morning plenary session, hopped on the subway and tried to go get tickets to the Sotomayor hearings. Unfortunately we were one day too late, and all that was left of the long lines and ticket booth was a sad looking folded up white tent. Disappointed, we breezed through the senate buildings, hoping to run into Al Franken on our way back to the hotel.

The last three days offered an insightful look into the frustrating and long process of creating and passing a bill. When a piece of legislation is over 1,000 pages (as the Healthcare reform bill is) it's almost impossible for laymen/citizens to understand. And this is why grassroots organizing is so vital. Communities and individuals have to truly understand the impact that Washington DC has - and the impact that they have on Washington DC. It's easy to get caught up and discouraged by the political jargon, but it's important not to.

Sarah W, Northeast PA

I started this internship with ominous words from Representative John Yudichak—“Good luck with my constituents.” These words, for me, foreshadowed 10 weeks of doors slamming and completely unreceptive people.

The reality of the internship has been the opposite. (Ironically our most successful turf is in Nanticoke, Yudichak’s hometown.) People have been receptive to what we have to say about Sex Education. One of my favorite responses; “It’s against my religion, but I’m a pediatric nurse and I’ve seen how important it is. I’ll sign.”

It’s also been great to meet like minded people. This past weekend Gemma and I visited the Unitarian Universalist Church of Wyoming Valley, located in Kingston PA. The congregation was very welcoming, and many people approached us after the service with questions about both Sex Education and Health Care Reform!

Our time at the UU church really drove home the idea of it being a small world out there. I had recently contacted the director of NEPA PrideFest about the possibility of tabling at the event. At the end of the service, a gentleman approached me and asked if I was the same Sarah that had emailed him! We went on to have a great conversation and cannot wait to table at PrideFest! We also met a member of the board of directors of PP Northeast-MidPenn. Perhaps, in the most ironic twist of fate, someone mentioned that Todd Eachus, the representative for Hazleton, used to be a member of the congregation! It just so happens that Eachus’s district is one of our primary focuses for the internship!

Going into these last 4 weeks Gemma and I have a big challenge. We initially cut gigantic turfs—I’m talking 200 plus. So we are going to have to race to get them all done. We’ve worked out a system where every time we finish a turf we treat ourselves (in the form of a delicious snack). So hopefully, in the weeks to come there will be a lot of snacking!

Finally, on a more serious note:

To all the parents who read this blog,

Please, talk to your children about safety when they are home alone. I have repeatedly had children ranging from the age of 7 and up answer the door and tell me their parents aren’t home. Not only this, but they continue on to give me detailed information about where and when their parents will be back.

Sarah P, Southeast PA

During our first day at the Planned Parenthood office in Southeast PA, I was told by a protestor that I should be ashamed to work there. Of all the things protestors and opponents have said to me, this was possibly the hardest not to respond to, because I am so proud to be working for Planned Parenthood, especially on the issues of sexuality education and health care reform.

What makes me so proud, besides the utter import of our causes, is the wonderful group of women who intern with me, each with her own capabilities and strengths that make our team in Southeast PA so strong. I am also so proud of all the hard work that we do. We have been canvassing, phone banking, tabling, doing clinic advocacy and escorting until we can do it our sleep.

On Monday the interns in Southeast did crowd canvassing for the first time in Center City Philadelphia. Anna M. and I were so frustrated at first that no one would stop to talk to us, until we decided to approach people at bus stops- “captive audiences”. This worked so well, men and women were grabbing for the clipboards after they heard our explanation of the bills. One woman asked if she could list everyone she thinks would benefit from the bills. We were filled with confidence and encouragement, brushing off rejection and learning to relinquish our sense of shame- as Sara Reed told me would happen at action camp. Canvassing today, a man told Madeleine and me that we needed to “get educated” about eugenics and Hitler, but we refused to engage and we moved on, inspired by the importance of comprehensive sexuality education and by all the people who say, “We need it”. So far in this internship, I’ve developed my pride and been inspired. Let’s see what the second half brings.

Clarissa, Southeast PA

Recently we have been doing a lot of phone banks to strike up support for protecting women's health during the current health reform debate. These calls can be difficult as we usually don't know what we are calling about until a few minutes before the call and don't get a lot of time to prepare for the script. Furthermore, we use a computer program called "Activate" that dials all the calls for us and weeds out the answering machines. When working correctly, phone banking becomes pretty fast paced and there's not a lot of time to regroup and prepare before the next call. This of course can be frustrating, especially when we are talking to someone who has a lot of questions about whatever bill or amendment we are pushing for.

Despite all this, the most interesting thing about phonebanking can be the random responses from the callers. A surprising amount of women have already heard about these issues and have already contacted their representatives on their own. A few women have even mentioned that they prefer to work on the health care reform issue in their own community, and see following our requests as a conflicting action to whatever work they have already done.

There are also the women who are surprisingly receptive to our awkward scripts and genuinely listen to what we say. One woman was so quiet after I spoke that I was worried she had hung up on me, only to hear, "hold on....I'm thinking...okay yes, I'll do it!"

Of course, there are always the people who are ready to say "no"
before we've told them what we're calling about. One woman apparently said to one of our interns, "Honey, I'm Catholic and would do anything to stop you." The negative responses also seem to vary based on the area we're calling. While calling people in Pennsylvania, I received a considerable amount of hang ups. However, while calling Indiana, I had one woman take a full two minutes to apologize and excuse herself from making the two minute phone call to her representative. These responses can vary based on the time we're calling too. For example, last week we were phone banking during the Michael Jackson memorial service, and we definitely got a few women who said they were in the middle of watching it and honestly too emotional to help us out at the moment.

Sometimes we won't even get a chance to speak to the person we're calling on a count of her calls being screened by a controlling spouse. You'd be surprise how often these guys turn up, both in phone banking and canvassing. I don't know whether or not they feel they are doing their partner a favor, but just so you know, fellas, when you tell us "she's not interested," we don't take that as an answer until we hear it from the horse's mouth. Of course, not all of the men we reach are like this. A few men during our last phone bank called their representatives about women's health even when their wives or girlfriends declined.

Elissa, Harrisburg/York

Throughout the course of this internship, I have been met with minimal resistance. I have talked to only a small handful of anti-choice or abstinence only supporters. Some people remain very polite when discussing our differing beliefs, while at others have been extremely hostile. One person I met avoided saying the word “abortion” like the plague. Rather, she talked around “abortion” itself, and used the context of “pre-1973” (oh, the anti-choice glory days) and “post-1973” to describe her stance on Planned Parenthood.

Yet, I am continually impressed and surprised with the wide range of support I’ve received for real sex education and Planned Parenthood. There’s nothing more gratifying than receiving a c4-opt in from a pro-choice Catholic with a Virgin Mary statuette displayed in her front lawn! With such overwhelming support and after talking with dozens and dozens of people, I’ve noticed that my conversations usually go something like this:

Elissa: “Do you think students should learn both abstinence and prevention methods like condoms and birth contr---“
Target Person: “Yes, both!”

Often times, I can’t even finish the question before people so eagerly answer. I suppose it’s obvious---comprehensive sex education is the answer!

Madeline, Southeast PA

As one of the larger affiliates, Planned Parenthood of Southeastern PA has a lot of areas to reach and incredible numbers of supporters to gain. The thought of not only having to contact so many people, but also having to convince them of the importance of these two bills, was daunting at the beginning of this internship. Fortunately, we have all been able to meet people who need and appreciate our services, which have definitely made the large task at hand seem more manageable.

The sheer scale of our turf guarantees that we come into contact with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Witnessing the differences in attitudes and knowledge-levels about reproductive health has really highlighted the desperate need for comprehensive sex education in Pennsylvania, especially in Philadelphia. Last weekend we tabled at a local community fair in northern Philadelphia, and I can’t even count how many times I was asked, by adults, what is was that we were handing out (they were condoms). One man of about fifty looked at our “swag” and asked if we were handing out teabags. I was shocked; how could adults not recognize a male condom?

It isn’t just in inner-city neighborhoods where our services are needed, either. When Anna and I were canvassing in a pretty wealthy town we met a mother who was caring for her drug-addicted daughter’s four children. Before she allowed her grandchildren to see their mother again, this woman wanted her daughter to have a complete bill of health, and was extremely interested in the services Planned Parenthood could provide her. This goes to show that our services and advocacy efforts are not only needed in the poorer neighborhoods of large cities like Philadelphia, as I’m sure many assume, but in more affluent and seemingly “better off” areas as well.

Susquehanna Health Fair: Lisa, Southeast PA

So far in this internship, the most interesting people I have met were from tabling at the Susquehanna Health Fair on the campus of Temple University. In my experiences canvassing and phone banking, many women were incredibly pressed for time. While they politely answered questions and produced emails, these women always seemed to be in a rush to get back to their lives. At the health fair, however, life seemed to move along at a slower pace. Although most of the people who stopped by the table were uneducated about comprehensive sex ed and contraception, many were curious and took the time to stop and ask thorough questions. One woman grilled me about both of the bills, and another wanted to know why comprehensive sex ed is such a pressing issue. Most of the people at the health fair seemed to be impartial about sex ed, never before realizing its importance in their lives or in their communities. Despite this neutrality, few were apathetic. Upon hearing about the statistics of comprehensive versus abstinence only sex ed, many of them began to recall shortcomings of their own sex education and eagerly signed the petition. While there were few who came to the table already passionate about sex ed, it was incredibly interesting to witness people’s realizations about the importance of it.

Investing In Our Youth: Rachel, Western PA

Garfield is one of those neighborhoods that straddles the vague line between “safe” and “unsafe” parts of the city of Pittsburgh. On one street, pedestrians stride smartly along leafy sidewalks, and students crowd into bohemian coffee shops, and a few blocks away, 60-year-old row houses crumble into decrepitude.

Canvassing here is an adventure. On the late-June afternoon when we walked these streets, several times I raised my hand to knock at a house, matching the number to my list, only to find the door plastered with eviction notices, gas shut-offs, maybe even a formidable “CONDEMNED” sign that made me drop my hand and scrawl “moved” onto my paper.

Our grassroots organizing activities this summer are touched deeply by the current recession. We have encountered an unusual number of defunct addresses and phone numbers; leading us to disconnected phones, boarded-up houses, or confused new occupants bewildered by the names we ask for.

These constant reminders motivate me to work harder; in times of economic turmoil, the attention of the public and the politicians often drifts far from health and education. These fields are often painted as soft and insubstantial, at least compared with the meatier business of trade and finance. The Pennsylvania state budget has bowed to these perceptions, slashing dozens of valuable education and health programs.

Our work is even more vital in times like these. How can we ensure the continual viability of our country and its people? The answer is a little cliché, but no less critical for this: invest in our youth. Young people today need a full and honest – in a word, comprehensive – education to prepare them to be contributing members of society. Pennsylvania’s schools are denying students this preparation for life, robbing them of the education that will help them lead a healthy, safe sexual life. If our young people are not healthy, how can they revitalize our ailing economy?

A lot of people will tell me that this is a stretch; that connecting the Healthy Youth Act to our country’s economic well-being is a political wordgame. But our day canvassing in Garfield convinces me otherwise. From the 62-year old lady who described in a low voice the young people – the children, really – who were getting pregnant or contracting STDs in the neighborhood; to the 25-year old women with the 8-year old son who, this early in her career, is already playing catch-up, the people I talked to provided compelling evidence that comprehensive sex education is essential for our country’s well-being. And that’s worth knocking on a hundred empty houses.