Crossing The Line graphic
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partnerships matter. communities matter. people matter.

Cody Peluso Aug 18, 2022
Crossing the Line promotional graphic. The graphic says that "Thousands of people must travel, many across state lines, to access abortions."

When the Supreme Court crossed a line so many of us had hoped, perhaps presumed, they’d never cross, its immediate effects were felt by people across the United States. Justices enacted injustice for an entire nation–overnight. Some felt our country had crossed the Rubicon, and the war on women had reached a new extreme or had perhaps been victorious.  This feeling of defeat is not isolated to just the the United States,  but across the world.  

Individuals may have felt defeat, but communities did not 

During the darkest times for us as individuals, as we started to  understand what this really meant for each of us, whole communities boldly declared their support for bodily autonomy. Whole coalitions, organizations, states, and regions  reaffirmed their commitments to choice. 

Crossing the Line, a podcast produced by Population Media Center, is all about community, partnership, and agency. It’s about banding together, creating access points to health care – no matter the road blocks in the way.  The podcast may be created by one media agency, but the grassroot community of reproductive healthcare in the United States is the bedrock of the series. We know change is rooted in the behavior of people in any given community, and we’re honored to be a part of this community. 

Crossing The Line is an immersive documentary-style podcast that follows individuals seeking abortions and the heroes who help along the way. Each episode allows listeners to experience  political, geographic, and financial barriers abortion-seekers are now facing in light of the raging battle for reproductive health care in the United States.

I want to make this point abundantly clear: there are many heroes along the way, in every community across the country and in every community across the world. The first, and most important hero, is the person taking their health care decisions into their own hands and making the choice that is best for them. There would be no other heroes without this inspiring feat. But, Crossing the Line isn’t the story of an individual or a person setting out on a journey alone. Crossing The Line illustrates how communities are lifting up others when they need it most.  

This emphasis on partnership, communities, and empowerment is at the heart of how we support  the communities and spaces in which we work.  

Beyond storytelling, Crossing The Line  has been a resource for people seeking more information about abortion and  reproductive health care. In each episode and at CTLpod.com, we’re uplifting our partners: AbortionFinder, Plan C Pills, The ACLU, and Planned Parenthood. These are the groups at the center of this battle and those who have been working on abortion access for decades. 

We’re doing more than entertaining, we’re telling the stories that will remake this industry, uplift whole communities, and empower individuals. 

In the first episode of the series, the synopsis reads as follows.  

“Led by the dynamic Reverend Daniel Kanter, a passionate group of clergy, counselors, and volunteers run a travel program that helps Texas women, transgender men, and non-binary people circumvent state restrictions on abortion healthcare. The group shepherds up to 20 individuals twice a month to New Mexico to terminate their pregnancies. On this trip, an 18-year-old Latina mother, who wants to provide a stable future for her toddler takes the journey.” 

Notice she didn’t have to take the journey alone, she found a community for support. Also note that many people across this country, across the world, are forced to do this alone.  

At Population Media Center we do the work we do, in the way we do it, to let women and all people, everywhere know that they aren’t alone– even when they feel like they are alone. When whole communities, partners, lovers, parents, siblings, role models, and friends lead them astray or leave them alone, our partners, supporters, and characters are there for them. 

At PMC, we focus on change-makers. We focus on the group of clergy who fight for and with women, we focus on organizations like Plan C who are organizing women and people across the country to give them access to the life-saving healthcare they need. We put a focus on organizations like AbortionFinder because they believe in community. They believe that no one should have to do this alone.  

And the truth is, we also cannot do this work alone.  

As a community of global partners, local activists, and hundreds of supporters, we have the ability to educate, empower, and change beliefs and behaviors. We’re changing the conversation on sexual and reproductive health care on a global scale – allowing more people to access the care that they need without any stigma attached.  

Every action counts in the fight for reproductive rights, and our community of supporters is only growing. If you feel like Crossing the Line or any of our other projects match your vision for the future, you too can join our community of change makers. Please consider supporting our work by making a donation today.