Somehow October is over already, which means we’re only one week away from the next city council meeting on Tuesday, November 7 at 7pm! We hope to see you there, but if you’re unable to attend, you can participate by zoom, phone, or by emailing your public comment to cityclerk@beverlyhills.org. We had 11 speakers at the last meeting and would like to have even more next week. In prior weeks, only women have spoken before the council, and quite frankly, it’s time for the guys to step up! As a reminder, you don’t have to be a Beverly Hills resident to give public comment at the city council meetings. 

We’re proud to share that the LA Guild for Reproductive Health and Hang Out Do Good have both signed on to our coalition, joining Heart of LA Democratic Club, the Santa Monica Democratic Club, and the Stonewall Democratic Club. The LAGRH is a non-profit volunteer group that provides financial support for reproductive health organizations, and HODG is a local civic group that has done great work in the community, particularly with their work in food insecurity.

We also want to honor even our smallest victories: after weeks of calling his office, Ted Lieu’s office released a statement reiterating his support for abortion access. You can see the statement here, because it has not been released anywhere else, and his office did not reply when we asked if he’d be sharing it on his social media accounts. While this is not what we had wanted, it does show that the power of our collective voices can move the needle. At the beginning of October, his office declined to comment at all. We encourage you all to continue to reach out to the “Big 5” electeds of Sens. Butler and Padilla, Rep. Ted Lieu, State Sen. Ben Allen, and Assemb. Chavez Zbur. 

We know some of you have reached out to ask what more you can be doing to help. The difficult thing about a campaign like this is that it feels so passive, but actions like calling reps or showing up to city council meetings are incredibly impactful. We also encourage you to be vocal with friends, family, and strangers. Because there has been so little press coverage, most people are still not aware any of this happened. By talking about it, sharing our posts on social media (bhforchoice on Instagram), sharing our petition, and following up with people who have expressed an interest in the cause, you will have a direct impact on our efforts. If you are a member of a local political or activist group, ask them to join our coalition. We need you to be our advocates within your network and with our elected representatives.

We look forward to seeing you at the next City Council meeting, and we thank you for your time and support.

Sincerely,
bhforchoice