Reproductive rights have been a debated topic for decades, and generations of Oberlin students have engaged in conversations about the issue. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, these conversations have become especially urgent. We no longer live in a country that protects reproductive rights as it previously did, and 13 states enacted trigger bans on abortion past the first or second trimester as soon as the Supreme Court decision was released. As with every decision that negatively affects people, those who suffer the worst consequences are the people that have been mistreated for centuries — in this case, low-income BIPOC individuals who require access to reproductive healthcare.

Partially due to this recent Supreme Court ruling, this past weekend the Reproductive Justice Alliance held a flea market featuring visual artists and musicians from Oberlin with the goal of raising money and awareness for reproductive rights agencies focused on providing funds and other resources to BIPOC individuals.