Cecile Richards—former president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund from 2006 to 2018; founder of Supermajority, an organization dedicated to championing women’s leadership; daughter of Gov. Ann Richards, the first and only female governor of Texas; and a lifelong feminist and political activist and trailblazer—died Monday, Jan. 20, after a battle with brain cancer. She was 67.
Richards was a frequent contributor and newsmaker at Ms.: as a guest on On the Issues With Michele Goodwin, and as a source for reproductive rights and Texas-related stories.
Throughout her career, Richards was one of the strongest pro-abortion rights activists in the U.S. Despite her cancer diagnosis in mid-2023, Richards remained a strong and trailblazing force for women’s health. Later that year, she helped launch a new online chatbot named Charley to help abortion seekers in all 50 states find quick, accurate and confidential abortion information, tailored to their individual needs and circumstances. She was a speaker at the Democratic National Convention in August, where she also helped to cast Texas’ votes to nominate Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
Below is an excerpt from a piece she wrote for Ms., “We All Deserve the Freedom to Control Our Bodies,” in March 2023:
Restricting or criminalizing abortion does not eliminate abortion. These laws simply put lives at risk. …
The road ahead might feel long, but the power and strength of our movement gives me incredible hope. By working together, I know we can achieve the respect and freedom that we all deserve.
Rest in power, Cecile Richards.
This is a developing story; it will be updated in the coming days.
