More Than A Magazine, A Movement
Rep. Pramila Jayapal doesn’t believe in growing a thick skin. “I want to feel people’s pain,” she tells me. As chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and founder of the Resistance Lab, she’s building a politics rooted in empathy, resistance, and readiness: “We have to get strike ready.”
From walking out of the State of the Union to confronting power with “moral clarity,” Jayapal is done playing by the old rules: “When you don’t give respect, you don’t get respect.”
Women’s rights and maternal health are under relentless attack. Just one week into Donald Trump’s presidency, the rollback of reproductive rights, threats to healthcare access and emboldened restrictions on bodily autonomy have left women more vulnerable than ever. With abortion bans expanding and maternal health protections at risk, the fear is no longer hypothetical—it is urgent.
But amid this crisis, there are leaders refusing to stand by. One of them is Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), a public health nurse turned member of Congress, who remains steadfast in her belief that real progress is still possible.
“Every mother deserves access to quality care, and every child deserves a healthy start,” Underwood told Ms. “No one can argue with that.”
Indian Americans have built a reputation as one of the most successful and influential immigrant communities in the United States, celebrated for our dedication to education, hard work and family values. Yet, when it comes to reproductive rights, our community has largely remained silent, even as these rights come under increasing attack across the country. This silence, quite frankly, is no longer acceptable.
To my fellow Indian Americans, especially women: this is our moment to step forward. Speak up in your communities, join organizations fighting for reproductive rights, and vote for leaders who prioritize these freedoms.