Yo Te Apoyo

This piece was commissioned by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health for a national project that asked Latina woman around the country to defend their right to have an abortion. The poster reads "Yo Te Apoyo" ( I Support You) and depicted a young Latina woman being supported by her parents and family members. In the background is a photo of women of color at a pro-choice march.

I came out about my own abortion a year before this piece was made, and leveraged my visibility as a Latinx artist and activist to break the stigma around abortion. It was important for me to create this piece because it helped dispel the myth that Latinos were against abortion.

Two years before I made this poster, sentiments within Latino communities towards abortion were already shifting, therefore the timing for this poster was ideal. A 2011 survey of Latino voters conducted by Lake Research Partners found that strong majorities oppose government interference in personal decisions about abortion. Key highlights from the study included:

• Latinx communities support a woman’s right to make decisions. 74% of Latino registered voters agree that a woman has a right to make her own personal, private decisions about abortion without politicians interfering. Latinos don’t think we should judge other women’s decisions. Latinos are supportive of close friends and family members choosing abortion. Latinos are willing to disagree with church leaders. 68% agree with the statement “even though church leaders take a position against abortion, when it comes to the law, I believe it should remain legal.”