Talia Shapiro Blank

I think we all can remember where we were the day that Roe V. Wade was overturned. I was at home. I was living in Tennessee at the time, a state with trigger laws. I was flooded with articles and headlines that shook me to my core. The more I read, the more my heart raced. I became sick to my stomach. I remember rumors and questions about what this could mean legally for practitioners, pregnant people, and anyone seeking birth control. I thought about the fact that I hope to bear children one day and felt a direct threat to my life. Our lease was up in a few months, and we had already been considering what to do next. To me, this verdict was the deciding factor.

WRJ's Civil Rights Journey was our organization's first of its kind. Our attendees and communities long awaited this program, and it did not disappoint! Finally, being back in person led to an overwhelming feeling of connection throughout the entire trip. While time has passed quickly, we are still reveling, reflecting, and sharing the powerful experiences we had in Georgia and Alabama. While every place we visited was rich in history and meaning, here were some highlights that have remained with us.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and it is important to recognize the stigmas against mental health and suicide still remain in our society. To me, it is vital we keep talking about mental health and ways to take care of yourself and others. I’d like to share my story and a few resources with you all. Having lost someone, I love to suicide; I am a survivor. Suicide is complicated. Everyone handles suicide loss differently. It’s common to get angry, or regretful. It’s normal to wonder what we could have done to “save” the person. And while I don’t blame myself, I do feel shame sometimes, knowing my uncle was struggling. I even thought he might end his life, and yet I didn’t reach out. I know the choice was his. Nevertheless, the guilt creeps in sometimes.