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Roe v. Wade lawyer speaks in Bernhard CenterApril 11, 2006 KALAMAZOO--Abortion-rights advocate Sarah Weddington, the attorney who argued the winning side in the landmark Roe v. Wade case, will speak at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the Bernhard Center Ballroom at Western Michigan University. The event, which is free of charge and open to the public, will begin with a reception at 7:30, at which those attending can meet with representatives of local women's rights organizations. The program is sponsored by Womyn's Equality, a registered student organization of WMU. "A woman's right to choose is in serious jeopardy," says Ashley Choker, co-chair of Womyn's Equality. "We hope that students will take advantage of the opportunity to network with representatives of some outstanding organizations and will listen to a woman who helped win the rights we enjoy today." With the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973, Weddington, then age 26, became the youngest woman to win a Supreme Court case. She has been an advocate for women's rights through her roles as the first woman from Austin elected to the Texas House of Representatives, in 1972, and the first woman to serve as general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 1977. She was an assistant to President Jimmy Carter from 1978 to 1981. Among other things, she directed White House efforts to extend the time for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and assisted in the selection of women for federal judiciary appointments. Weddington is the author of "A Question of Choice." She has appeared on numerous television news and interview programs, including The Today Show, Good Morning America and CBS Morning News. Media contact: Thom Myers, (269) 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu WMU News |
