As a pro-lifer, one of the most impactful things you can do is get involved with efforts right in your own community. From engaging in prayer to advocating and offering direct support, there are countless ways to help save women and babies from abortion in your own community.
Advocating in Your Community
There are many ways to educate and inspire others within your community. Whether you’re working to prevent an abortion facility from opening or organizing a local educational event, these actions can significantly impact the fight for life:
• Write your Pharmacist: Distributing letters to pharmacists urging them to oppose selling abortion pills at local pharmacies is a proactive way to address the growing availability of abortion pills.
• Start a pro-life club: Encourage the next generation of activists by starting a pro-life club at your local high school or college. Educating youth and empowering them to speak out can create a lasting impact.
• Hold a protest or awareness campaign: From protesting a Planned Parenthood fundraiser to speaking out at city council meetings, standing up for life in public forums is a key way to raise awareness and inspire others to take action.
• Honor victims of abortion: Whether at gravesites or through public memorial events, acknowledging the victims of abortion reminds the public of the gravity of the issue and the importance of the Pro-Life Movement.
• Display pro-life banners on highway overpasses: This is an effective way to reach tens of thousands of people with the pro-life message. Our First Amendment protects this specific action which has been clearly established by the federal courts. To find more information on how to reach her, click here.
Effective Activism at Abortion Facilities
In addition to taking action in your community, one powerful way to make a difference is by focusing your efforts at an abortion facility. Whether it’s a Planned Parenthood center or a smaller facility, your presence and actions can have a significant impact. Here are some proven strategies for effective activism:
• Hold a 40 Days for Life Campaign:
A globally recognized initiative that involves peaceful prayer and fasting for 40 days outside abortion facilities. The goal is to create a prayerful presence that helps to save babies and offer support to those in crisis.
• Offer help to those considering abortion pills: The growing availability of abortion pills has made it essential to offer compassionate and non-judgmental help to women who may be considering this option. Educating the public on the dangers of chemical abortion and offering alternatives is vital to protecting life.
• Hold a Jericho March: A symbolic and prayerful action where people march around an abortion clinic, much like the biblical story of the fall of Jericho. This peaceful demonstration shows solidarity and calls for an end to abortion.
• Become a sidewalk counselor: Spending time on the sidewalk outside an abortion facility and offering compassion and alternatives to women considering abortion has saved countless lives. A kind word and practical support can change lives forever. Check out Sidewalk Advocates for Life.
• Host a “Way of the Cross” for abortion victims: Hosting a prayer vigil or a “Way of the Cross” walk in honor of those lost to abortion provides a powerful, visual reminder of the lives lost and the need for continued advocacy.
• Host a special event: Singing Christmas carols or holding prayer vigils outside abortion facilities during the holidays can create a sense of peace and offer a compelling contrast to the grim reality of abortion.
Pro-Life Activism Best Practices
To learn protest logistics, how to work with police, and earning good media coverage, lean on Pro-Life Action League, as they have developed and tested their strategies over four decades on the front lines.
Key best practices include:
• Building partnerships with local churches: Since most pro-life people are also church-goers, promoting your events through churches can draw new participants. Use bulletins, request an announcement, table in the church vestibule, or host a pro-life event at church.
• Promote your pro-life event on Facebook: Build enthusiasm about your pro-life event to boost attendance and gain support.
• Engage the media: You can make the impact of your pro-life activism go farther by earning coverage from the local media. If you present your story in a compelling way, reporters will often want to cover it—if you can get that story in front of them.
• Learn tips for handling counter-protesters: Equip yourself with the skills to handle opposition keeping in mind some may be suffering from a past abortion. Brush up on pro-life apologetics here.
Now is the best time
The need for pro-life activism is greater than ever, and your involvement can make a difference. Whether through prayer, outreach, or direct help, your actions can help save lives and inspire change in your community.
For more resources and opportunities to start making a lasting impact, visit prolifeaction.org/action.
Information provided by Pro-Life Action League