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G ood morning, L.A. It’s Monday, June 27.

It was hot out there this weekend but that didn’t stop people from taking to the streets to protest the United States Supreme Court’s decision Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade. Protestors gathered all over the county, from Downtown LA to the beach at Santa Monica. At Smith Park in Pico Rivera on Sunday, several dozens of folks were out holding signs that said things like:

“My life. My body. My rules.”

“Guns should not have more rights than women.”

“We won’t go back.” (with a picture of a hanger).

Abortion services are still available in California, but 11 states have banned abortion since the ruling, and more are expected follow. Outrage over this issue brought Angelenos together from different backgrounds, genders, shapes, abilities and ages.

As folks walked with their signs in Pico Rivera, shouting chants like “My Body, My Choice. Now Listen to my Voice,” cars honked their horns in solidarity. Pico Rivera resident Jacqueline Perez organized the march at Smith Park through the Planned Parenthood website, after she realized there were no events being planned near her. “We can create more change in other states if we really come together,” Perez says. “I lived in other states where I have friends that don’t have the same rights. So if we can at least be a voice that can share their stories, we can let them know ‘Hey, we’re here for you,’ then that’s what we can do.”

Rain Morales tells me she’s not only fighting for her sisters and her cousin, she’s also fighting for a bunch of people she doesn’t know who aren’t going to have access anymore. “We’re all just frustrated and angry that we’re going 50 years backwards,” Morales says. “I'm fighting for those who are minorities, people of color who are going to be affected the most.”

Black women already face disproportionate reproductive health disparities as it is. We are three to four times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications. Many of us have reproductive issues that could make pregnancy difficult. I think about Serena Williams and how she had to advocate for herself during a life-threatening birth. It’s tied to a long, horrendous history of discriminatory, racist healthcare practices that goes back to the time of slavery. Black and Latina women also have higher rates of unintended pregnancies and abortion due to barriers to high quality contraceptive services and knowledge in how to use them effectively. Indigenous people will also be disproportionately affected by abortion bans. People in the LGBTQ+ community will also be impacted due to stigma and healthcare barriers, like lack of access to contraception.

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Andrea Martinez came up from Orange County to join the march because, she says, people around her have been affected by abortion policies. “I feel like it’s my responsibility that if I’m open to speaking up, I speak up for them,” Martinez says.

Yvette Santana is the mother of two daughters. One of her daughters, Ines, joined the protest with her. She started to get emotional when she spoke about how she was here to protest on behalf of her girls. “I’m just here to make some noise for my girls and for all the little girls out there. One day they might come across a situation that they’re not comfortable with,” Santana says. “I just want them to have the same respect and dignity that other women across the world have in this regard.”

Though she lives in a liberal state such as California, Jacalyn Talamentes says, it’s important to stand up for everyone. “Women shouldn’t have to travel somewhere else to do something that they need to have done. Their access has been denied. We can’t just sit here and say ‘Oh. It’s okay. Because in California, we’re good.’ We have to fight for everybody.”

As always, try to stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below the fold.

The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival had a very special group open on Sunday: students from L.A. public schools.

The Beyond The Bell All-City Jazz Band was composed of up-and-coming musicians to watch out for.

Kai Tano, a recent high school grad and tenor saxophonist in the band, talked to my colleagues about what it meant to be given this opportunity. “Everyone in L.A. knows how famous this venue is,” Tano said. “It’s a very surreal feeling to be able to perform on a stage with the same people we considered role models.”

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LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio (SCPR), a member-supported public media network. Hear our news on-air at our partner site:

Live Stream Schedule In Person