Listen to Support Unseen – a podcast about giving and receiving abortion support

March 12, 2024 by Mohana Kute

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. To the left is an orange and teal heart graphic behind a purple line illustration of two interlinked hands. To the right in purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "a podcast about giving and receiving abortion support." Below the subheader are the Ibis Reproductive Health and All-Options logos.

As we have learned from nearly two decades on the All-Options Talkline, receiving unbiased, radical, and person-centered care can be truly life-changing for someone in need of support with their abortion, adoption, parenting, infertility, or pregnancy loss experiences. This support can come from midwives, community health workers, abortion doulas, hotline volunteers, and even friends and family members.

That’s why All-Options is excited to present Support Unseen, a podcast about giving and receiving abortion support! In collaboration with Ibis Reproductive Health, we dive into person-centered care, intersectionality, and reproductive justice over six episodes. Hear from the people who embody these roles to understand what it’s like to provide abortion support and navigate the highs and lows of the abortion landscape in the United States.

Whether you’re deep in abortion work, have had an abortion yourself, supported someone who did, or don’t know where to start, we welcome people from all walks of life to listen to Support Unseen!

An Introduction – Where to begin? With Paulina Guerrero, PhD

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. Purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "introduction: where to begin? with Paulina Guerrero, PhD." Below is a photo of Paulina in front of a blue circle next to purple squiggly lines.

Bria (Bri) Goode, host of Support Unseen and Senior Research Manager at Ibis Reproductive Health, introduces Support Unseen as a podcast about navigating feelings and experiences around abortion processes – the people who receive it, and those who provide it – and the systems and landscapes these folks work with, against, and alongside. She speaks with Paulina Guerrero, former National Programs Director at All-Options, about the study that informs this podcast and what folks hoped to achieve through the study of non-medical support for abortion.

Episode resources and social media handles can be found in this episode’s show notes.

Episode 1: What is person-centered care anyway? With Elena Colón, LAMP

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. Purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "episode 1: what is person-centered care? with Elena Colón, LAMP." Below is a photo of Elena in front of an orange circle next to teal squiggly lines.

In Episode 1 of Support Unseen, Bri Goode is joined by Elena Colón (she/her) of Luz de Atabey Midwifery Project (LAMP), a free community reproductive health clinic in Austin, Texas. She is a queer boricua (puertorriqueña) single mami, student midwife, community health worker, full spectrum birth companion (doula) and herbalist. She has a background in birth and reproductive justice work, community organizing, and medical case management. Together, they explore what unbiased, radical, and holistic person-centered care looks like and explain the various ways that people are giving and receiving that care.

Episode resources and social media handles can be found in this episode’s show notes.

Episode 2: How does non-medical support and the medical industrial complex work together? With Safiya, full-spectrum doula

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. Purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "episode 2: non-medical support and the medical industrial complex with Safiya, full-spectrum doula." Below is a photo of two hands, one white and one Black, which are clasped together in front of a teal circle next to purple squiggly lines.

In Episode 2 of Support Unseen, Bri speaks with Safiya (she/they), an artist, an activist, and a full-spectrum community doula, about how non-medical abortion support compares, contrasts, and fills gaps to care provided within the medical industrial complex. Safiya is a Black, Americanized, Caribbean Goddess, trying to thrive in the diaspora and decolonize. She considers herself a crucial part of the village(s) it takes to create families, raise families, and keep our communities thriving in resilience. She spends much of her time dreaming up ways an oppressive, individualistic, capitalist society can be nurturing for children and non-traditional family structures. Safiya also previously worked at Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project (RRFP) as a Caller Support Coordinator.

Episode resources and social media handles can be found in this episode’s show notes.

Episode 3, Part 1: What do reproductive justice and intersectionality really mean? With Ash Williams, MAADCo

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. Purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "episode 3 part 1: reproductive justice and intersectionality with Ash Williams, MAADCo." Below is a photo of Ash, posed with his chin resting on his left hand, in front of an orange circle next to teal squiggly lines.

In Episode 3, Part 1 of Support Unseen, Bri is joined by Ash Williams (he/him) to discuss what intersectionality is and how that shows up within the reproductive justice (RJ) movement and within other movements outside of the repro world. In addition, they talk about how people within the RJ movement show up and support one another through their work. Ash Williams is a Black trans abortion doula, public intellectual, and abolitionist community organizer from Fayetteville, NC. For the last 5 years, Ash has been vigorously fighting to expand abortion access by funding abortions and training other people to become abortion doulas. Ash is an abortion doula with the Mountain Area Abortion Doula Collective (MAADCo).

Episode resources and social media handles can be found in this episode’s show notes.

Episode 3, Part 2: What do reproductive justice and intersectionality really mean? With Che Justus, Talkline Advocate

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. Purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "episode 3 part 2: reproductive justice and intersectionality with Che Justus, Talkline Advocate." Below is a photo of Che in front of a teal circle next to purple squiggly lines.

In Episode 3, Part 2 of Support Unseen, Bri continues the conversation about reproductive justice (RJ), intersectionality within and across movements, and what support looks like among RJ advocates with Che Justus (they/them). Che Justus is a native of Birmingham, AL, a Black/queer/trans advocate, and a writer. They combine their passion and administrative savvy to support movements working towards collective liberation. They also facilitate healing space for individuals and families experiencing reproductive experiences and crises as a volunteer Talkline Advocate with All-Options.

Episode resources and social media handles can be found in this episode’s show notes.

Episode 4: What’s in store for the future of abortion care? With Chanel Porchia-Albert, Ancient Song Doula Services

Image description: Graphic has a cream background. Purple header text reads: "SUPPORT UNSEEN." Below, orange subheader text reads: "episode 4: the future of abortion care with Chanel Porchia-Albert, Ancient Song Doula Services." Below is a photo of Chanel Porchia-Albert in front of an orange circle next to teal squiggly lines.

In Episode 4 of Support Unseen, Bri shares space with Chanel Porchia-Albert (she/her), founder and Chief Executive Director of Ancient Song Doula Services, to envision what the future of abortion support looks like given our current social and political context and how we can move forward toward this new and imaginative world. Ancient Song Doula Services is a reproductive health organization focused on providing resources and full-spectrum doula services to women of color and marginalized communities throughout New York City and northern New Jersey. Chanel’s work in birth and reproductive justice spans across research and methods of care for marginalized people and people of color. Her efforts within infant and maternal health has led her across the globe to Uganda where she has served as a maternal health strategist in rural war torn areas. She also brings a human rights framework into birthing rooms by highlighting institutional reform and accountability measures within healthcare to address implicit bias and racism.

Episode resources and social media handles can be found in this episode’s show notes.

About the mSEAS project

Support Unseen was developed from the Mobile, Social, and Emotional Support (mSEAS) project at Ibis Reproductive Health. The goals of this project were to develop evidence about experiences of abortion seekers with non-medical support, and understand its effect on abortion quality and attitudes. mSEAS was a two part project that included in-depth interviews with abortion seekers who called the All-Options Talkline, and focus group discussions with abortion support providers. The All-Options Talkline provides unbiased pregnancy options counseling and emotional support for decisions and experiences with pregnancy, parenting, abortion, and adoption. This podcast builds on the findings from the study’s focus group discussions.

To learn more about the experiences of those who called the All-Options Talkline, check out these resources: 