Today’s guest is Kelsey Walker and our topic is abortion, and the injustice that many states are attempting to perpetrate on women who are faced with this traumatic decision.

Since she was a teenager, Kelsey’s been a warrior for reproductive rights and then had her own experience with abortion. It was a tragic situation, and laws in the state in which she lived made it even more difficult.

From the trauma of that experience, she wrote a memoir, “Face Everything and Rise,” and now she’s founded a nonprofit, “From the Green Desk” to coach and provide group therapy for women who’ve had abortions, lost pregnancies, or children.

By doing this, she says she hopes to eliminate the painful “silent scream” that results from these losses.

Kelsey, welcome to Justice Counts. Thanks for sharing with us today. And say hello to my sidekick Mark M. Bello.

Our Questions for Kelsey:

Mark: March was Women’s History Month, but the fact that it is April will not stop Justice Counts from feature brave women who may not be famous or well-known, but who are making significant contributions to the cause of justice. As Bob’s introduction suggests, Kelsy Walker is one of those people in the area of reproductive rights. Kelsey, allow me to add my personal welcome to you from all of us at the Justice Counts Podcast. Tell the people what you’re up to these days

Mark: You have had your own personal experience with abortion and reproductive rights, correct? Can you share your experience with our audience and what state did this happen in?

Bob: That experience resulted in PTSD and some serious after-effects, right?

Bob: You have become a strong advocate for reproductive rights. Why?

Mark: What is your view of these heartbeat bills and similar efforts by Republican state politicians to do away with abortions? And how about these Texas style laws that turn citizens into vigilantes?

Mark: I get a personal kick out of the hypocrisy of some of these anti-abortion right wingers. Many are anti-vaxers and argue that whether or not they get a vaccine is their personal choice and that no-one can tell them what to do with their own bodies. They seem to have no problem at all telling women what to do with theirs. Care to comment?

Bob: The same Texas republicans who passed this draconian abortion law also drastically cut social programs to help a poor family raise a child. If these people are truly pro-life, why are so set against helping with the necessities of life?

Mark: Are you a religious person? And, before you answer, as country that has a constitution that forbids the establishment of religion, the religious right seems to lead the charge on controlling a woman’s reproductive rights. Again, I see a lot of hypocrisy here, what are your thoughts about religion and reproductive rights?

Mark: You have said that more time should be spent advancing the procedure than debating it. Tell us what you mean by this and how should this thought be applied in the real world?

Mark: You’ve written a book about your own experiences with reproductive rights, abortion, and psychological trauma from the experience. The book is called “Face Everything and Rise.” I understand you are sending the book out to lawmakers. Tell the people about the book

Bob: Tell us about your non-profit organization, “From the Green Desk.” What led you to start the non-profit and what you hope to achieve?

Mark: You’ve said that you hope to eliminate the “silent scream” for women who have gone through a lost pregnancy or lost child. My own sister lost her son to cancer at age 18. I know how it can change a woman’s life. Tell us about the silent scream and what your non-profit is doing about it?

Bob: How can people get involved?

Mark: I understand you have instituted a 50-state challenge. What’s that all about?