Grassroots Activism in Mississippi: a Model for All

Posted by: Lee Rubin Collins JD at November 7, 2011
Category: Mississippi Initiative 26

Lee Rubin Collins

Meet Atlee Breland, a lifelong Mississippian and mother, who learned about the 21-word statement that is Initiative 26, Mississippi's so-called "personhood amendment” -- and bounded into action:

“I started Parents Against MS 26 because my children are the most important people in my whole world, and because I truly believe that Initiative 26 presents a potentially grave threat to other families’ ability to have their own IVF ‘miracle babies.’ My experiences with infertility and pregnancy opened my eyes to how it’s so much more incredibly complex than a Choose Life bumper sticker, or a 21-word statement, can possibly address.”

If you've ever wondered whether one person can really make a difference when it comes to the crazy world of politics, just ask RESOLVE. Since we began working with Atlee, there is no question in our minds!

Not only has Atlee created an excellent, informative website -- http://parentsagainstms26.com/ -- she has also produced this moving 4-minute video called Trust Families. It is so good, in fact, that the day after she made it public, MSNBC scooped it up and added it to The Rachel Maddow Show's online blog. She has published a thoughtful opinion piece in Religious Dispatches magazine that you won't want to miss. She’s been interviewed by NPR, CBS, Fox News, the BBC, and countless blogs and news outlets from across the country.

Finally, she has captured personal stories on her website of real people speaking out against Initiative 26. They needed a place to voice their opinions and be heard, and Atlee provided that outlet. Atlee has been interviewed by the local TV stations, featured in news articles, and picked up by national news outlets. She has been tenacious – when she needed funds to make leaflets, she raised them! When she came up with the idea for the video, she didn’t give up until she secured the video services for free. This is a woman with a mission!

Atlee is actively opening people's minds to the far-reaching consequences of Initiative 26 and the threat it poses to people seeking treatment to overcome infertility. All we at RESOLVE can say to Atlee is "THANK YOU!”

P.S. Even though Atlee's infertility is resolved, she is fighting to keep fertility treatment safe and legal for all of the other couples in Mississippi. We love that kind of continuing dedication, which, in the cancer world, is called "the obligation of the cured." Whether you've resolved your infertility or still on your journey, we welcome you to join our campaign for justice. And get this: Atlee is now determined to help stop Personhood legislation or ballot initiatives in other states too! Join our efforts and together we can keep infertility treatments safe and legal for all Americans.

Lee Rubin Collins was a trial attorney and partner at Ropes & Gray, one of Boston's oldest and largest law firms, having earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard College, summa cum laude, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. After experiencing secondary infertility, Ms. Collins decided to devote herself to the cause of infertility awareness and advocacy. She has worked with RESOLVE to improve insurance coverage for infertility and to defeat state legislative initiatives such as "personhood" bills that would interfere with IVF and other needed treatments.