A Response to Secretary Yellen’s Remarks on Abortion

By Harriet Bradley, Director of African American Outreach

There is an expression that it takes a village to raise a child. This is so true for my community. As an African American woman, I have seen African American teenagers become pregnant as young as 14. 

For the most part, the African American community will come together to help that teenager keep and raise her child instead of having an abortion. Thus, the "village" gets into action. 

Secretary Janet Yellen's statement about teenagers, especially African American teenagers, needing to get an abortion because of economics and not being able to have a successful career is totally untrue. I have seen young teenage mothers not only raise their children but–with sheer determination–complete college and achieve success as a mother and a career person. 

Just as Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina shared in a Washington Post Op/Ed that he was raised by a single African American mother, he is not the only African American child raised by a single mother that reached success. 

President Barack Obama is another prime example in my community who has been targeted and exploited. No one asks African American women what they want. They are presented with abortion and not with real choices. But because of the "village" present and in action, having an abortion is never a choice or an option.