support the abortion diary on indiegogo!

Finally, I get to tell you what I’ve been working on over the last few months. Today I am excited (and super nervous!) to announce our Indiegogo campaign for The Abortion Diary Podcast Tour.

My mission and vision for this project has always been to create a space where people (around the world) can access, engage with and listen to abortion stories so that they know that they are not (and have never been) alone. My goal has been to create a diverse, stigma busting, stereotype breaking, conversation starting, healing and people connecting audio collection of abortion stories and to connect people who have had abortions with one another. We are accomplishing those goals. People have been courageously and graciously sharing their stories and people have been listening.

For almost nine months I have been making this podcast as a labor of love. I have listened to and recorded 74 stories in 6 states. The experiences that have been shared and recorded span from the 1950s to 2013. I have edited and posted 36 of those stories online. I have facilitated and been a part of workshops. I have witnessed people experience complete and full self-expression and tremendous healing. And so have I. People throughout the United States (in cities and towns big and small) and in 40 other countries have been listening to the podcast. There have been over 5,500 individual listens to the podcast since it launched in late November.

But I can't do it alone. It has been one girl with one mic. Now I need your help.

I've been working on this with very limited resources. This project is not funded by or affiliated with any organization. It was started by me and has been solely funded by me, but now I have depleted my funds. I need your help to keep the podcast going, to expand its reach and to get the podcast back on the road while I work at securing longer term funding for the project.

Think about what we could accomplish with more time and money, and if more people were involved in the project and more people were aware that this project exists.

You may be asking what this Indiegogo thing is and how it can help support the podcast. Well, an Indiegogo campaign is basically a fundraising/pledge drive. You choose a contribution level and I send you perk. My goal: $10,000. This is the minimum amount of money I'll need to expand the project's reach, keep the project going for the next 6-8 months and get the podcast tour on the road.

ecause of very limited finances I have only been able to travel to a few cities since starting the project. Over the next 6 months I plan to travel through various communities the United States to listen to, share and record abortion stories. By traveling the podcast will be able record and share stories that are far more diverse; highlighting how our circumstances and the barriers we face are different based on geography and culture. We demonstrate how all our stories are unique, complicated, powerful and different. There is no one abortion story or experience. After I record each story I then edit and transcribe them. This requires time, labor, complete presence, focus, patience (and money). The Abortion Diary also creates spaces for community connection and abortion conversations through workshops/gatherings. With your contributions I can also buy equipment to expand the project so that it can have a much deeper impact. The podcast is now involving other people in the recording of stories. It is important that more people are sharing and listening to each other. We will be accomplishing so much more over the next year. That is, if we make the goal. Otherwise, the plans for this project can't be accomplished.

You have all been wonderful and loyal listeners, story-sharers and supporters, and I know that I can count on you to help make this fundraising effort a great success.

Perks: Go to our Indiegogo page to see all of the perks we have to offer you. It was hard to come up with these perks; as you know the product of this project (the podcast) is 100% free. There are postcards, tote bags, The Abortion Diary Travel Zine, you'll get to sponsor a podcast episode/diary entry, and some other fun stuff I that I will offer throughout the campaign.

If you run or are part of a group or organization that wants to support the podcast consider sponsoring a podcast episode/diary entry. Not only will you be thanked for your generous contribution during the introduction to a future diary entry but the name and logo of your group/organization will appear on our donors page and travelzine.

Oh, yeah, you know what else? Your donation is tax-deductible! Yes, that's right. So, please, consider making a contribution of any amount today.

If you have any questions, please comment below or email me at info@theabortiondiary.com.

What can you do to help?

Contribute to the Indiegogo campaign. Every little bit gets me closer to my goal, and to this project continuing.
Tell your friends about the podcast. They might want to listen!
Like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.
Post our campaign link via your own social network (Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr) and help get the word out!
Donate your Facebook status.
Send personal email appeals to your friends, family, and anyone else you might know who you think would be interested in supporting the podcast.
Write a comment about the podcast on our website.
Interested in hosting us? Send an email to info@theabortiondiary.com.