Tyra walked in and was similar to many of the other patients that I see. She was young, Black, hailing from a poor neighborhood in Brooklyn. She was pretty, poised, and confident.

Prior to the procedure, we got to talking. Tyra began talking about her future plans. She was going to be a lawyer. She was in high school but was already interning at the county clerk’s office. She was a straight-A student and had every intention of going to Columbia University, and then to Columbia Law School. Tyra was going to be a criminal prosecutor. She struggled with her decision to have an abortion, but she knew that she would not be able to care for a child and still accomplish her goals.

Tyra had her procedure and did really well. Tyra is one of the many women in New York who was fortunate enough to have Medicaid to pay for her abortion. Using federal dollars to pay for abortion could help many other women across the country who are like Tyra to accomplish their goals and better their lot in life.