Just some months ago, a community of friends and strangers rallied around a 14-year-old on a journey to New York City to receive an abortion. Romina (name changed to protect her privacy), is from the deep south where abortion is a crime.
Today, a film about the journey is being released. Aptly titled Romina, the short film is the story of what happened when a community came together to uplift and provide material support to a teen in need.
Released on the anniversary of the historic end of Roe vs. Wade’s abortion protections, the short film delves into the harrowing circumstances for many young people across the country in a post-Dobbs America, through the eyes of a teen and her community.
Ahead of the animated film’s release, Teen Vogue spoke with Paola Mendoza, writer and director of Romina to learn more about her role in assisting the real-life Romina, creating this film, how young people can get involved in abortion care advocacy, and more.
Edited for clarity and length.
Teen Vogue: As highlighted in the film, 21 people were involved in helping Romina receive abortion care. What went into planning and coordinating an effort like this? Was it a variety of medical experts, friends and family?
Paola Mendoza: Romina was 14 at the time and she was living in a state with an extreme abortion ban. I instantly knew how hard it was going to be for Romina to access an abortion and I was filled with rage, not at Romina, but rather at the laws that were preventing her from doing what she wanted to do with her body. Seeing how these unjust and harmful laws were hurting people I cared about was infuriating. I did the only thing I could think of: I reached out to my friends for help. Within two days, 21 people were ready and willing to help Romina get an abortion, even though it could put them at legal risk.
We didn’t ask questions; we just focused on getting Romina and her mom to New York City so she could get the healthcare she needed. Since Roe fell, helping people access abortions has become more difficult and risky. I consulted many lawyers to create a safe plan for Romina, her mom, and everyone involved. I also reached out to doctors who were on call during the abortion in case we had any questions. We did FaceTime a doctor during the process, who reassured us that everything was safe, normal, and going as planned. It’s important to note that using abortion pills is a very safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy.
Abortions shouldn’t have to happen in secret, with fear because of repercussions from the state, or be hard to access. But that’s where we are right now in this country because of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe. However, we don’t have to accept this reality. In fact, we must not accept it. When faced with unjust laws, it’s our moral obligation to break them, defy them, and change them. History has taught us this time and time again.
TV: How does community care fill in the gaps created by such restricting laws?
PM: I believe community care is essential for helping as many people as possible access abortions. Community care includes abortion funds, practical support organizations, and groups of people coming together to help a family member or a stranger get an abortion. Community care can range from driving people to a clinic, making sure the person has food at their house, helping collect funds for any expenses, researching abortion funds, researching how to get abortion pills. Community care is everything that is needed for people to access abortions, which at the end of the day is health care.
We are living at a time where laws are harming many groups of people. We cannot solely depend or believe that laws will be able to save or protect us. I believe when faced with injustice it will be our community, our neighbors, our friends and family who will save and protect us.
TV: How can young people in general become more involved in community-led abortion care, or in advocacy for reproductive health?
PM: Abortion funds help people get abortions. They are crucial to accessing abortions in a post Dobbs world. But abortion funds are overwhelmed and underfunded. Visit www.abortionfunds.org to learn how you can support these essential organizations. They need your help!
This fall, several states are voting on abortion. One of those states is Florida, which currently has a six-week abortion ban. There's a ballot measure that could change that and give abortion access back to the people of Florida. Needless to say this is very important. For more information, check out floridiansprotectingfreedom.com.
Watch the film by Paola Mendoza below.