Two years after overturning of Roe, pro-lifers come to DC to ‘Celebrate Life’

Pro-life activists chant during a Celebrate Life Day Rally at the Lincoln Memorial on the first anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, June 24, 2023, in Washington, D.C. / Credit Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 18, 2024 / 12:12 pm (CNA).

With the second anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision by the U.S. Supreme Court approaching, thousands are expected to travel to the nation’s capital to partake in the second annual Celebrate Life Conference from June 21–23.

In response to the June 24, 2022, ruling, which overturned Roe v. Wade and the authority to regulate abortion to states, the Pro-Life Women’s Conference and National Sidewalk Advocacy Center have joined forces to convene the upcoming Celebrate Life Conference, offering attendees opportunities for discussion, collaboration, and strategizing to protect unborn children.

Among many events scheduled to take place at this year’s conference, March for Life President Jeanne Mancini will deliver the opening keynote session on the next steps for the pro-life movement following the Dobbs decision.

In addition to Mancini, the lineup of speakers includes Abby Johnson, founder of And Then There Were None and ProLove Ministries; Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America; Shawn Carney, president of 40 Days for Life; and Lauren Muzyka, founder of Sidewalk Advocates for Life, among others.

In their talks, the speakers will address ways the pro-life movement can engage younger generations, the ongoing sex-trafficking crisis, and healing those affected by abortion, among other subjects. 

Apart from these various breakout sessions, the conference will host the Celebrate Life Gala, featuring speaker Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire’s “The Matt Walsh Show.” On Saturday morning thousands will gather at the Celebrate Life Rally, held at the Lincoln Memorial to hear more calls to action by pro-life leaders and representatives.

This three-day conference comes just over a week after the unanimous Supreme Court ruling unanimously ruled against a physician-led challenge to the abortion pill, rejecting an attempt by advocates to impose stricter regulations on the drug.

In a setback for the pro-life movement, the ruling will allow abortion pills to continue to be mailed to patients without an in-person doctor’s visit under the Food and Drug Administration.

Since the Dobbs ruling, the pro-life movement has suffered several defeats at the ballot box and in the courts. Initiatives protecting the “right to abortion” passed in California, Vermont, Michigan, and Ohio. There are currently four states with abortion on the ballot in 2024, as well as an additional nine states considering ballot measures pertaining to the issue.

In addition to these legislative setbacks, the Biden administration has aggressively targeted pro-life advocates for peacefully protesting and blockading the inside of abortion clinics. Several of these individuals, including elderly women, have recently been sentenced to years in prison for violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. 

While the Celebrate Life Conference promises to commemorate the victory of the overruling of Roe v. Wade, its main focal point will center on continuing the fight for the unborn amid such setbacks.

Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado, shared a similar sentiment following the recent ruling on abortion pills:  “The fight for life is far from over.”