ChoiceDAO brings the reproductive rights fight into web3
They say smooth seas never made a skilled sailor. If that’s true in the world of activism, then we’re in the process of churning out some of the most high-impact activists out there. The recent overturning of Roe v. Wade has sent shock waves across the country, and ChoiceDAO, a new DAO focused on addressing access to women’s reproductive healthcare and rights, is poised to shake things up.
See our full interview with Sahar Afrakjan and Marcella Cage of ChoiceDAO here: https://movementdaopodcast.podbean.com/
Web3 activism with a cheeky tone
ChoiceDAO has embraced two things in their journey. One is gearing up for their ambitious fundraising goal of one million dollars over 26 days. The other is not taking itself too seriously.
The cheeky tone in their twitter messaging belies the absolute power team that sits behind the core ChoiceDAO team. They’ve got incredibly experienced non-profit leaders contributing to the DAO, including the former head of Planned Parenthood (Cecil Richards) and the founder of Girls Who Code (Reshma Saujani) alongside experienced web3 builders including the founders of Gitcoin, UkraineDAO, and some of the core team from ConstitutionDAO, SeedClub, myBFF, and we3. But perhaps more important, such a team really speaks to the urgency and magnitude of the issue at hand.
Web3 is the new vehicle for grassroots organizing
We know that Web3 fundraising can be effective, but what about after the funds are raised? One thing that’s great about DAOs is the capability of radical transparency and greater efficiency in getting things done.
ChoiceDAO pledges 100% of funds raised will go directly to nonprofits supporting reproductive rights. “But our ambition is bigger than ‘just another crypto fundraise’,” Sahar Afrakhan, one of the founding members, told me on a call recently. They’re building a sustainable community as a vehicle for activists to get engaged in the work.
“People are outraged by the infringement on reproductive rights. They want to get engaged but are not sure what to do. Yes, a person can donate, they can vote, they can tweet, but ultimately people want to participate in bringing about change. The DAO structure incentivizes participation, and through that, a community can quickly and meaningfully assist the fight for reproductive rights — or any other initiative — at global scale. We want Web3 to be a galvanizing force in the social movement space.” — Sahar Afrakhan, ChoiceDAO Founding Member
What exactly this grassroots organization matures into is yet to be seen, but the goal of taking on the project with transparency and a singular focus toward improving access to reproductive healthcare for women nationwide is the goal. Certainly the stakes are high, and everyday Americans are feeling the impact.
The impact of Roe v. Wade on everyday Americans
The fight against abortion and reproductive rights isn’t a new one. For decades a steady chipping-away has made it increasingly difficult for women to get proper reproductive medical care across certain states. Just a couple years ago, long before Roe v. Wade was overturned, six US states only had one operating abortion clinic in their state. Now with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, even those are forced to stop administering abortions.
The irony of this pivot toward a forced-birth legal terrain, where abortion is not only outlawed but also punishable, is palpable. Restricting abortions in a country that does not offer free healthcare, federal paid maternity leave, or federal paid childcare seems galling, to say the least. And yet here we are.
But make no mistake, this is not an issue that only affects women seeking abortions. Just this last week the White House warned women to think twice about engaging in period-tracking apps, for fear that the data compiled could potentially be used against women who later seek an abortion.
How to help usher in a new era of web3 activism
ChoiceDAO hopes to address many of these injustices through fundraising and mobilizing a global community to support the work. Having recently voted and passed their first governance proposal, the community seeks to steel itself ahead of what’s to be a long campaign of outreach and delivering impact.
The community has states that they will operate in the true spirit of a DAO, first aiming to reach their 1 million mark in fundraising, and then voting on the best way to deploy funds to support people who need them now. How that will look, as any DAO die-hard will tell you, is up for debate. But one thing is certain: ChoiceDAO is setting a precedent for how we can organize in a new way to fight for change.
To learn more, visit ChoiceDAO’s website. You can follow them on twitter at @ChoiceDAO. For more info on Movement DAO, join our twitter at @move_xyz or join our discord.
To listen to the podcast episode where we dive deeper into ChoiceDAO, listen on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or Spotify
