In the first three months of 2024, the Oregon Right to Life Education Foundation Speakers Bureau reached over 500 hundred people — and still aims to reach hundreds more.
The Speakers Bureau is composed of ORTL staff who speak about pro-life topics. In 2020, the program came to a screeching halt due to the pandemic. Lockdowns and social restrictions prevented staff from getting out into the community to present information. After the pandemic, it took time to revamp presentations and rebuild contact lists. But now, four years later, the program is thriving, and more speaking requests are coming in all the time!
Community outreach director Makyra Williamson coordinates the speakers bureau and is a frequent speaker. She sees the program as integral to ORTL’s mission and is thrilled about its impact.
“Education is the foundation of the pro-life movement,” Williamson says. “We’re seizing the momentum and moving forward to reach over 1,000 people in 2024 with the truth about human development and abortion.”
The Speakers Bureau has a range of standard presentations, including:
- Abortion 101: An introduction to fetal development, abortion-related laws in Oregon, abortion procedures and pro-life apologetics. Due to the medically accurate descriptions of abortion procedures, it is recommended for audiences ages 15 and older.
- Pro-Life 101: This version of Abortion 101 has been designed for 7th- to 12th-grade students and has further age-appropriate versions available for both middle and high school students. It does not include abortion procedure descriptions.
- Challenging the Narrative: In this presentation, ORTL political director Sharolyn Smith discusses abortion messaging in the political world. The audience walks away with pro-life messaging that can be used in both personal and political conversations.
Presentations are customized to fit each audience, and when the occasion calls for it, speakers create new presentations that adapt to each audience.
“The feedback we’re receiving shows us that our Speakers Bureau is making an impact,” Williamson says.
For instance, in spring of 2023, Williamson spoke at an event workshop in Bend. In September, Zachary Savage — an attendee at the workshop — referenced it in an article about abortion he wrote for the Forest Grove High School online student news site.
This is just one example of the program’s impact. So far in 2024, the Speakers Bureau has reached an estimated 536 people — 536 people who heard the truth about abortion and are empowered to share it with others.
“Believe it or not, for many people, our pro-life presentations are the first time they hear the truth about abortion,” says ORTL Executive Director Lois Anderson. “It’s exciting to see more and more opportunities to have an impact in groups small and large around Oregon.”
Help make an impact! Do you have a church, community or school group that is interested in hosting a pro-life presentation? Contact makyra@ortl.org or call the office at 503-463-8563 to schedule a speaker.
