When the school year started last fall, no one could’ve predicted the chaos that would ensue. We went from a regular semester with easy-going chatter about the end of the decade… to full-on pandemonium with a wide-spread infectious disease and riots in the streets. Many businesses and other organizations had to shut down.

But shutting down isn’t really an option for groups fighting the biggest human rights injustice our world has ever known. When the pandemic struck, our team pivoted harder than ever before, halting on-campus programming and going fully digital in order to continue serving the Pro-Life Generation, changing minds about abortion, and helping women in need. So, while this year’s successes weren’t exactly the ones we were expecting… we could not be prouder of pro-life students nonetheless.

Here is a snapshot of how our 2019-2020 school year went!

The 2019 fall semester had its very own wrap-up post. You can click here to read all about how many new Students for Life groups we started, check out the progress in our new region, our efforts to stop a new Planned Parenthood mega-facility, and more! 

2019-2020: Just the Numbers…

• 131 new Students for Life groups were launched.
• Our Regional Coordinators visited school campuses nationwide 963 times.
• We had 2,378 conversations with student leaders about their group.
• We carried out 76 mobilizations (rallies, protests, etc).
• Our students held 7,991 pro-life events on their campuses.
• We hosted 28 Leadership Workshops across the country.
• We had 26,178 productive conversations about abortion on campuses.
• There were 4,138 confirmed minds changed about abortion.
• We trained 24,101 students on pro-life topics.
• 280 Students for Life groups attended the National Pro-Life Summit in January.
• We kicked Planned Parenthood out of 14 schools.
• Our Regional Coordinators traveled a combined 200,454 miles serving students.
• 22 babies were saved.

The First-Ever National Pro-Life Summit

The inaugural National Pro-Life Summit was a collaboration of numerous national pro-life groups to help pro-lifers of all ages prepare for a post-Roe America. Since it was the first year hosting the event, we weren’t sure what to expect. But the results blew us away! The Summit sold out with over 3,000 attendees, each of whom got to hear from over 70 expert pro-life speakers like Abby Johnson, Kristan Hawkins, David Daleiden, Ryan Bomberger, Charlotte Pence, Scott Walker, Matt Birk, Alveda King, David Bereit, Stephanie Gray, Trent Horn, and more!

Read more about the Summit here.

Click here to see the photo album. 

The 2020 National Pro-Life March

Just so you can get an idea of how BIG this demonstration is, we made sure to capture our traditional time lapse from a nearby rooftop:

• Based on this time lapse video, we estimate there were about 225,000 participants.
• Students for Life passed out 15,000 “I Am the Pro-Life Generation” signs.
• There were about 30 pro-abortion protesters in front of the Supreme Court.
• 1 of those protesters threatened to kill a Students for Life student by ‘slitting her throat.’ She was subsequently arrested.
•  It’s been 47 years since Roe v. Wade was handed down, but this year was the first March attended by a U.S. President (watch and share it here).
• Students for Life built and carried 6 large banners that conveyed the mission of the Pro-Life Generation loud and clear.

Read more about our experience at the March here. 

The History Maker Toolkit Launched

This January, history was made in the pro-life movement as national organizations united to host the first-ever 2020 National Pro-Life Summit. Because so many pro-lifers know just how close we are to achieving our mission, the Summit sold out with over 3,000 attendees. But 3,000 is just a small portion of a nationwide community of pro-life advocates. So, our team at Students for Life of America has been hard at work putting the National Pro-Life Summit online.  Now, pro-life advocates can click here and sign up for the… HISTORY MAKER TOOLKIT: The Complete Pro-Life Virtual Summit With this exclusive kit, you’ll receive access to more than 28 Virtual Sessions given by 70 Pro-Life Experts & Leaders. Register today!

New Video Series Called #Why

Also this year, we created a new video series. Because everyone struggles with the big “why” questions. Why is there suffering in the world? Why me? Why did this happen and not that? The answers lie in first principles—the dignity and value of each human life and the purpose in store for each of us. 

Featuring the pro-life movement’s top legislators, apologists, scientists, and more, this new video series by Students for Life brings probing, thoughtful, and straight-shooting answers to questions we are all asking. #Why goes directly to heart of the issues and provides the answers that matter to the questions that are being asked. Find your answer. Watch the preview below. Subscribe to get notified when new episodes launch: http://www.YouTube.com/StudentsforLife

Pro-Life Neighborhood Chalk Day (& Contest)

During the COVID-19 #SlowtheSpread home quarantine efforts, most retail, restaurants, gyms, playgrounds, and other entertainment establishments closed down. Simply taking a walk around the neighborhood was one of the last things we had left to do until the quarantines lifted. During that time, a fun new trend arose…using the end of driveways and other publicly viewable areas to chalk messages for passersby!

So, Students for Life created The National Pro-Life Neighborhood Chalk Day & Contest! Participants registered, created amazing chalk art on driveways, sidewalks, and even outside of abortion facilities, and Students for Life chose first, second, and third place winners. See the winning entries here.

Special Facebook Live Webcasts with Guests

For the whole first month of quarantine, Students for Life hosted special Facebook Lives with guests every Thursday night. Each session addressed a specific pro-life topic.

• Watch April 2nd’s “How to Change Minds Online” with pro-life apologist Jay Watts.
• Watch April 9th’s “How to Counter Abortion Culture” with conservative TV personality Liz Wheeler.
• Watch April 23rd’s “How to Engage in the 2020 Elections” with pro-life political experts Billy Valentine and Mary Kate Knorr.

We Moved Our Mind-Changing Conversations Online

The Pro-Life Generation moved from campuses to computers during the quarantine, and so did our T.A.L.K. Challenge to have as many mind-changing pro-life conversations this school year as possible!   There are plenty of ways to continue the abortion conversation from home, even while practicing “social distancing.” Calls, texts, emails, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, and any other digital platform are all ways to keep the mind-changing discussions about abortion going. Read more about our efforts here. 

Read more: SFLA Talks to 70 Abortion Supporters in Just Two Hours

We Hosted the First-Ever Digital Screening of “Unplanned”

Students for Life of America partnered with the producers of Unplanned to host the first-ever online screening of the hit movie, Unplanned, on Friday, April 17th. Thousands of viewers had the chance to learn the TRUE story of one woman’s journey from Planned Parenthood Director to pro-life advocate.

We Raised $15,418.27 with our National Online Diaper Drive

During the month leading up to Mother’s Day, the Pro-Life Generation raised over $15,000 in baby items to help pregnant moms. In order to meet the needs of women in crisis, Students for Life of America created a National Baby Item Drive! As Planned Parenthoods remained open and continued to commit abortions, we knew we must support women and bring them hope. Pro-lifers donated by registering, selecting their state, and getting access to the Amazon Registry associated with their pregnancy help center of choice.

We Hosted an Online Graduation for Pro-Life Seniors

Because nearly every 2020 graduate across America was robbed of the opportunity to attend their graduation ceremonies, we decided to host a little pro-life graduation for SFLA students who graduated college and high school this year. TV personality Liz Wheeler prepared a commencement address, and the Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles sent the graduates a special video message.

Unfortunately, abortion supporters have a bad attitude and unknown assailants hacked the graduation. “During the graduation event, hackers stole another memory from students and seized control of the broadcast, sending pornographic images, which were graphic, upsetting, and used Nazi imagery and other offensive displays,” said Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins. “We regained control of the programming, and the FBI and police will be contacted, but what is most tragic is that our students were not allowed to enjoy this moment in peace.”

Over 3,300 Pro-Lifers Asked Their Governors to Label Abortion “Non-Essential”

In just one day, over 3,300 pro-life activists joined a nationwide call to urge U.S. governors to tell abortion facilities to donate their personal protective equipment and other important medical resources to local hospitals and medical clinics to help fight the coronavirus. Abortion is not an essential service, and Planned Parenthood is not an essential business.

“While millions of medical professionals across the country are scrambling to find necessary supplies, we urge every governor to order abortion facilities to cease abortions and to donate their taxpayer-funded,  necessary medical supplies to local hospitals and clinics that need it to provide real life-saving care,” SFLA President Kristan Hawkins said.

Students for Life Trained our 100,000th Student!

Students for Life of America has been training pro-life youth to effectively defend their position and change our culture for Life since 2006. Right before coronavirus struck, Kristan Hawkins gave an assembly at a high school in Pennsylvania and trained our 100,000th student!

We Helped 20 Mothers Choose Life This School Year

Most of the time, pro-life advocates will never know the full impact of our efforts. A pro-choice person might change their mind about abortion because of a video we shared, or a pregnant mom might drive right past the abortion facility and never show up to her appointment because she saw a message of hope from someone standing on the sidewalk.

That’s what makes it so special to see the impact of our efforts to make abortion unthinkable and unnecessary. Students for Life team members and students had the honor of standing with about 20 young women this year during their decisions to choose life for their babies. Read more here.

Rallying in Front of the Supreme Court for June Medical v. Russo

March 4th was a historic day for the pro-life movement. The hearing for June Medical Services v. Russo began at the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), and pro-life advocates rallied together to show support for a Louisiana state law designed to protect women in Louisiana by requiring abortion facilities to be held to the same health & safety standards as any other surgical facility. 

Our students knew the importance of this hearing, and of course, jumped into action to be a voice for vulnerable Louisiana women. Students from Liberty University, Towson University, American University, Catholic University, various local high schools, homeschools, and more joined in. Not only did they have a significant role in the rally, holding up our banner and literally blocking pro-choice activists from forcing their way into our Protect Women, Protect Life rally, but these students also spent the night at the Supreme Court to hold our spot for the rally the next day.

The Supreme Court unfortunately ended up caving to the abortion lobby (read more here), but we couldn’t be more proud of students’ efforts on behalf of Louisiana women.

 

So… What’s the Moral of the Story?

Not even a global pandemic can stop the Pro-Life Generation. This semester, we pivoted hard as an organization, and pro-life students came along on this new journey with all of the enthusiasm, compassion, and dedication they bring to everything they do. This human rights movement cannot be stopped – not by school closures, pro-choice bullying, or political setbacks. We’re in it for the long haul… yet we’ve never been closer.