Today we’d like to introduce you to Kamyon Conner.
Hi Kamyon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Texas Equal Access Fund (TEA Fund) is an abortion fund based in Dallas that supports people in Texas who need abortions but are unable to pay for them. We provide financial support by paying for a portion of the cost of abortion procedures in states where abortions are legal. The majority of the people we support are already parents, and more than 70% of our clients are Black, Indigenous, or other People of Color. We also organize our communities to fight abortion bans and expand access to abortions for people in Texas through legislative advocacy and community outreach.
Texas Equal Access Fund was founded in 2005 by young college students and their professor, many of them were acquaintances of mine. I started volunteering on the Helpline with TEA Fund in 2007. In 2018, I became the first queer Black executive director for the organization.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The fight for abortion access in Texas has always been difficult. I led TEA Fund through the pandemic when Gov. Greg Abbott used COVID as an excuse to ban abortion. Then in 2022, SB 8 passed, which banned abortions of pregnancies with cardiac activity, usually around six weeks after the last menstrual period. This forced thousands of people in Texas to travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles to get care. The Supreme Court chose not to intervene and refused to provide relief to folks in Texas who need abortions. After that, in 2023, Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortions in the US, was overturned with the Dobbs ruling.
Working in Texas is very much like: You take a step back, then you gain some momentum and regain some rights, and then you take three steps back, and you gain some momentum and regain some rights. Then you get knocked down again. Right now, it’s about anticipating what else they can do in a state where abortion is already not legal. What else can they do to us? What else are they going to try to do? Whatever it is, I know abortion funds will be a target.
I’m not going to put on a brave face. The work I have to do with myself every day as a Black woman who leads an organization through activities that people in power are trying to criminalize is a lot. The criminalization portion of abortion is so scary. This is why I really urge people to think about which communities are most affected when abortion is criminalized. Who does it affect, and why are folks in power choosing to target these groups of people? I’m sure people know the answer to that.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Kamyon Conner is a queer Black activist, writer, and social worker with her roots firmly planted in grassroots organizing and medical case management. She serves as the Executive Director of Texas Equal Access Fund, an abortion fund serving West, East, and North Texas. She served as the Vice President of the National Network of Abortion Fund’s Board of Directors until 2021. She serves as the Vice President of PRIDENTON, a Denton-based grassroots organization that celebrates LGBTQ+ folks and hosts Pride annually with a focus on QTBIPOC leadership. She received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas in Arlington and her undergraduate degree in social work from the University of North Texas. She enjoys incorporating self-care into her work and spending time with chosen family, her partner, and her dog. She is an advocate for human rights and Reproductive Justice.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I come from a family of plant lovers. My grandmother’s garden was my first classroom. I am grateful to my ancestors for the adoration of plant life, the care, and discipline to grow and nurture life. It helps me be vigilant in this work and keep a focus on the ways in which we thrive when we create sustainable avenues for growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: teafund.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/teafund
- Facebook: facebook.com/teafund
- Twitter: twitter.com/teafund
