By Harlee Barbier, College Director

Over the past month I have been able to connect with many pro-life college students from Southeastern Louisiana University, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Christian University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Loyola University New Orleans,  Louisiana State University Med, Tulane University, Louisiana Tech, University of New Orleans, Baton Rouge Community College and Bossier Community College. 

I have attended and spoke at on campus meetings, brought the college expo, assisted in tabling, conducted phone and FaceTime interviews and have recently started a podcast where college students have a positive space to share their pro-life testimonies. Now more than ever, pro-life college students need to know they have the support they need in order to defend life in all stages. Colleges are ground zero for the pro-life movement because many of our youth begin their college career with pro-life ethics but leave confused or even pro-abortion. 

I was reminded of the importance of this after meeting a young woman and her daughter at LSU.  Her and I started talking about resources on the table and she eventually shared some of her story with me. She found out she was pregnant at a young age. Her entire family tried to pressure her into an abortion, since she was a freshman in college, she had no job and she still lived with her parents. However, she knew abortion was not the answer. She chose life for her daughter and is extremely happy with where her life is. She now has all the support she needs from her family, is working part time, has a house with her daughter, is about to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and thanks her daughter everyday for pushing her to succeed in life.

I have always been involved with the pro-life movement and for four years I was a pro-life college student. I have seen first hand how many students change their mind on their beliefs once they set foot on a huge university. I have also seen how many pro-life students go silent because they feel they need to “fit in” or do not want to handle the hate they may receive due to standing up for what they know is right. 

I have had the chance to meet an abundance of pro-life college students who have a huge passion for this movement. Many on campus organizations are hosting Christmas drives to give back to the community this holiday season. However, I have heard many students ask “Why do we still need to fight? We won!” or “It’s over, Roe V. Wade was overturned, therefore I can be silent”. But, this is simply not true. The pro-life movement had a huge victory when Roe V. Wade was overturned; however, the fight is not done. Like I always say, it is one thing to say you are pro-life but it is a whole different thing putting actions behind those words.