Activist Jessica Mackler calls Project 2025 a blueprint to ban abortion at DNC

Jessica Mackler, the newly appointed president of EMILY's List, delivered an address at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, focusing on reproductive rights.

Mackler, who stepped into her role following Laphonza Butler’s appointment to the U.S. Senate, highlighted the ongoing struggle over abortion rights, intensified by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade . She called out Project 2025 , a Republican-supported initiative she described as a dangerous framework for nationwide abortion restrictions.

“Donald Trump took away our rights, but he can never take away our power,” Mackler declared to the crowd.

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What to know about Jessica Mackler:

• Who is she? Mackler is the new president of EMILYs List, an organization dedicated to supporting pro-choice Democratic women.
• What role does she play? Leading EMILY’s List, Mackler focuses on advancing reproductive rights and defending against restrictive policies.
• Key quote: “The threat of Project 2025 is very real, but so is our ability to stop it.”

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Watch Jessica Mackler’s full DNC Convention speech here

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When and where is the DNC:

The Democratic National Convention runs from August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC.

Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton nominated for a second time.

How to watch and stream the 2024 DNC:

The convention will air live on its website from the United Center in Chicago between 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) from Tuesday through Thursday.

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

What are the themes for each night of the DNC?

The DNC has announced nightly themes for the convention. Wednesday’s theme is “A Fight for our Freedoms.”

Here are the themes for each night:

• Monday: “For the People”
• Tuesday: “A Bold Vision for America’s Future”
• Wednesday: “A Fight for our Freedoms”
• Thursday: “For our Future”

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Activist Jessica Mackler calls Project 2025 a blueprint to ban abortion at DNC