Addressing Reproductive Justice and Access to Abortions: A Conversation with Michele Goodwin
By Isabel Powell (C'24)
Despite having an impressive law and advocacy career and helping to pioneer the fields of health law and bioethics, our discussion with Professor Michele Goodwin as part of the Conversations in Health: Global to Local course focused predominantly on her equally outstanding early life and childhood experiences.
Balancing her upbringing between her parents and sets of grandparents, and alternating home between New York, Wisconsin, and the South, Goodwin became acquainted with dichotomy and disparity early on. In Wisconsin, she confronted racial prejudices at a young age, facing harsh retribution such as having her gloves stolen for daring to stand up against discrimination. At her great-grandfather’s home in the South, Goodwin declined to drink anything other than “clear water,” a luxury her extended family could scarcely afford.
Confronted with these realities of gender discrimination, racial inequity, and health disparities at an early age, Goodwin’s commitment to justice began far before her legal career. At the University of Wisconsin, Michele Goodwin became student-body president, managing a multi-million-dollar budget and engaging pressing social issues, receiving death threats while balancing daily homework assignments. Her advocacy extended beyond borders, as seen in her efforts to support victims of sex trafficking in Italy and challenge the prevalence of child marriages in Bihar, India. Across continents, Goodwin sought out the marginalized and oppressed, lending her voice to those society has forgotten.
Currently, Goodwin holds the position of co-faculty director at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown Law. Her focus has shifted to addressing a critical social and health issue: reproductive justice and access to abortions. In what she terms "The New Jane Crow" era, Goodwin's unwavering determination and compassionate nature are indispensable.
Despite her humility in attributing her success to "serendipity," it is evident that Goodwin's achievements are rooted in her relentless determination and perseverance. From her earliest days, she toiled tirelessly to combat injustice wherever it reared its head. In the face of adversity, she remained resolute, standing tall when others may have crumbled. What some may perceive as mere chance, I see as a testament to Goodwin's courage and resilience.
Professor Michele Goodwin's journey from her formative years to her illustrious career is a testament to the power of perseverance and unwavering dedication to justice. Her story serves as an inspiration to all who strive to make a difference in the world, reminding us that true change begins with individuals who are willing to stand up and fight for what is right, regardless of the obstacles they may face.
Isabel Powell (C'24) is an undergraduate student in Georgetown University’s College of Arts & Sciences studying biology of global health, with a minor in justice and peace studies. She is a student in the Conversations in Health: Global to Local course.