Jill June is best recognized for her long-time leadership of Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa. She was at the helm beginning in 1985, through 2014.

In a phone interview with Ms. June, she indicated she grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and as a career goal chose to come to Iowa for three years. She describes herself as an educator, and though the term was not used when she attended college, she now identifies herself as a community organizer and activist.

The stay in Iowa has extended as she met her husband and they both use the phrase, “A rolling stone met an Igneous rock.”

The original activist work was assuring food security, day care services, and well-baby clinics, but her proactive prevention mind, moved her further to EARLIER INTERVENTION, and the recognition that women would be financially and long term more stable if they had control of when they became pregnant.

She became a grant writer obtaining funds from the federal government for family planning clinics. She became expert at political maneuvering for women, and confronting discrimination issues. Women began to win politically as well as legally.

At the onset she was asked to become the Planned Parenthood leader that encompassed 9 counties, but that number grew to 86 counties, becoming the largest provider of reproductive health care in Iowa. This included clinical health care, as well as educational and advocacy programs.

When questioned as to what is the worst thing that happened during her leadership of Planned Parenthood, she simply stated, “The worst is right now,” with the overturning of 50 year standing of Roe v Wade. Tumult toward women controlling their bodies that is occurring.

She endured some very physically frightening moments when her home was invaded. Following that incident Janet Reno serving as U.S. Attorney General assigned U.S. Marshalls ls to guard the home and office of Jill June. She continues to feel badly that her staff had to endure the harassment.

A humorous incident she shared was about a travel experience. As a precursor to the story, you need to know she had been featured on the cover of MS. MAGAZINE. She and her husband were traveling together, and she had inadvertently lost her identification. When it was time to board the plane, she was stopped. Her resourceful partner brought the MS. cover out to show it was really her, and she was able to pass through security. (the billfold containing the identification information was returned to the airport by the cab driver).

She concluded the interview with a Martin Luther King quote, “The Arc of the moral universe is long, but it continues to bend toward justice.” She urges Iowa women not to despair. That is what they want. They want us to give up. Rather, Vote, Donate, and continue to use your VOICE.

Thank you, Jill June, for being a WOMAN WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE.