Press Release

Time for Abortion in the Black Community to Be History, Care Net Says

February 01, 2006

STERLING, VA -- Dr. Lillie Epps, Director of Urban Center Development for Care Net, issued the
following statement Wednesday in commemoration of Black History Month. “As we celebrate Black History Month, we mourn the loss of more than 14 million African-American young people who are not with us today because of the tragedy of abortion. Care Net is committed to preserving the legacy of a people that have given so much to this great nation, enduring much through the oppression of slavery and denials of personhood. We are committed to fight the good fight for so great a cause, that of ensuring that life - all life - is protected and held sacred."

"In response to the research that shows there is a disproportionately high rate of abortion among
African-American women, Care Net launched its Urban Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to
empower urban communities to offer alternatives to abortion, to promote positive sexual health, and to share the love of Jesus Christ.

"Today, pregnancy resource centers are vastly outnumbered by abortion clinics in urban areas. We want to change that. The most recent census reported that 88 percent of African-Americans and 91 percent of all Hispanics in America live in metropolitan areas. Combined they make up about 25 percent of the total U.S. population, and yet, they obtain 57 percent of all abortions performed in this country. It is imperative that we place pregnancy resource centers in urban areas so that we can truly give women in urban America a real choice. Pregnancy resource centers need to become the name that women can trust. We must be in the inner city providing hope and truth, as well as giving answers and direction to those facing an unplanned pregnancy.

“The new motto for our initiative is ‘NO MORE!’ No more taking of innocent lives and no more
women suffering from the aftermath of abortion – depressed, suicidal, going from relationship to
relationship, having abortion after abortion. As a nation, we must overcome the barriers to offering
abortion alternatives to African-American women.”