MATTAPOISETT – As a nurse in the 1970s, Mattapoisett resident Liz DiCarlo fought for the Roe v. Wade decision that protects a pregnant woman’s right to have an abortion.

Now retired, she is once again fighting for those same rights in 2022.

DiCarlo attended a rally in Mattapoisett’s Shipyard Park Sunday, June 26 where Tri-Town residents vocalized their concern over the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the ruling that the Constitution protects a woman’s right to have an abortion.

“Women’s right to choose was not easily got,” she said. “Think critically about what’s going on in this society, we have serious issues that are going on.”

The event was organized by Rochester resident Maggie Howland who was inspired by a rally she went to in Providence.

“The emotions came home with me,” she said. She began looking online for conversations happening in the Tri-Town and was surprised to find that no one was talking about or organizing anything.

“I just couldn’t wait around for someone else to do something,” Howland said.

So, she took to Canva, a poster-making website, to create flyers and reached out to Tri-Town Against Racism to spread the word. She was pleasantly surprised by the turnout, with about 50 people holding signs and cheering as she stood at the gazebo to address the group.

“This doesn’t just affect big cities, we also exist out here,” she said, earning supportive shouts and applause from the crowd.

After residents shared resources and engaged in conversation, the group marched up to the four-way intersection of North Street and County Road to wave at passing cars and draw attention to the issue.