Jordan Brittain of the Students for Life of America speaks April 12 at the University of Hawaii’s Newman Center. (HCH photo | Anna Weaver)
By Anna Weaver
Hawaii Catholic Herald
The regional coordinator for a pro-life student network recently visited Hawaii for several speaking engagements and events.
Jordan Brittain, the Pacific Southwest regional coordinator for Students for Life of America, gave a 20-minute talk to about a dozen attendees on the evening of April 12 at the University of Hawaii’s Holy Spirit Parish/Newman Center.
She spoke about how growing up in a family with 11 kids influenced her decision to go into pro-life advocacy, including the premature birth of her sister and near-death of both her mother and sister in that delivery.
Brittain focused on how people can support a woman with an unplanned pregnancy who might be considering an abortion.
“So many people have said if they had found one person to support them, they wouldn’t have chosen abortion,” she told the group, adding that women need to be “shown hope and help and healing.”
She also had a “Know Your Apologetics” packet available for people to take home that gave tips on talking about abortion with others. After Brittain’s talk, Deacon Gary and Val Streff, the Diocese of Honolulu’s Respect Life coordinators, gave their own presentation on what their office does, and the Honolulu coordinator for 40 Days for Life, Anne Shigeta-Koch, spoke about that campaign.
Brittain is from Arizona and covers that state, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii for Students for Life. While she was in town, she talked with students at Maryknoll School and St. Michael School in Waialua, attended the 40 Days for Life Mass and sidewalk event outside Planned Parenthood in Honolulu on April 15, and wore a pro-life “Life Runners” shirt while running the Hapalua Half-Marathon on April 16.
Brittain spoke online to local parish respect life coordinators and plans to hold a virtual discussion with members of Damien Memorial School’s Students for Life chapter.
The UH recently had its own Students for Life chapter approved as a campus student organization in March. Its chapter’s leader, UH junior Caitlin Mallen, said she wants the group to help raise money toward pro-life efforts like traveling ultrasound machines, and combat what she says is a “pro-abortion climate” on campus. She says supporting pregnant women should reach beyond religious groups.
“Being pro-life shouldn’t just be a Christian effort as it has been pigeon-holed,” Mallen said.
Mallen and Brittain had an information table out on the UH campus and spoke to about 25 people who stopped by, including two people who knew pregnant women.
“A couple of people who were pro-abortion also came to talk to us and we dialogued with them about the importance of finding real solutions rather than ending the life of the child,” Brittain wrote in an email. “One girl was on the fence but talked to us for half an hour at least! She ended up changing her mind and signing up for the group!
“We also met a student who was a parent who thanked us for our witness and outreach.”
Students for Life of America has about 1,300 groups in middle school through graduate school.
