Student club promotes pro-life choices
Members of the Students for Life club at the March for Life Rally in Washington D.C. Photo submitted.
By Eric Wallace// Staff Writer
High Point University is a host to a variety of clubs that seek to make a difference in the local community. Students for Life is one of those clubs.
The club is partnered with local pregnancy centers and seeks to support women who may become pregnant but wish to continue their pregnancy as well as their other obligations in life.
The club was established two years ago by Isabela Guimaraes. She hopes to draw attention to and educate HPU students about the issue of abortion.
“Abortion is a hidden problem no one likes to talk about it,” Guimaraes says. “But, it is happening.”
Guimaraes, an international student from Brazil, was inspired to start the club after her best friend had an abortion. It prompted her to learn more about the issue and she was surprised by what she saw and how it affects college students.
“I saw not only how much abortion impacts women on our campus but women in general,” Guimaraes said. “I found out that college-age women are the most likely to have abortions.”
Her passion for the pro-life movement continued to grow from there.
“What makes me passionate about the pro-life movement is the belief that everyone is created equally and that without life, all the other rights are meaningless,” Guimaraes said. “[I believe] social justice begins in the womb.”
The club is active in the events it sponsors. A successful event they recently hosted was “Cupcakes for Life,” where members handed out free cupcakes to students and staff. The point of the event was to honor aborted children who will never celebrate a birthday.
They also showcase movie nights on campus where they screen movies and documentaries that advocate a pro-life message.
The club is also very active off campus. In addition to volunteering with local pregnancy centers, the members take part in pro-life walks. Ten students recently walked in the 44th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. They also took part in one in Greensboro which aimed to raise money for a new pregnancy center. The center would consist of a mobile unit that would go into needy communities to perform ultrasounds, STD tests and pregnancy tests.
The club is also looking forward to having guest speakers come to speak at their events. They currently are planning to have an abortion survivor come to speak on campus.
Guimaraes has big plans for the organization expanding in the future.
“We at Students for Life hope that one day HPU will have special housing for pregnant/parenting students with child daycare so students can choose life,” Guimaraes said. “Special housing for pregnant/parenting students with child daycare would not only make HPU a more women/child friendly campus, but would bring more jobs and opportunities for the school.”
Guimaraes hopes that the addition of this kind of facility on campus would allow female college students to not have to choose between their unborn child and their education.
Guimaraes hopes to continue to expand her organization and do what she can for pregnant women. She wants people to know that her club is there to help.
“I want people to know that HPU Students for Life’s goal is to help women facing unplanned pregnancy and give them hope,” Guimaraes said. “But also give them the resources to make life affirming choices.”