Rhiannon Carnes

Co-founder and executive director, Ohio Women’s Alliance
Columbus, Ohio

Following a 2022 ban on all abortions after six weeks in Ohio, voters responded resoundingly in the ballot booth during the November 2023 primary elections. They made their home state the seventh in the nation to approve a constitutional amendment, known as Issue 1, safeguarding abortion access and other reproductive health care.

A coalition of diverse organizations, known as Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights (OURR), led the charge in drafting the language for the citizen-led ballot measure. Ohio Women’s Alliance (OWA), headed by Rhiannon Carnes, was the only founding Black-led organization at the table ensuring the measure protected reproductive justice for all women of color.

Carnes and OWA didn’t stop there. In partnership with New Voices for Reproductive Justice, OWA spearheaded an expansive voters’ campaign, reaching more than 1.3 million young, female and voters of color across the state. Exit poll numbers speak to the impact. Among the 60% of women voting in support of the measure, 83% were Black voters, and 77% were under 30 years old.

“When we are inclusive in our language and when young women can see themselves in these issues, that’s always going to rein in more people,” said Carnes, 45, who co-founded OWA in 2019. “And it makes our movement stronger.”

Outside of OWA’s year-round grassroots efforts, Carnes has also focused on developing the next generation of leaders for reproductive justice. OWA has offered incubation support to new organizations, as well as a peer-to-peer mentorship program. The organization also has created assistance programs to improve access to abortion and reproductive rights.

“One of our priorities is capacity building, and we want to invest in leaders who are creating change in their communities,” Carnes said.

2024 Honorees