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Laurie Lee plays a key role at Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA) as our National Grassroots Program Manager, where she leads efforts to engage and activate pro-life Americans across the country. As the manager of grassroots at SBA, Laurie has been instrumental in spreading our message directly to voters—most notably through our nationwide voter contact program. Through this program, SBA and our partner Women Speak Out PAC reached over 10 million persuadable and low-turnout pro-life voters in the 2024 election cycle. This included more than 4 million visits to voters’ homes across eight key battleground states to help secure pro-life victories across the country.

That same grassroots energy was on full display during SBA’s recent Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of activists, including many students, met face-to-face with lawmakers and their staff to advocate for an end to taxpayer funding of abortion. We caught up with Laurie to talk about her role in organizing the day, why grassroots engagement is so powerful, and the moments that reminded her just how much impact everyday people can have in the fight for equal rights for unborn babies.

SBA: For those who might not know, what exactly does “grassroots” mean in the context of SBA, and why is it such an important part of the pro-life movement?

Laurie: For SBA, “grassroots” refers to engaging directly with everyday citizens, people who may not necessarily be politically active. Grassroots efforts empower individuals to both get involved in the pro-life movement, and vote for pro-life candidates by spreading SBA’s message directly to them. It really is a critical effort because mainstream media often distorts or overlooks the pro-life message, and grassroots engagement helps us break through those barriers and deliver our message directly to the public. This personal, face-to-face communication ensures that the truth about the sanctity of life is heard.

SBA: What do you think sets SBA’s grassroots efforts apart from other organizations?

Laurie: First and foremost, our training sets us apart. We don’t just give canvassers materials to hand out to voters—we engage them in real face-to-face conversations. Our training focuses on teaching canvassers how to form meaningful connections and engage voters with authentic passion that genuinely moves people and drives results. Secondly, we don’t want just anyone to canvass for us—we want canvassers who believe in what they’re doing. Passion is a big part of what makes our canvassers effective. People can tell when you’re speaking from the heart, and that kind of authenticity really resonates with voters and often leads to them reconsidering their stance or solidifying their support for the pro-life cause.

SBA: Can you walk us through your role in organizing SBA’s Lobby Day and how you helped ensure everything ran smoothly from start to finish?

Laurie: My role was primarily on the ground. I worked to coordinate our grassroots activists, making sure they had the necessary materials and knew where they needed to be at all times. From meetings with lawmakers to important events, I helped make sure that everyone was in the right place at the right time. I also had the opportunity to lead a team in a meeting with the staff of Senator Tom Cotton, the Senator from my home state of Arkansas. We discussed strategies for defunding Big Abortion and they were incredibly supportive of our efforts. It was very encouraging to see firsthand the difference our grassroots activists were making on the hill that day.

SBA: How did you ensure that all the grassroots activists, many of whom had no lobbying experience, were fully prepared to effectively lobby their members of Congress on Lobby Day?

Laurie: Before Lobby Day, we held a thorough training session. Our team provided activists with literature and resources to help them understand how to approach their meetings with Congressional members and their staff. But the truth is, it wasn’t a very difficult process. It’s much easier to train people who are already passionate about the cause. When you have activists who are deeply committed to the pro-life movement, their passion is what drives them. Our training is about channeling that passion into effective advocacy. By the time they walked into those meetings, they weren’t just armed with facts and figures—they had real, authentic passion, and that’s what made them such powerful lobbyists.

SBA: Why do you think it was especially important to have grassroots activists lobbying Congress for the defunding of Big Abortion, and what kind of impact can they have that a professional lobbyist might not be able to achieve?

Laurie: Of course, professional lobbyists have their value, but what sets grassroots activists apart is, first, their ability to reach far more people—and therefore impact more votes. Second, grassroots efforts allow for real, face-to-face conversations that bring authentic passion into the equation. When you’re talking directly to voters, you’re not just sharing information, you’re forming a personal connection that can truly change hearts and minds. You also get to see firsthand the impact you’re making and know exactly who you’re reaching. Professional lobbyists don’t always have that same level of certainty. It’s harder to gauge the effect of lobbying a lawmaker, or of an ad campaign or mass mailing. With grassroots the response is immediate, and that direct engagement helps us build real momentum for the pro-life cause.

SBA: You had a chance to witness the energy and dedication of activists firsthand. Were there any moments during Lobby Day that stood out to you as particularly inspiring or impactful?

Laurie: There were a couple of moments that really stuck with me. Dale, one of our Pennsylvania canvassers, shared about her group’s meeting with Representative Cliff Bentz. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, he explained how Medicaid funding passes through that committee—but ultimately, the Senate Parliamentarian has the final say. What made the meeting so powerful, though, was how it ended: they prayed together for unborn babies, for softened hearts in Congress, and for the Parliamentarian herself. It was a real reminder of how faith and advocacy can work hand in hand.

Another moment that stood out came from Alfonso, one of our student canvassers. He met with both Congressman Dusty Johnson and Senator John Thune to advocate for ending taxpayer funding of abortion. Congressman Johnson told him, “It’s just a matter of time,” which was so encouraging. Then, when Alfonso met with Senator Thune, the senator actually recognized him from a thank-you video our student team had sent him in the past for his continued pro-life leadership in Congress. It was such a clear example of how grassroots work leaves a lasting impression—these lawmakers remember us!

SBA: One of the most exciting elements of Lobby Day was the involvement of students from across the nation. How did their participation help energize the movement, and what impact do you think it had on lawmakers?

Laurie: The student participation was absolutely energizing. These young people are the future—they’re the next generation of leaders. For them to be involved in the pro-life movement this early is incredibly powerful. If I were a lawmaker, seeing hundreds of passionate students at the Capitol would be incredibly motivating. It’s a reminder that the pro-life movement isn’t just a cause for today, it’s a cause for the future. Their presence showed lawmakers that this movement is growing, and they’d better pay attention.