Planned Parenthood Honors Pink at Annual ‘Spring Into Action’ Gala

Planned Parenthood of Greater New York hosted its annual spring gala on Wednesday evening, this year honoring singer Pink with the Catalyst of Change Award for her advocacy for reproductive rights.

The event, called the Spring Into Action gala, was once again held at Cipriani South Street, drawing guests like Natasha Lyonne, Iris Apatow, Patricia Arquette, Hannah Bronfman, Helena Christensen, Tommy Dorfman, Marilyn Minter, Planned Parenthood Federation of America president and chief executive officer Alexis McGill Johnson, Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater, Laurie Simmons, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York president and CEO Wendy Stark and more.

“She’s always been an incredible warrior for this autonomy,” McGill Johnson said of Pink. “She is fierce. She is fire. She brings all of that. So I’m so glad that we get to honor her.”

Pink was the color of the night, as attendees took advantage of the nearly 90-degree day in New York to finally break out summery dresses. Lyonne kept her shades on as she rolled into the step-and-repeat room, where VIP guests had gathered ahead of the night’s programming. Just outside, a table was arranged with hats that said “witch” and “autonomy.” 

“Planned Parenthood is both a crucial resource and a safe space for young people and all people, frankly,” Lyonne told the room early in the night. “And since you are all here tonight, you’re well aware of the fight on our hands. This current administration is doing everything they can to shut down our health centers across the country. Anti-abortion hospital systems are buying up independent clinics and banning abortions.”

“That’s why in this very difficult time, PPGNY chooses to act in alignment with its values,” she said. “They offer sliding scale services. They help enroll eligible patients with insurance plans and they provide community-based programming to tackle additional hurdles, things like language and accessibility and general mistrust in the healthcare system. It’s important work and it is the work that PPGNY can only do thanks to the people in this room.”

“It’s awesome. It’s undeserved, but it’s awesome,” Pink said in her green room between courses of being the night’s honoree. “And I love Planned Parenthood. I was the teenager that would go to Planned Parenthood. That was the care we had. And it’s so important to keep our rights and our autonomy over our bodies. They are boots on the ground, fighting the fight and showing up in court. Clinics being bombed and shut and these people are absolute heroes. And we need them. We need this care. And I can’t wrap my mind around the fact that strangers and men that hold office get to choose the trajectory of our health and our lives. It’s wrong.”

The three-time Grammy winner said advocacy was an important part of the example she tries to set for her kids, Willow and Jameson.  

“I try to show up for as much as I possibly can. And I try to create a home environment that’s going to be a springboard for my kids to then jump off and go and fight the fight,” she said. “My mom was tired. It’s different now. The times feel…it’s dicey and actually our rights are being taken away left and right. And it’s happening so quickly and from so many directions. It’s so much more than just abortion access. This is for health care for women. This is so doctors can practice. This is so women don’t die from pregnancy complications. This so people can have disease free bodies. It’s so complicated and it’s distilled down into a soundbite and it’s just, it’s unfortunate. I think education for people is the most important thing for people…I always tell my kids, ‘Question the source and know both sides…Don’t be the person that signed up for the cause three weeks ago. Do your research, do your work.’ And Willow does that. The due diligence is strong with that one. It’s a new generation.”