FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2025
CONTACT: Imelda Mejia (she/hers), [email protected]
AUSTIN, TX — Texas Freedom Network (TFN) mourns the loss of Cecile Richards, who today passed away. Richards was surrounded by family and loved ones.
Cecile Richards founded Texas Freedom Network in 1995 after attending a Texas State Board of Education meeting where the religious right’s growing influence on public education shocked the progressive leader.
During the meeting, Cecile slid a napkin over to a friend with a note that said, “It’s worse than I ever imagined.” One month later, TFN was formed. In the 30 years since we’ve become an organizing home to thousands of grassroots activists across our state.
A beacon of change and hope, Cecile devoted her life to building progressive power and championing reproductive freedom in and outside of Texas.
As a child, Cecile worked alongside her mother, former Texas Governor Ann Richards, campaigning for Sarah Weddington—the lawyer who argued Roe v. Wade—during her race for the Texas House of Representatives. As an adult and self-proclaimed troublemaker, Cecile later led the Planned Parenthood Federation of America from 2006 to 2018.
Texas Freedom Network President Felicia Martin (she/her/ella), issued the following statement:
“Cecile Richards has created generations of troublemakers who will never stop fighting for the Texas we deserve and the communities we love. She spent her entire lifetime lifting up women and people from underrepresented communities—centering us and giving us the space to be in our power and create change. Her passing is a devastating loss to our movement, but the echo of her life will live on in every rally we hold, testimony we deliver, and vote we cast. Our deepest condolences go out to her family and loved ones.
“There is not a progressive organizer in Texas who hasn’t been deeply inspired by Cecile Richards and her mother, Governor Ann Richards. Alongside the activists they inspired, Cecile and Ann dreamt of a true democracy where we are all represented, and they devoted their lives to that pursuit. Our powerhouse organization, Texas Freedom Network, was born from that dream.
“As we find ourselves in a moment not dissimilar to 1995, where religious extremism and a loud, vitriolic minority continue to chip away at our freedoms and attack our communities, we at TFN are honored to carry on the vital mission of the organization that Cecile so graciously started 30 years ago. We vow to honor her as we continue to defend democracy and dream together.”
Emma Brockway (she/her), Chair of the Texas Freedom Network Board of Directors, said the board mourns Richards’ passing and will continue honoring her legacy.
“The loss of Cecile leaves a devastating hole in our world, and our hearts are with all who loved her as we collectively mourn,” Brockway said. “Cecile’s legacy lives on through the organizations and programs she built and through the countless movement leaders she mentored to carry forward her vision for change. We have lost a progressive champion whose impact on our lives and futures is impossible to encompass in words. We will miss her always.”
Following Ann Richards’ legacy, Cecile never stopped fighting for our freedoms. After the 2016 election, Richards co-founded Supermajority, which focuses on making women the most powerful voting bloc in the country.
In 2022, Richards acted as the National Finance Chair on Beto O’ Rourke’s campaign for Texas Governor, continuing to push for progressive change and build a better future for our state.
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