Life Chat

Rebecca Rhea resides in Dixon, Illinois with her husband of 38 years and their six children. She has been a homeschool mother for 28 years and comes on the podcast to discuss her book and opinions on the Pro-Life Movement in Illinois.

Anna Luis works for Students for Life of America doing Digital Strategic Engagement and is an icon on social media! She has been passionate in the fight for life for years, and now that Roe v. Wade is overturned, she is even more passionate about helping women find their voice to fight for life. Listen to her and our communications assistant, Savannah Dudzik, discuss what a post-Roe America looks like for young women, how Illinois Right to Life is such a central part of the movement, and how Students for Life of America is fighting the fight nationwide.

Dawn Fitzpatrick is the Senior Coordinator for the Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity for the Archdiocese of Chicago. She has been pro-life her entire life and now is working to bring a culture of life to the city of Chicago and beyond. What exactly does the Archdiocese do to fight for life? Listen to this episode of Life Chat to find out!

In this episode of Life Chat, Megan Drapa of the Vitae Foundation discusses how we can best reach women with the Pro-Life Message. To learn more about the Vitae Foundation, please visit their website. If you appreciate the work we do here at Illinois Right to Life please consider donating at illinoisrighttolife.org/donate.

In this episode, Cal Thomas, our 2022 Illinois Right to Life Action Speaker discusses why it is so important to him to defend life, how to make life a winning issue during election season, and so much more. Save the date for Friday, October 14th to hear him speak at our Illinois Right to Life Action Banquet!

Can you be an atheist and be pro-life? Have you ever heard of someone who becomes Pro-Life once she stops believing in God? Terrisa's story is one we don't hear very much, but extremely encouraging to those who might consider themselves left-leaning or not so religious but still believe in human rights.

Maison Des Champs, otherwise known as the Pro-Life Spiderman, is a Pro-Life Activist that started free solo climbing Skyscrapers to raise awareness for the Pro-Life Movement as well as raise money for Let Them Live, an organization that financially supports abortion-minded mothers in financial distress and counsels them away from abortion. Listen to him discuss his thrilling adventures and why he decided to use climbing to advance the Pro-Life Movement.

How much does the abortion industry really target the black community? Do black women really accept the radical agenda of the abortion industry? Listen to our podcast episode with Cherilyn Holloway to hear her story and why it is so important to get involved with Pro-Black Pro-Life.

Emily Alcaraz is the development manager at Illinois Right to Life and Savannah Dudzik is the communications assistant. They are both young women in their twenties who saw the evil abortion has brought to our world and have dedicated their careers to ending this evil. They are ecstatic to be part of the generation that ended Roe, but what do they think of the outrage from young women who think that we are “going back 50 years?” Listen to this special edition of Life Chat to find out!

Tom Usle is the Midwest Regional Coordinator for Students for Life of America. He joins us on Life Chat to discuss the importance of pro-life men. Tom also shares his journey to full-time pro-life work and the many ways we can all be a witness to life.

Alison Centofante worked as Director of Executive Affairs for Live Action for years. Now she has a husband, two beautiful children, and spreads the word to other young women that being a mother is beautiful! What else is Alison doing today? Listen to this episode of Life Chat to find out!

Chris Iverson has dedicated so much of his life to helping turn Chicago pro-life! Listen to his pro-life journey, how he has strategized and come up with new ways to reach the thousands of people in the city, and where he thinks we as Illinoisans should go from here.

Mary Kate Knorr is the founder of Feminae Vero and former executive director of Illinois Right to Life. In this Life Chat episode, she and Amy Gehrke discuss how we can empower young women to stand up for life and not choose abortion as well as why Illinois needs to be more proactive than ever in the fight against abortion.

Listen to this Life Chat episode with Kelly Dore to learn more about how Illinois will be effected once the repeal of Parental Notice goes into effect on June 1st.

In this episode, Dr. Steve Jacobs interviews Monica Snyder, Executive Director of Secular Pro-Life, about the foundations of the Pro-Life Movement: the right to life. They discuss how people of all religions and sects can unite on this foundational principle and fight for protecting life together.

In this episode, our communications assistant Savannah Dudzik interviews Jess Meeth, National Communications Director for Democrats for Life. Jess spent over a year of her life speaking with women in crisis pregnancies and now she is using her experience to tell the world that women do not need abortions. She discusses why it is important to change hearts and minds, but how we really need to change legislation if we are going to protect all humans

Kelly's story is one that covers so many difficult and painful topics in our world today: Child molestation, teen rape, repeat abortions, drugs, eating disorders, homosexuality, and pornography. Despite experiencing the unimaginable in her life, Kelly Lester's strength and the grace of God triumphed. Kelly is a testament to how God can use even the worst trauma to create something beautiful.

Now a wife and mother of six children, Kelly loves to share her story to give hope to the most desperate women and share the truth that God can save anybody. She is currently Director of Outreach for And Then There Were None and Pro-Love Ministries, as well as a board member for Village Ansanm: Living Stones Ministries.

We have a HUGE announcement! Dennis Prager, the founder of PragerU, will be the keynote speaker at our 53rd annual Leaders for Life Banquet on Friday, April 29th. Along with this, we also were able to have him on our Life Chat Podcast to give your a preview of his talk and explain why protecting and defending life is so important to him.

Listen here for an exclusive interview with Dennis Prager!

Abby Johnson is well-known for her conversion from Planned Parenthood manager to fierce Pro-Life advocate, but how did she get there and what has she done since then? Listen to our latest Life Chat episode to find out!

Our executive director Amy Gehrke sat down with Abby Johnson to discuss Johnson's new book, Fierce Mercy, which will be released next month, and how that fierce mercy impacted Abby's life. Listen now to hear this pro-life superstar's opinions!

In this episode, our communications assistant interview Anna Flock. The Illinois Right to Life team met Anna at one of our Ground Zero Tours and we were impressed with her passion for the pro-life movement, her grace in handling single motherhood, and her appreciation of the work the pro-life movement does.

In this episode, she discusses why it is so important to be involved in the pro-life movement and how they have inspired and helped her through her journey.

In this episode, Dr. Steve Jacobs interviews Amber Schneider. Amber is a passionate young woman who has chosen to speak up about her pro-life opinions via many social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram.

In this episode, she discusses why this is so important for the younger generation anyhow social media plays a part in this.

In this episode, Amy Gehrke interviews Carla D'Addesi, CEO and founder of Culture of Life: a pro-life fashion brand. Amy and Carla enjoy a lively discussion on why it is so crucial for there to be a fashion brand that gives back to the pro-life community and how counter-cultural this really is.

Anyone who has a passion for fashion will no doubt enjoy this episode and learn a thing or two from this fashionista being interviewed by Amy Gehrke, our very own executive director and pro-life warrior!

In this episode, Shawna Webber, vice president of Students for Life at Lake County college, one of the presidents of the Lake County Right to Life March for Life, and treasurer of Young Americans for Freedom explains her semi-new experience in the pro-life movement and why it's come to be such an important issue to her.

Shawna's enthusiasm and interest in protecting and defending life is sure to be encouraging to anyone who listens!

Why would a Wisconsinite want to move to the abortion "haven" of Chicago? Is there any good left in Illinois?

This encouraging podcast episode highlights what Amy has accomplished in Illinois so far and the direction she wants to see Illinois Right to Life go in the coming year.

Listen now to hear the full, heartening discussion!

When Electa first got pregnant, she was scared and unsure. She wanted to keep her baby but, with all the obstacles in her way, she wasn't sure how she would financially manage.

With the help of Project Love, however, Electa kept her baby and now is eternally grateful that she did. Listen to this podcast episode to hear Electa's whole story!

In this episode of Life Chat, IRL Executive Director, Amy Gehrke, interviews IRL Program Director, Steve Jacobs, J.D., Ph.D., regarding the two amicus curiae briefs Dr. Jacobs authored in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health U.S. Supreme Court case.

This dynamic duo discusses the impact these briefs can potentially have on the U.S. Supreme Court and its ruling in Dobbs.

Listen now to hear this hopeful conversation about the state of the abortion debate and the tremendous possibility that exists for Roe v. Wade to be rolled back or even overturned with the Dobbs case.

In this episode of Life Chat, our program director Dr. Steve Jacobs interviews Shea Pivnicka: participant in Biking for Babies and passionate young adult involved in the pro-life movement.

Aside from being involved in the pro-life movement, Shea is an operations analyst at a tech company and cannot wait to marry her best friend in May of 2022.

Listen to this episode in which Shea describes her journey to decide to participate in Biking for Babies and why she is so excited to do it again next year!

In this unique episode, our executive director Amy Gehrke interviews each of the Illinois Right to Life staff members.

Denise, Sarah, Savannah and Steve each tell their story and share their passions for different elements of the pro-life movement. Listen now to hear more about out wonderful staff!

Listen to Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life Amy Gehrke and Program Director Dr. Steve Jacobs discuss the current issue of Parental Notice in Illinois.

Parental Notice is the LAST pro-life law left in Illinois, and we have proof that it works. This one law saves 1,000 babies in Illinois every year, and it helps prevent human traffickers and other sexual predators from hiding their crimes with abortion.

Listen to this SPECIAL EPISODE of Life Chat to learn more!

Danniel and Dolores Pribble have each been involved in the pro-life movement in their own way for years. In this episode, they share the story of how they were individually involved, and how the pro-life movement now fits into their every day life as parents of two children.

Sarah Michalak, Regional Coordinator of the Upper Midwest for Students for Life, participates in a lively discussion with Dr. Steve Jacobs about the state of the abortion debate. She specifically discusses college students and their attitudes towards this important issue, as well as her experiences with different college campuses and perspectives on the abortion issue. 

She explains her passion for creating a culture of life and how she believes that the younger generation is more than equipt to do this. If you are interested in learning more about what we do at Illinois Right to Life, please visit our website: illinoisrighttolife.org and consider giving a donation!

Could two individuals with a passion save hundreds of lives in just a few years? Is there really a simple, direct, and compassionate way to convince women that they have options besides abortion? Let Them Live, an organization designed to help women in financial crises, does just this.

Listen to this podcast to get Emily Berning's unique take on the importance of the pro-life movement's direct involvement with womens' lives. Savannah Dudzik, Communications Assistant at Illinois Right to Life and Pregnancy Counselor at Let Them Live, interviews this trailblazer on the newest episode of Life Chat!

Many of the stories from the now-defunct Northern Illinois Women's Center in Rockford sound as if they come from a low-budget slasher movie. The horrifying truth is that they were all too real.

Dr. Mark Waters, professor of English at McHenry County College and author of the book, Signs from a Peculiar Institution: One Witness's Account of a Quite Ordinary Horror (And a Small Peace), spent years praying and counseling outside the clinic and witnessed many of the horrors first-hand.

Join Illinois Right to Life Executive Director, Amy Gehrke, as she chats with Dr. Waters about his experiences at the Northern Illinois Women's Center and how the prayers and work of pro-life advocates eventually closed the deadly clinic. You won't want to miss this chilling episode of Life Chat!

Eric Scheidler, Executive Director of Pro-Life Action League, can't remember a time when he was not pro-life. However, his ways of being outspoken and addressing this issue have changed over the years and ultimately led him to devote his life to pro-life work.

Listen as Eric shares personal anecdotes and advice on how to best put your pro-life passion into action!

Rebekah Hagan explains the utter fear and discouragement she felt when she saw the two pink lines on the pregnancy test she took along in a grocery store bathroom, and how that transformed her life. 

She covers the topics of abortion pill reversal, teenage pregnancy, and how women deserve better than these horrific procedures. Listen now to hear Rebekah's captivating story and how she is turning what she went through into her life's work.

A shining light in the pro-life movement, our incredible new executive director Amy Gehrke shares her story and how she finally ended up here in Chicago, fighting for life in a state most hostile to pro-lifers.

A dynamic hero for women, Georgette’s story is relatively simple: At 16, she got an abortion because it seemed like the simple solution. However, it wasn’t until she was in her mid-thirties that she finally found healing.

What she did because of that healing has changed countless lives. Her story begins one “Sanctity of Life Sunday,” where she first plummeted into the depths of despair before taking her hurt and sorrow and using it to lead a ministry of hope and healing for women.

Kevin Grillot's strong and enthusiastic voice in the pro-life movement draws the curiosity of all those around him. His whole life, people have asked him, "Why are you so involved in the pro-life movement?" and this podcast episode holds the answer.

Evita is the oldest of nine children, with the youngest being her little sister, Valentina, who has Down Syndrome. She is a junior at the University of Chicago and is also an intern with The Federalist. In addition, along with some friends, Evita spearheaded a new newspaper at the University of Chicago called The Chicago Thinker, which brings together many young, Conservative voices.

Clarke Forsythe, Senior Counsel for Americans United for Life, has been involved in the pro-life movement since 1985. He is the author of Politics for the Greater Good: The Case for Prudence in the Public Square and, most recently, Abuse of Discretion: The Inside Story of Roe v. Wade. In a recent Life Chat episode, Illinois Right to Life Program Director, Dr. Steve Jacobs, sat down with Forsythe and discussed the role Roe v. Wade has played in our society.