Desert Star: Rooted in Care, Rising for Choice

Hi everyone,

My name is Annie and I am a Registered Nurse at Desert Star Institute for Family Planning with a passion for reproductive justice and it is a passion of mine to provide access to safe, compassionate abortion services and gender-affirming care!

I began volunteering at Desert Star in February 2025 and was honored to officially join the team in December 2025, where I now help provide critical care to patients in need.

Your donation will help fund vital resources, expand access, and support patients in need. Thank you for standing with me in the fight for reproductive freedom!

With Deep Gratitude,

Annie Nguyen

Our Mission is to create equitable access to reproductive and sexual health care while centering Black and Indigenous people and people of color. We envision a world where just, dignified, and exceptional reproductive health care is available to womb bearing people regardless of circumstance or zip code and is provided by health care professionals who also advocate for reproductive health and justice in their communities.

Through direct services and a multitude of outreach tools, we aim to improve access to information, reproductive health services, and empower people in their decisions regarding reproductive and sexual health and wellness.

Our Priorities:

Priority #1 - Provide just, dignified, and exceptional reproductive and sexual health services, centering communities that have historically faced barriers to care.

Featured Services include: Abortion (by pill and surgical), Birth Control (all non permanent methods), Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (age 18+), Miscarriage Management, and Pregnancy Dating Ultrasound.

Priority #2 - Train the next generation of abortion providers within a framework that focuses on the whole person and provides a unique understanding of the barriers historically marginalized people may encounter in medical communities where they've felt excluded.

Program: Next Generation of Abortion Providers Program (NGAPP)We are furthering our mission with this program by:1) Filling Gaps in Traditional Medical Education.2) Empowering Reproductive Health Care Advocates by training students within the integrative reproductive justice framework.3) Cultivating Family Planning Providers.

Trainees schedule 2-4 week rotations for a patient centered approach with a foundation in Reproductive Justice Principles.

Priority #3 - Deliver educational content and programs that help people from historically marginalized communities access reproductive health care and exercise autonomy over their bodies and lives.

1. Program: Patient Assistance for Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care
   People seeking care at our health justice clinic who are uninsured and meet financial criteria, or who receive state benefits assistance are eligible for funds to offset the fees or free supplies.
2. Program: Community Education and Engagement
   We sponsor and collaborate with community partners to provide educational events and social activities promoting dialogue and learning about reproductive health, rights, and justice.

Priority #4 - Engage, build relationships, and mobilize local policy makers, advocates, and community members directly impacted by harmful policies toward an Arizona that provides the conditions for people to freely decide when and how to form families and raise children.

We have convened coalitions and alliances to advance reproductive justice in Arizona.

1. Arizona Proactive Reproductive Justice Alliance: Drafted a bill to repeal over 50 restrictions on abortion in Arizona. SB1553 was introduced during the 2025 Arizona legislative session.