Diverse Speakers, Unified Cause to Highlight Pro-Life Movement Coalition Conference

Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net 

CHICAGO, Jan. 29, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Illinois citizens continue to speak out against abortion, with the 22nd annual SpeakOut Illinois conference this Saturday, February 2, at the Crowne Plaza O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont. The conference, titled "50 Million and Counting: Forty Years of Roe v. Wade," will feature presentations on "Stand Up for Life: Why Your Witness Matters" and "Fatherhood in the Culture of Abortion." The Henry Hyde Life Leadership Award and Illinois Life Advocate Awards will be presented. The event will culminate with a solemn Memorial for the Unborn.

Event Details

WHAT: SpeakOut 2013 "50 Million and Counting: Forty Years of Roe v. Wade"

WHEN: Saturday, February 2, 2013, registration opens at 8:30 a.m.

WHERE: Crowne Plaza O’Hare Hotel, 5440 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018

MAP LINK: bit.ly/14pzgdo

WHO: Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League
Ryan Bomberger, founder of the Radiance Foundation
Star Parker, president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education
Dick Walsh, founder of Americans for Life
35+ sponsoring organizations
Illinois pro-life citizens

REGISTRATION & INFORMATION: www.speakoutillinois.org

"After four decades, and the deaths of 55 million babies, those who value the sanctity of human life are still standing as strong as ever and speaking out -- and they have made a huge and positive impact," said Ann Scheidler, co-chair of the SpeakOut Illinois committee and vice president of the Pro-Life Action League, a key sponsor of the annual event. Scheidler, along with her husband, the iconic Joe Scheidler, has been speaking out for life since abortion was legalized in the U.S. in 1973.

This year's conference speakers bring passionately diverse perspectives to the cause:

Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League and son of Ann and Joe, brings his experience from pro-life activism's "first family" to the fight against abortion. His leadership has been instrumental in numerous victories for the pro-life movement as he works closely with local groups to shut down abortion providers in neighborhoods across the country.

Ryan Bomberger, founder of the Radiance Foundation, is an Emmy award winner whose personal story is rooted in pro-life choices. Conceived in rape and adopted into a large multiracial family, he embodies a compelling argument against abortion in even the most traumatic circumstances.

Star Parker, president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, understands the pressures of women on welfare, having walked that road herself. Unabashedly pro-life and anti-poverty, she has brought her expertise to Capitol Hill, university lecture halls, and corporate conference rooms. At SpeakOut 2013, Parker will be the recipient of the Henry Hyde Life Leadership Award for her tireless commitment to promoting the sanctity of life.

Additionally, a special Illinois Life Award will be presented to longtime pro-life advocate Dick Walsh, founder of Americans for Life, for his undaunted dedication to the values of life and family.

SpeakOut 2013 takes place on the heels of the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which resulted in the death of over 50 million lives and the decimation of more than one generation. SpeakOut seeks to challenge the latest generation to continue the battle for life into the future with a special youth-oriented program titled TeenSpeak.

SpeakOut Illinois brings together more than 35 organizations from across the state to openly champion the sanctity of human life. Sponsors include the Pro-Life Action League, crisis pregnancy centers, law firms, political groups, women's groups, media outlets, and religious organizations. Illinois is the only state to have such a broad pro-life coalition.

More information on the event and a registration link is at www.speakoutillinois.org.

About the Pro-Life Action League
The Pro-Life Action League was founded by Joseph M. Scheidler in 1980 with the aim of saving unborn children through non-violent direct action. Through prayer vigils outside abortion facilities and sidewalk counseling, the League reaches out to abortion-bound women and couples with abortion alternatives, confidential counseling, and access to pregnancy resources. The League has closed eight abortion clinics in Chicago alone and nearly 100 across the country. The Pro-Life Action League is a nonprofit organization, supported solely by private donations. For more information, visit www.prolifeaction.org.