Thank you for visiting my capstone project for the Journalism Graduate Program at the University of Miami. The goal of this story is to understand the potential financial predicament that arose from the end of Roe that women may risk undergoing. The statistics in the story may depict a less severe situation in Florida than in other Southern states. However, the state's Supreme Court has been considered to become more conservative with three of the seven judges appointed by the Republican governor. We don't know what may happen in the future. We don't know whether Florida's 15-week ban is a prelude to more restrictive legislation on the way. If the purple state turns red, what women in Florida can access now may become inaccessible; what currently women can afford may become unaffordable. Being labeled as a "HAVEN" state for abortion shouldn't be deemed as a compliment. The opposition to abortion is running strong almost in every corner of the country and none of the woman shall distance themselves from this important movement.

The idea of using data to expose hidden gender issues isn't born overnight. As a woman who grew up in a patriarchal society in Southeast Asia, the ability to spot gender problems and maintain sensitivity to women's rights has grown silently but resolutely throughout my adulthood. When I was covering the story, I was assuming myself as a young lady who was seeking an abortion but with a limited budget. The first two things beyond the procedure that came to me were: how far I should travel and how much I should pay for — either gas or hotels if I were in Florida. Most coverage on abortion issues published by many big news outlets focuses on a nationwide situation, but even though some may include detailed statistics by state, clean and updated regional data aren't usually accessible on national public databases. In this case, I am prompted to build my own datasets from scratch in terms of abortion access, particularly in Florida. This project is also trying to deliver informative messages to people who need help with the selection of abortion care in the particular region.

This project would not have been possible without the dedicated support of my capstone committee. Thank all the good advice and warm tips provided by Alberto Cairo, Vinicius Sueiro, Luis Melgar and Trevor Green. They guided me throughout the process and encouraged me to pursue my best self.