Sharing her ‘why’, the March for Life Leader discusses the personal story behind her role

Washington (7News) – On Friday, thousands are expected to march from the Washington Monument to the US Supreme Court for the 2025 National March for Life.

The theme for the 52nd Annual March: “Life: Why We March.”

Related | March for Life 2025: Thousands of anti-abortion supporters to rally on National Mall

This year’s speakers include Vice President JD Vance, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Florida Governor Ron Desantis.

“Every person regardless of race, creed, size, imperfection or gestational age has inherent human dignity,” said March for Life Education and Defense Fund President Jeanne Mancini. “And we’re also with our theme, ‘Why We March,’ asking the marchers to share their story. Because stories can change lives.”

7News Anchor Megan Clarke spoke Thursday with Mancini, who also shared her “Why.”

“Two women in my life had abortions, and they deeply regretted those abortions, and they suffered the wounds of it,” Mancini said. And I must say for your audience, there is always hope and healing. And so anyone who has been involved with it, if they have sadness about it or grief, it’s important to know that there are so many ways to reach hope and healing. ”

I wouldn’t want that for any other woman, I wouldn’t want any other woman to love them both.

While Mancini said the march is primarily, “high school students, college students, millennials asked” Recent studies Showing more younger adults support legal abortion in most or all cases.

“It’s incredibly important to look at how the questions are asked. My own anecdotal experience is that young people are very much on the side of life,” Mancini said. “For example, questions are asked, but what I would say is, (Pope) John Paul II, many years ago, said that young people are the best ambassadors for life.”

See also | ‘We need to speak out’: 1,000 Liberty students head to DC for annual March for Life

7News also spoke with Catholic University Chaplain and Vice President of Ministry and Mission Father Aquinas Guilbeau, a longtime participant of the march, about what he sees when it comes to youth and pro-life support. He said hundreds of students and their families will march.

“I would say that the findings of this study are that while there may be a moment of celebration from the pro-life side with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, the work of the pro-life movement is not past,” said Father Guilbeau. “In fact, there is still more to do in terms of witnessing the dignity of human life, changing minds and hearts, but also being active on the ground in every neighborhood, in every community that offers support, not only prayer support and brotherly support But even material support for mothers, children who find themselves in maternal distress.

The march also comes just days after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has said he would not support a federal abortion ban.

7News asked Mancini and Guilbeau what they hope to see from the new president this term.

“My hope and the jury is still out, we will see some positive gains in the Trump-Vance administration,” Mancini said. “And I’m excited to see what we’re going to see at the March for Life tomorrow, in the way of support, at the White House, but also any announcements, any policy announcements that might be made tomorrow. So I ‘M keeping my eyes open and I have a lot of hope that we will see some good things.”

“The political calculus in terms of advancing pro-life legislation, pro-life politics, is now changing, it’s now shifted from the federal government to the state,” Father Guilbeau said. “So we’re in a new moment. And I think the White House is also in a new moment, how to navigate, it’s a real civic one.

Mancini shared this final message for those on the opposite side of the debate.

“What I would say to someone who doesn’t see eye to eye, first of all—hopefully just have compassion and mercy and listen to them, and I pray that they would do the same to me, to hear me out, ” Mancini said. “Mostly, I would do what I could to help convince them that abortion doesn’t solve one problem, it just creates others.”