A former South Dakota legislator and longtime women’s rights advocate will keynote the Brookings County Democrats picnic on Aug. 27, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Brookings Activity Center, 320 Fifth Ave.

Nancy Turbak Berry leads a group advocating for passage of Amendment G, which will reinstate reproductive rights that were stripped when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. After the decision, South Dakota passed one of the most restrictive abortion bans in country.

As chair of the new group, the Freedom Amendment Coalition, Turbak Berry said her focus is to “tell the truth about the crushing injustice of South Dakota’s current anti-abortion law” and to work with groups and people who support the initiative across the state.

Turbak Berry served as a lawmaker for four years after the state passed a restrictive abortion ban in 2006 and has been an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights, open government and privacy rights.

The issue motivated her campaign. Voters repealed the law later that year and Democrats gained legislative seats for two consecutive elections. Voters also rejected a second restrictive law in 2008.

The semi-retired lawyer and founder of Turbak Law Office in Watertown was also a magistrate judge.

She will be joined by Fedora Sutton-Butler and Blake Stevens, newly approved candidates for South Dakota House of Representatives from District 7. They will outline their campaigns and talk about their visions for education, women’s health care, economic development and other issues important to voters.

Brookings Dems officers will have updates on the office opening and availablilty of campaign signs.

The picnic is a potluck and attendees are asked to bring a dish to share. Beverages and tableware will be provided. It is free and open to the public.