As the 2024 presidential election approaches this Tuesday, with Donald Trump and JD Vance facing off against Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the stakes couldn’t be higher for millions of Americans.

For Allison Gill, a Navy veteran, activist and CEO of the women-led podcast network MSW Media, this election has particularly urgent importance. In a poignant new ad released online October 18, targeting North Carolina’s military families and veterans, Gill tells her own story of trauma and resilience, highlighting what could be in danger if Trump is re-elected.

“Twenty-nine years ago, while serving in the United States Army, I was drugged and violently raped,” Gill says in the ad, her voice firm but full of deep conviction. “This crime resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. At the time, thanks to the protections provided by Roe v. Wade, I was able to receive reproductive health care in Florida, where I was stationed.

Gill’s words take on urgency as the 2024 elections approach. With Roe v Wade overturnedshe fears a world where service members stationed in states with restrictive laws will face insurmountable challenges.

“When I heard that Roe had been overturned, I immediately thought of those who would be trapped,” she tells The Drum. “Military personnel stationed in states with bans, where they may have to go through their rapist to get approval for leave. It is now a possible reality.

Gill’s current campaign, supported by the political action committee Artists United for Change, is both deeply personal and meticulously executed. She wrote the ad herself, incorporating her first-hand experiences at the heart.

To bring her story to life with gravitas and precision, Gill turned to filmmaker Dan Przygoda, known for his impactful work with the January 6 Committee and for capturing the viral footage of Sen. Josh Hawley fleeing the Capitol during the attack of 2021.

The campaign’s media strategy focuses directly on the swing state of North Carolina. The plan includes digital placements, social media promotions and local TV spots during popular sporting events, all designed to engage military families where they live and vote.

“If Trump loses North Carolina, he loses,” Gill said. “That’s why we’re focusing our efforts here.”

A life committed to justice

Gill’s passion for justice didn’t start with this campaign; it started in his childhood.

“In 1980, I was six years old and my mother took me to the voting booth,” Gill says. “I remember her saying, ‘Ally, no man here can tell me what to say.’ » » That moment, she says, awakened her belief in the power of civic engagement and advocacy.

Years later, his time in the Navy would reinforce this dynamic. “When I tried to report my assault, I was questioned as if I was the criminal. They asked me what I was wearing, if I was drinking and if I was flirting,” she says. “They even threatened to accuse me of adultery because my rapist was married. This experience made me realizing that seeking justice would be an uphill battle – not just for me, but for many servicewomen.

Gill’s story was featured in “The Invisible War” (2012), an Academy Award-nominated documentary that brought attention to the issue of sexual assault in the military.

“This film was a turning point,” she says. “I realized I wasn’t alone and it wasn’t my fault. These three words – “you are not alone” – are more powerful than “I love you”.

When asked why she would revisit such painful memories, Gill responds candidly: “I’ve seen how powerful it is when people tell their stories. In 2012, being part of The Invisible War showed me that telling stories can lead to political change and help others feel seen.

She continues: “I felt obliged to do it because I know the issues. If Trump is re-elected, military wives stationed in banned states will be trapped. They deserve better. They deserve options.

Gill’s work has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, she published an op-ed in the Washington Post calling for immediate policy changes to grant leave to servicemembers seeking reproductive care.

A few months later, the Pentagon implemented the policy she proposed. “I remember thinking, ‘Have they read my opinion piece?’” she says. “When I spoke with Ron Klain and Doug Emhoff at the White House, they knew who I was. It was a moment that reaffirmed why I do this work.

To find out more, sign up to The Drum’s daily newsletter here.