Delainey Neal, one of the National Leaders Collective’s (NLC) leaders of the month, is a Students for Life of America (SFLA) Christian Leadership Fellow attending Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. Learn more about Neal’s activism below.  

I am involved in the pro-life movement because my existence is the result of a choice for life. If my mom had taken the advice she was given as an 18-year-old high school senior, I would not be here today. When my mom became pregnant with me at a young age and was uncertain about her future, my biological father pressured her to abort me.   

Additionally, I was born with a cleft lip and palate, a condition that some in our culture wrongly see as a “justification” for abortion. But despite the fear and uncertainty, my mom gave me Life. And I often think about the weight of that decision. If she had chosen differently, I wouldn’t have known my family, my friends, my faith, or the life God has so graciously given me.  

Whether a child is healthy or faces challenges, whether a mother is prepared or unprepared, it should not be a decision to determine if that child lives or dies. It is solely determined by the fact that we are made in the image of a holy God. That truth is why I am, and will always be, unapologetically pro-life.  

I have grown immensely as a leader in the pro-life movement in the past two years. Before becoming an NLC leader, I joined Texas Right to Life’s Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship for college pro-life leaders. Through my first year of that fellowship in the summer of 2024, my leadership skills and capabilities blossomed. I became co-president and then president of my on-campus group, Pro-Life Patriots, shortly after, and gained many great experiences that have shaped me into the leader I am today.   

Currently, I am part of the Christian Leadership Fellowship through the NLC, and I applied for the program because I am committed and eager to get as involved in this movement as possible. I learned that this was where the Lord was calling me throughout my freshman year of college, and these leadership and program opportunities have just strengthened that calling and made me all the more confident that this is what I am committing my life to.   

This month, as we got back into the rhythm of school, we had a campus-wide “Welcome Back Party,” when our group set up a table and asked the question: “When does Life begin?” In two hours, we gained 74 sign-ups for interest in our club and had many fruitful conversations, and one student even changed their mind for Life!   

It was awesome to see the Lord moving in our group, and I’m really excited about what He has in store for us this semester and school year.  

Through this program, I’ve learned that leadership in the pro-life movement is not just about defending Life myself, but about raising others around me to do the same. This year, I’m excited to take on new challenges by launching projects that will change policies on my college campus to improve and foster a culture of Life. 

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