Although Matthew Keller grew up Catholic and Pro-Life, not until college were his beliefs put into action. In 2015, David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) began releasing their undercover videos of Planned Parenthood higher-ups admitting to selling aborted baby body parts. This prompted the liberal school newspaper at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, The Rattler, to publish an article in defense of the abortion giant. Matthew jumped to CMP’s defense and wrote an article in opposition to the position taken by The Rattler and thus began his Pro-Life journey. A month later, Matthew learned of Texas Right to Life’s Boots on the Ground conference and he organized a group of friends from St. Mary’s to attend with him. Attending Boots on the Ground and interacting with dozens of Pro-Life university clubs from across the state was eye-opening for Matthew and his friends, but he continued to resist re-starting the Pro-Life club at St. Mary’s, which had fizzled out several years prior.
“I didn’t intend to revitalize the club,” Matthew said, “but the Lord had other plans for me.”
That same spring, Matthew applied and was accepted into Texas Right to Life’s Dr. Joseph Graham Fellowship and also re-established Rattlers for Life at St. Mary’s. “If I had a Pro-Life spark before, the Fellowship lit a fire within me for defending Life.” Matthew graduated from St. Mary’s in May 2017, but Rattlers for Life continues to be a strong voice for Life on campus to this day.
Following graduation, Matthew sought ways to continue involvement in the Pro-Life movement, volunteering for a shift with his local 40 Days for Life prayer campaign and writing blogs for the Human Defense Initiative. In 2019, Allied Women’s Center (AWC) in San Antonio asked Matthew to join their board, and Matthew accepted the invitation. AWC, established in 1994, is a pregnancy center in San Antonio serving women of the area through their locations near downtown and the south side of the city. In his time leading Rattlers for Life, Matthew and the other club members had volunteered with AWC.
“AWC will do anything to help mothers in need,” Matthew said. “We really have a heart to help the women of San Antonio and, because of financial instability caused by COVID-19, more women than ever before need the support of AWC.”
Matthew is currently serving as the co-chair for AWC’s fundraising gala coming up on Friday, October 23, made virtual this year because of the pandemic. He is using his knowledge and advertising experience writing scripts, ads, and running social media to make supporters in San Antonio, and across Texas, aware of the event. “AWC is funded 95% through private donations,” Matthew said, “and the proceeds from our virtual gala will help us reach more abortion-minded women in San Antonio to help them choose Life for their babies.” The event will feature spotlights on former clients who chose Life and a very special speech from a young man whose life was saved because of the support of the AWC. Dr. Alan Keyes, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and past presidential candidate, will serve as the event’s keynote speaker. With 96% of the women who seek counsel at AWC abortion-minded, Matthew and his colleagues see the success of this gala as essential to saving more innocent lives in San Antonio. “I’m convicted every time I think about the almost 3,000 babies who are aborted every day,” Matthew said. “We’re living in the midst of a genocide. How can we be silent?”
If you would like to attend AWC’s virtual gala, you can reserve your free virtual seats at www.AWCBaby.com/event.