There are myriad paths to reproductive health, rights, and justice work. For AJ Haynes, it involved “margaritas and a cover band, as any good story should.”

Haynes, a counselor for the Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, Louisiana, explained to Rewire.News on Tuesday that about ten years ago, she had a cover band to help pay bills as she worked toward a bachelor of arts in English and communications. At the time, Hope’s late founder and clinic owner, Robin Rothrock, had a Christmas party every year. This particular year, Rothrock wanted to have a band. “And so we played at the party,” Haynes said. “Afterward, I was just hanging out and having margaritas with Robin. I don’t even know what we were talking about … [But] like you do over margaritas, you have a come to Jesus with yourself, so I was like, ‘I need a job, more jobs, because I’m broke.’”

Rothrock responded: “Do you want to come and work for the clinic?’”

After Haynes said yes, Rothrock explained that Hope is an abortion clinic. She asked Haynes what her thoughts were on abortion. “I had never thought about it before, but my response was: ‘I believe that women should have dominion over their bodies.’ And that was that,” Haynes said. She started working there the Monday after the Christmas party.

“I don’t know what other people’s processes are in coming to this work, but it was pretty A + B = C to me,” she said.