Black Mamas Matter Alliance

Advancing Black Maternal Health, Rights & Justice

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Black Maternal Health Week Resolution Re-Introduced!

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BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH ADVOCATES RESPOND TO RESOLUTION INTRODUCED TODAY BY SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS AND CONGRESSWOMAN ALMA ADAMS OFFICIALLY DECLARING APRIL 11-17 AS “BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK”

Annual Initiative Founded By The Black Mamas Matter Alliance Aims to Increase Awareness, Advocacy and Action to Address High Maternal Mortality of Black Women In The U.S.

For Immediate Release April 11, 2019 — Washington, DC —

“It’s unconscionable that in United States, one of the world’s wealthiest countries, we are seeing the rates of illness and death during pregnancy continue to skyrocket. For Black women, the statistics surrounding maternal mortality and morbidity are especially alarming,” said Black Mamas Matter Alliance Co-Directors Elizabeth Dawes Gay and Angela Doyinsola Aina. “Two days after BMMA joined Reps. Alma Adams and Lauren Underwood in launching the first Black Maternal Health Caucus to address this urgent crisis, we’re excited to see Senator Harris and Rep. Adams introduce a resolution officially recognizing April 11-17 as “Black Maternal Health Week” — a nationwide effort to amplify the voices, leadership and scholarship of Black women working to improve maternal health, rights and justice for Black mamas. Now it’s time for other lawmakers to follow suit by enacting policies and legislation at the state and federal levels that empower and support Black women before, during and after pregnancy.”
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Black Maternal Health Week Resolution Re-Introduced!

Apr 11, 2019 · Angela Aina

#BMHC18 Press Release

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MEDIA CONTACT

Janet A. Dickerson | (646) 770-3276 | janet@humanimpactsolutions.com

HUNDREDS OF BLACK WOMEN, CLINICIANS, PROFESSIONALS, ADVOCATES, AND ORGANIZERS GATHER IN ATLANTA TO ADDRESS THE U.S. BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH CRISIS

From Dec.7-9th, Black Mamas Matter Alliance hosted the first national Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute to advocate and mobilize around better maternal and reproductive outcomes for Black women

For Immediate Release

December13, 2019 — Atlanta, GA — In an effort to raise awareness and increase action around solutions to the maternal health crisis facing Black women in the United States, the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA)convened its first national“Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute” in Atlanta from December 7th to 9th. For three days, hundreds of Black women,clinicians, professionals, activists, and other stakeholders gathered at the Loudermilk Conference Center to discuss strategies and best practices for improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes for Black women using the birth justice, reproductive justice, and human rights frameworks.

The premiere convening for care providers,researchers, advocates, public health professionals, and Black mothers working to advance maternal, birth, and reproductive justice, BMHC was launched in response to a national need for a forum dedicated to Black Maternal Health and Black people working to improve the community’s outcomes. According to data featured in the Black Mamas Matter Toolkit, Black women in the United States are between three and four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women. Further, the “disparity in maternal mortality applies to Black women across all education levels, and persists even after controlling for differences in socioeconomic status.”

“The Black Mamas Matter Alliance has been working to empower the movement for Black maternal rights and justice by increasing the visibility of Black women leaders and helping them get recognized for their expertise, contributions and work,”said BMMA Co-Director Elizabeth Dawes Gay. “We’ve also been building our collective capacity to improve Black maternal health through training and technical assistance, and by supporting more effective collaboration of key stakeholders. We will continue to do this work until we accomplish our mission.”

Added BMMA Co-Director Angela Doyinsola Aina: “To date, discussions about Black maternal health have been carved into existing reproductive, maternal and public health practices, where there is little space for rich discussion and limited framing on health equity and reproductive justice. The Black Mamas Matter Alliance has created that space with the Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute, where we can center Black Mamas in all of our activities and pursue reproductive and birth justice, un-apologetically.”

The first full day of the inaugural Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute kicked off with the Opening Plenary, “Towards a Collaborative Approach to Advancing Black Maternal Health, Rights, and Justice,” featuring National Birth Equity Collaborative Founder and President Dr. Joia Crear-Perry; veteran midwife, doula trainer and Birthing CHANGE Founder Shafia Monroe;Ancient Song Doula Services Founder and Executive Director Chanel Porchia-Albert; and Restoring Our Own Through Transformation Co-Founder and CEO (ROOTT) Jessica Roach.During the December 8th Afternoon Plenary, attendees were briefed on the Black Mamas Matter Alliance’s Care, Policy, Research, and Culture Shift Platform, with presentations by BMMA Co-Directors Elizabeth Dawes Gay and Angela Doyinsola Aina; Dr.Crear-Perry; health disparities consultant Sunshine Muse; social justice evaluation consultant Nia Mitchell; reproductive epidemiology fellow and doctoral student Isabel Morgan; Center for Reproductive Rights US Maternal Health & Human Rights Initiative Manager Breana Lipscomb; and American Progress Senior Fellow Jamila Taylor.

Day Two of BMHC18 ended with the Closing Plenary, “Championing Black Maternal Health, Rights and Justice,” featuring a discussion with Gay and Aina; Board Certified OBGYN and cast-mate of the BRAVO Network’s “Married to Medicine” Dr. Simone Whitmore; and Actress/Advocate Tatyana Ali, with moderation by Contributing Editor of TheRoot Angela Bronner Helm. The full list of programming and sessions can be found here.

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ABOUT BLACK MAMAS MATTER ALLIANCE

The Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance. We center Black mamas to advocate,drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health,rights, and justice. Through our work, we serve as a national voice on Black maternal health and a convener for stakeholders across the country who are fired up to help achieve a vision for a world where Black mamas thrive.

Our work is grounded in values that center and uplift the experiences, knowledge, and leadership of Black women, trans women,and femmes. We trust Black women and believe our community holds the key to overcoming the multiple and systemic oppressions that impede stellar maternal health. Black mamas are worthy of our attention and deserving of our efforts to change policy, cultivate meaningful research, advance holistic care, and shift culture to improve Black maternal health outcomes. Learn more at blackmamasmatter.org

#BMHC18 Press Release

Dec 14, 2018 · Angela Aina

Statement in support of #NoGagRule

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Our priority has always been the health, safety, and well-being of Black women who are and will become pregnant. We are outraged at Donald Trump’s announcement today that he intends to implement a Gag Rule, robbing all low-income women in this country of the reproductive health care and counseling they have accessed at community health centers for 20 years under Title X. Black women, in particular, are already battling bias, assumptions and judgment in health systems as we seek care and counseling. Community health centers are places where more equitable treatment is often available, particularly for those of us who are low-income. That health care professionals in those spaces will be barred from counseling us openly puts us at further risk. Family planning services are not only essential to those seeking contraception, but are also vital for birth spacing and interconception care that many women need for healthy maternal health outcomes. That’s why, Trump’s Gag Rule is extremely harmful to all women, and can potentially further exacerbate the disparities in maternal health. Trump’s rule threatens the very existence of these centers, increases the chances that we will go without prescribed birth control, cancer and STI screenings, and pregnancy counseling when we do carry to term. It’s judgmental, dangerous policy and it affirms what we know: Trump has no regard for women.

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Sample Social Media Message:

Trump’s gag order is a dangerous policy, particularly for Black mothers, + affirms what we know: his Administration has no regard for women. Read + share BMMA’s official statement + demand that lawmakers speak out for #TitleX  http://bit.ly/2rVvECI #BlackMamasMatter #NoGagRule

Statement in support of #NoGagRule

May 18, 2018 · Angela Aina

Support Black Maternal Health Week Resolution

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Please join me in supporting the inaugural national Black Maternal Health Week and in recognizing the importance of Black maternal health. The Black Mamas Matter Alliance supports this resolution.

The United States is the only wealthy country in which rates of illness and death during pregnancy are on the rise. The rates of maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women are especially alarming. Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. This resolution is one way to draw attention to this health crisis in the Black community.

Sample Twitter Messages

Please join us, @RepAdams + Sen. @KamalaHarris in supporting the 1st nat’l #BlackMaternalHealthWeek (4/11-17) to recognize the importance of Black #maternalhealth! Tag your Congress members urging them to do the same! Find out who they are at http://bit.ly/whoisyourrep #BMHW18

We have joined forces with @RepAdams + Sen. @KamalaHarris to amplify the rights and voices of Black mamas! Join us in urging Congress to recognize the 1st national #BlackMaternalHealthWeek (4/11-17). Read the resolution at http://bit.ly/BMHWResolution #BMHW18 #BlackMamasMatter

Sample Facebook and Instagram Messages

Black Mamas Matter Alliance has launched the first national “Black Maternal Health Week” to foster awareness, activism, and community-building around the state of Black maternal health in the U.S. In support, Rep. Alma Adams and Sen. Kamala Harris will introduce a joint congressional resolution officially recognizing the importance of Black maternal health. Read and share the resolution at http://bit.ly/BMHWResolution. You can help by tagging your Congress Members and urging them to do the same! Visit http://bit.ly/whoisyourrep to find out who they are. Together we can declare nationwide that Black Mamas Matter!

Black Mamas Matter is joining forces with Rep. Alma Adams and Sen. Kamala Harris to introduce a joint congressional resolution in support and recognition of the first national “Black Maternal Health Week”! Read and share the resolution at http://bit.ly/BMHWResolution. You can help by getting your Congress Members to sign on by tagging them on social media using the hashtags #BlackMaternalHealthWeek and #BMHW18. To locate who they are, go to http://bit.ly/whoisyourrep and simply enter in your zip code. Thank you for joining the movement to amplify the rights and voices of Black Mamas!

Download the Dear Colleague Letter
Download the Complete Resolution

Support Black Maternal Health Week Resolution

Apr 6, 2018 · Angela Aina