The Current Political State of Black Women In 2021
Black women are mourning the continued state-sponsored murders of our children, men, brothers, and sisters. One hundred and thirty-five Black men and women have been killed in the United States by police officers since 2015 and a supermajority of these officers have been white.
Although there is not an official database of police violence at the federal level and researchers do not have concrete data on the number of people killed by the police, organizers have continued to protest against police violence. The political and social movement of Black Lives Matter to call attention to racially-motivated violence by bringing justice and freedom to Black people has been successful at keeping racial injustice on the forefront of America’s minds.
Black Maternal Health Week 2021 Achieves Historic White House Recognition
“This week is Black Maternal Health Week, and make no mistake, Black women in our country are facing a maternal health crisis. Black women are two to three times more likely to die in connection with childbirth than other women. We know the primary reasons why systemic racial inequities and implicit bias,” said Vice President Kamala Harris at a White House Roundtable she hosted with Ambassador Susan Rice in honor of Black Maternal Health Week. The event was the first event of its kind at the White House Black women who have experienced loss and complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum were invited to share their experiences and their work in Black maternal health advocacy and research.
Angela Lewis Of Snowfall Says Birth Work Is Key To Her Journey
The “Snowfall” actor has been a vocal advocate for educating Black mothers on the importance of midwifery and doula work.
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Angela Lewis at the premiere Of FX s Snowfall Season 2 on July 16, 2018, in Los Angeles.
When Angela Lewis isn’t playing the tough-minded Aunt Louie, ensuring her nephew Franklin’s (Damson Idris) business is running smoothly on the hit FX series “Snowfall,” she is doing all she can to spread awareness about the Black maternal health crisis in the United States.
Lewis, who gave birth to her first child in 2019, has been a vocal advocate for educating Black mothers on the importance of midwifery and doula work. A doula is a trained professional tasked with nurturing and offering nonmedical support to women throughout pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. A midwife is a medical professional responsible for the same. When Lewis gave birth to her daught
We Didn’t Create the Black Maternal Health Crisis, But We Are Stepping Up To Solve It
For too long, Black people have been blamed for the health disparities and poor health outcomes that systemic racism has wrought on our communities and our bodies.
There was a beautiful moment right after a baby was born into my hands. I would look in their eyes and wish them a life full of blessings and health. It was my favorite part of my job as an Ob-Gyn–it always felt like such a gift to be in that room.
Childbirth is a powerful, joyful moment. It is the culmination of months of waiting and, for some, years of trying to become a parent. For too many Black and indigenous people, pregnancy and childbirth are also the culmination of a lifetime in a society, and a health system, that does not value them or center their health and well-being. That takes tolls on our bodies, minds and spirits. This lifelong devaluation requires us to be resilient, prayerful and strong, while at the same time w