Happy Holidays from AAIMM

From our village to yours, we send you wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season and a joyous New Year.  In this issue of our AAIMM Village News, we proudly share some of our most memorable accomplishments and highlights from 2024. Thanks to your support and participation, we had a stellar year of community building and advocacy in our collective journey toward equitable pregnancy/birthing outcomes for many Black women, birthing persons, their infants and families.

We would like to recognize our doula program and our Community Action Teams (CATs) for their outstanding events throughout the year. Our CATs are the heartbeat of our initiative, and with their leadership and networking in communities across Los Angeles County, AAIMM is able to bring joy and justice to Black families. 

As we move into the holiday season, celebrating traditions of giving, unity, and reflection, and looking forward to Kwanzaa and the New Year, we are grateful for our entire AAIMM Village, including fathers/partners, midwives, clinicians, partnering organizations, and all who are dedicated to Black families and empowering safe, joyous births. Thank you again for your support and enjoy just some of our 2024 highlights below.

Finally, we honor and celebrate the enduring legacy of the late Nikki Giovanni, poet, activist, and visionary, whose profound words and fearless advocacy for justice have left an indelible mark on generations. Nikki's work has inspired countless individuals to stand firm in their truth, to fight for equality, and to embrace the beauty of our collective Black experience. Her passing on December 9th reminds us all of the power of the written word and the ongoing need for activism in shaping a better world. Rest in Power, Nikki Giovanni.

"If we don't like the world we're living in, change it. And if we can't change it, we change ourselves. We can do something." - Nikki Giovanni 

With gratitude,

Adjoa Jones, MBA, CLES, Doula
AAIMM Director
Birth Equity Unit Chief
Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division
Health Promotion Bureau • Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

2024 HIGHLIGHTS

In 2024, the AAIMM Village Fund selected another round of six grantees organizations: Antelope Valley Community Uplift Foundation, Birthing People Foundation, Let’s Make it Happen, Naja Harrell, Sydney Curls and Tranquil Core. The Village Fund seeks to support community-led efforts that reinforce the broad goals of the AAIMM Initiative. It partners with nonprofit organizations, small businesses, social enterprises, networks, and other service providers that provide valuable support and services to Black-birthing mothers and their families. The Fund seeks applications from those interested and capable of supporting the journey to a joyous and healthy birth for Black families but are unlikely to receive or administer a county contract directly. For info visit: villagefundla.org

Also in 2024, California’s Abundant Birth Project, a guaranteed income pilot program that provides cash during pregnancy/postpartum launched and has been implemented in Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, and Riverside Counties. AAIMM is proud to partner with the other California Counties and lead this vital program in Los Angeles County.  

AAIMM and our partners celebrated Black Maternal Health Week in April 2024 by offering birthing tours, documentary screenings (including “Birthing Justice” and “Heal The Her’t: The Art of Storytelling”), a daddy-daughter dance, educational sessions with doulas and others to amplify the voices of Black birthing people. Supervisor Holly Mitchell, a long-time leader and advocate for maternal and child health,  proclaimed April 11-17 Black Maternal Health Week and April 16 Day of the Black Infant in Los Angeles County.

Also in April 2024, U.S. Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) attended AAIMM’s 3rd Annual South Los Angeles /South Bay Community Action Team (SLASB AAIMM CAT) Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair. During her visit, Senator Butler met with expectant parents and AAIMM Director Adjoa Jones. The Baby Shower and Resource Fair provided amazing giveaways (baby essentials, ultrasounds, and chiropractic services) to Black mamas and their families. AAIMM appreciates the work Senator Butler continues to do for the state of California regarding maternal and child health, and the support she gives AAIMM through legislation and policy changes to benefit Black moms/birthing persons, dads/partners and their children.

In May, the AAIMM Village was part of the KJLH Women’s Health Expo, which included an exercise zone, a healthy meals stage, health screenings and more.

In June, AAIMM celebrated fatherhood, highlighting programs to engage Black dads and sharing their stories on the Fatherhood page on the AAIMM website. AAIMM also hosted a Juneteenth Father’s Day Celebration for Black fathers and families. 

In August, AAIMM centered breastfeeding justice in its celebrations of Black Breast/Chestfeeding Week. In addition to sharing stories from nursing people, AAIMM took part in events throughout the region to provide breastfeeding resources and support. 

Also in August, Black Women for Wellness’ Maternal and Infant Health Program and the AAIMM Prevention Initiative led an engaging panel entitled “Saving Black Midwifery - The Faces of Today’s Midwives of Color and What Lies Ahead.” Panelists included Dr. Nikki Christian-Genius, faculty USC Keck School of Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology; Jhoanna Galvez of Malaya Midwifery,  and Ellen Branch, student midwife/Doula, who shared their expertise, lived experiences and ways to get involved in saving midwifery for communities of color. The program aimed to uplift Black midwifery, inform our community on the midwifery model, identify the varying midwifery roles and their provision of care, inform where to find midwives in your community, and to discuss/uplift any current midwifery bills or policies.

In September, AAIMM representatives attended the 2024 Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute in Atlanta. Gwendolynne Y. Cole, AAIMM’s Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) Program Manager, presented on behalf of the AAIMM PEI Fatherhood program.

AAIMM’s village shone brightly at the annual Taste of Soul LA event in October, featuring our Safe Space Breast/Chest Feeding tent. Taste of Soul is our biggest community event of the year and we are so thankful for the volunteers who joined us to engage families and promote AAIMM programs.

In November, The San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valley AAIMM CAT convened a safe, intimate and expert-guided brunch event in support of Black Maternal Mental Health Week. At “Conversations and Celebration for Healing and Hope” (shown above) on Nov. 16 in Sherman Oaks, experts discussed depression and anxiety, managing stress, postpartum challenges and more. 

In December, AAIMM hosted several events for the community. The San Gabriel Valley CAT held a Community Holiday Party at Longo Toyota in El Monte. The event featured a toy giveaway, gift wrapping station, food and fun for the whole family. Additionally, the Antelope Valley CAT presented “Black Fathers are Essential”,  a program reminding fathers about their important role in their families.

Throughout 2024, AAIMM’s Black Daddy Dialogue brought together African American / Black fathers with the goal of changing the narrative around Black fatherhood. The program (held the 2nd Wednesday of every month) continues in 2025 via monthly Zoom meetings. To join, email [email protected].

My 2024: A Reflection on the Movement for Equitable Birth

In this post-election environment and every day, AAIMM remains resolute and united in its purpose: to address the unacceptably high rates of Black infant and maternal deaths countywide and ensure healthy and joyous births for Black families in LA County. Our efforts to confront the systemic factors that lead to disparate birth health outcomes continue. Our commitments to centering Black parents in all that we do and to fostering joy and justice remain unwavering.  Now, more than ever, we extend welcome and invitations to the community to participate in the safe spaces cultivated within our programs and action teams.  Nothing will distract us from our mission to ensure that joyous and healthy Black births are the norm in Los Angeles County. 

We are the village. 

Adjoa Jones, MBA, CLES, Doula

AAIMM Director
Birth Equity Unit Chief

Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division
Health Promotion Bureau • Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Prematurity Awareness Month Instagram Live

In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month, AAIMM hosted a powerful and engaging Instagram Live session on November 21, 2024. The live event, led by AAIMM Director Adjoa Jones, focused on the critical issue of premature births, particularly their disproportionate occurrence among Black families in Los Angeles County.

The session was highlighted by an inspiring conversation with Nicole “Nikki” Johnson, a mother who shared her personal experience with a premature birth. Nikki's journey, which involved delivering her daughter prematurely under difficult and traumatic circumstances at a hospital in San Gabriel Valley, has been one of resilience and advocacy. She has since become an active member of the AAIMM community, recently stepping into a co-chair role with the SGV AAIMM CAT Workgroup. Throughout the live event, Nikki offered valuable advice for families facing similar challenges, emphasizing the importance of having a doula and advocating for both oneself and one’s baby.

Adjoa began the session by sharing alarming statistics from the March of Dimes, CDC, and LA County, underscoring the disproportionate rates of preterm births among Black birthing people. According to the latest data, Black women are 1.4 times more likely to experience preterm births than their white counterparts. Racism, stress, and lack of social support are key factors driving these disparities, a theme that Adjoa continued to highlight throughout the session. She also emphasized the root cause of these inequities within the healthcare system—racism—and called for systemic change to better support Black mothers and babies.

Viewers expressed deep appreciation for Nikki’s courage in sharing her story, with many praising her strength and resilience. Others reflected on the importance of AAIMM’s work in combating these disparities, with comments such as, "This is why the work of AAIMM is so important."

In addition to the powerful conversation, Adjoa shared critical resources for families and birth workers, directing viewers to AAIMM’s website for access to a Prematurity Awareness Guide, as well as information on partner organizations dedicated to supporting families experiencing premature birth.

The session served as a reminder that addressing preterm birth and maternal mortality requires a collective effort—one that involves community, healthcare providers, and systemic change. AAIMM remains committed to creating a healthier future for Black mothers and babies, and the live event was an important step in raising awareness and fostering meaningful conversation around this urgent issue.

For more about prematurity awareness, including stories from parents with preemies, visit: blackinfantsandfamilies.org/preemie. To stay connected, follow AAIMM on Instagram and Facebook @BlackInfantsandFamilies or visit www.blackinfantsandfamilies.org.

Upcoming Events and Campaigns

Take part in our ongoing programs to support healthy and joyous births for Black families.

Click the fliers below for more information! 

AAIMM’s Expecting Fathers Group will hold its final session for the year via Zoom on December 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For information, see the flyer above.

Holiday Bliss! – Celebrate parents and families with a wellbeing workshop, holiday arts and crafts, and giveaways on Wednesday, December 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is hosted by the Peer Resource Center and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health at the Behavioral Health Center, MLK Campus, 12021 Wilmington Ave, Building 18, Los Angeles. See flyer above for more info.

Snow Day – AAIMM joins other community partners to sponsor a Winter Wonderland Snow Day in Gardena on Sunday, Dec. 22. Join the fun from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Presented by the Long Live Gerrik Foundation, the event will feature food, hot cocoa, a game truck, jumpers, a face painter and other treats. Santa Claus and Mrs. Clause will be there, too. This event also provides resources for parents including groceries, legal aid, mental health support and access to other local and community services. See flyers above for all the details.

Coming Soon to LA County: Black Fathers Radio Campaign

Stay tuned, Los Angeles County! In early 2025, listen for radio spots featuring our new campaign designed to engage Black fathers. These spots will invite Black dads to get involved in the movement for safe and joyous births. Spots will air on KBLA, Blavity and KDAY. 

Join Our Community Action Teams

Make a difference in your community by joining our local efforts to end Black infant and maternal deaths in Los Angeles County. Stay tuned for information on dates for upcoming CAT meetings:

Antelope Valley AAIMM CAT

Join our team: for more information, email [email protected] or [email protected]

Stay tuned for the next meeting date!

South LA & South Bay AAIMM CAT

Join our team: for more information, email [email protected] or [email protected] 

Next Meeting/Event: SLASB AAIMM CAT Bi-monthly Regional Meeting 

Every Other Month, the 4th Thursday. 

San Gabriel Valley CAT

Join our team: for more information, email [email protected] or[email protected]

Next Meeting/Event: SGV AAIMM CAT Bi-monthly Regional Meeting

Occurs the Last Wednesday of Each Odd Month. 

Santa Clarita & San Fernando Valleys AAIMM CAT

Join our team: for more information, email [email protected] or [email protected]

Next Meeting/Event: SCSFV AAIMM CAT Meeting

Stay tuned for the next meeting date!

Send us Your Upcoming Events

If you would like to see your event added to our next newsletter, please use the AAIMM Village News Updates form to let us know about any news, stories, events, or important information that you'd like to share with the AAIMM community. The next edition of the AAIMM Village News will be sent out in mid-December.