The Crisis
- Black/African American babies in LA County are two to three times more likely to die before their first birthday than babies of other races
- Black/African American women in LA County are four times more likely to die as a result of pregnancy complications than women of other races
- Harmful stress from the trauma and humiliation of racism and prejudice that Black women face daily is the cause
The Advocates
The African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Steering Committee guides the implementation of the LA County Department of Public Health’s 5-Year Action plan to address African American and infant mortality as well as informs the development and implementation of strategies to compliment the plan. This group also comes together to advance advocacy, awareness and policy change.
Steering Committee Members include:
|
Sonya Young Aadam |
California Black Women's Health Project |
|
Dr. Deborah Allen |
Department of Public Health |
|
Christina Altmayer |
First 5 LA |
|
Dr. Bita Amani |
Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science |
|
Linda Aragon |
Department of Public Health |
|
Esther Casas |
Children's Bureau |
|
Barbara Dubransky |
First 5 LA |
|
Melissa Franklin |
First 5 LA/National Children and Infants Collaborative |
|
Kalene Gilbert |
Department of Mental Health |
|
Raena Granberry |
Black Women for Wellness |
|
Dr. LaTanya Hines |
Kaiser Permanente |
|
Tonce Jackson |
PHFE WIC |
|
Adjoa Jones |
Department of Health Services |
|
Felica Jones |
Healthy African American Families |
|
Mashariki Kudumu |
March of Dimes |
|
McKinley Kemp |
Antelope Valley Partners for Health |
|
Nomsa Khalfani |
Essential Access Health |
|
Helen O'Connor |
Department of Public Health |
|
Dr. Simie Patterson |
Kaiser Permanente |
|
Kaci Patterson |
LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment |
|
Theion Perkins |
Department of Mental Health |
|
Nakeisha Robinson |
iDream for Racial Health Equity |
|
Yolonda Rogers-Jones |
Department of Public Health |
|
Brandi Sims |
First 5 LA |
|
Tanishia Wright |
Department of Public Health |
Community Action Teams in Service Planning Areas 1 (Antelope Valley) and 6/8 (South LA/South Bay) – those areas of the County with the highest rates of African American infant mortality countywide have already begun bringing together community members and community organizations to address African American infant and maternal mortality in their communities. Your participation in these teams is welcome! For more information, please contact Adjoa Jones for SPAs 6/8 at adjones@dhs.lacounty.gov or Nannette Trejo for SPA 1 at ntrejo@ph.lacounty.gov.
The Solutions
We believe we can stop this injustice by working together to ensure that Black women have access to safe and joyous births.
- Quality health care delivered with respect and dignity
- Sister circles and prenatal groups providing encouragement and support
- Mommy visits at home
- Connection to resources and programs
- Birthing coaches and advocates
- Laws that place power in the hands of families and address unfair treatment
- Birth plans