An open forum, drop-in platform for expectant, new and experienced fathers that propels their proactive engagement in their children’s and partners’ lives. The group creates a safe space for growth, feeding the mind, body and spirit of fathers as they raise their children and support their partners.

The Expecting Fathers Group is designed specifically for Black soon-to-be fathers and provides education, support and navigation tools for the prenatal, labor and delivery, postpartum and early parenting periods. 

Holding Space for Our Fathers

By Ruel Nolledo

Building the Village is a special 4-part series focusing on the work taking place in neighborhoods throughout L.A. County to combat the disproportionately high rates of Black maternal and infant deaths and ensure that all Black families experience joyous and healthy births. Created and supported by L.A. County’s AAIMM Prevention Initiative, local partnerships known as Community Action Teams (CATs) are bringing everyone together to raise awareness of the crisis and identify the solutions that work best for their community. In addition to the L.A. Department of Public Health, each CAT includes local residents (including mothers/birthing persons and dads/partners), community-based organizations,  faith-based organizations, health care providers and plans/networks, birth workers such as doulas and midwives, First 5 LA, the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, local businesses, and other allies. 

In this issue: 

We have some exciting news! AAIMM is a proud sponsor of this year's KJLH Women's Health Expo. Get more details about the Expo, our booth, and giveaways. You'll also see some highlights from BMHW, so keep reading for more! 

As always, thank YOU for being an outstanding member of our AAIMM village.
We're stronger together

In this month's newsletter, we celebrate the seventh annual Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW)
and share upcoming events and opportunities. Keep reading for more! 

Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) is here! AAIMM is excited to join our community partners in proudly celebrating this year's theme: 
"Our Bodies STILL Belong to Us: Reproductive Justice NOW!" for the seventh annual BMHW celebration from April 11-17.

Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), BMHW is a week of awareness, activism, and community building. 
The week kicks off on April 11, which is globally recognized as International Day for Maternal Health and Rights – an opportunity to join the worldwide community advocating for the elimination of maternal mortality. 

This year’s AAIMM activities for Black Maternal Health Week are very diverse—ranging from birthing tours, documentary screenings, educational sessions with doulas, and much more. They all amplify the voices of Black mamas and birthing persons and center the values and history of the reproductive and birth justice movements.

Please visit our BMHW 2024 page for updated event listings and other information, and feel free to share the link with your village. Help us make BMHW one of the most talked about activities in L.A. County. Follow @blackinfantsandfamiliesla on Instagram for updates and use #BMHW24 and #BlackMaternalHealthWeek to help spread awareness.

Poor oral health may be linked to:

• Preeclampsia
• Preterm birth
• Low birth weight

Keep your mouth healthy while pregnant by:

• Visiting the dentist when pregnant and regularly therafter
• Brushing twice a day, everyday for two minutes
• Eating healthy foods
• Drinking water
• Quitting smoking

CLICK HERE FOR MORE TIPS

Happy Black History Month from the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM)!

Black History Month allows us to reflect on our collective history and recognize achievements and contributions made by our ancestors. This month is also an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work that continues today and will be built upon in the future. Our AAIMM programs are extensions of long-held traditions that we celebrate as part of Black history, as shared experiences within the African diaspora.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACK BIRTH WORKERS

Doulas (also known as birth workers) have long been recognized as experienced and compassionate birthing companions by the families they serve, but were dismissed by the western medical system. Only in the past couple of decades have doulas been recognized anew as professionals, rooted in community. In their role, doulas provide emotional support, guidance, and comfort to families throughout the pregnancy experience, regardless of outcomes. Along with assisting during the birthing process, doulas contribute to parents’ holistic well-being by imparting valuable and culturally competent knowledge on prenatal care, nutrition, interventions, and coping strategies. Doulas provide a safe space during one of the most intimate and vulnerable moments in a birthing person’s life, where they can share their fears, hopes and joy. 

As advocates for informed decision making, doulas are an added support and protection for Black pregnant persons within the birthing care team for expectant families. The presence of birth workers fosters a sense of empowerment and strengthens the communal fabric, as the wisdom passed down between generations forms a vital part of cultural continuity. Through their commitment to enhancing maternal health and the sacred journey of childbirth, Black doulas exemplify the amalgamation of tradition, compassion, and resilience, enriching the tapestry of cultural practices surrounding childbirth. 

As we continue to champion equitable birthing outcomes in the United States, doulas remain at the forefront of efforts to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health and promote reproductive justice. Thanks to the advocacy of dedicated birth workers, including those within the AAIMM Doula Program, doula services were added as a covered Medi-Cal benefit in 2023 by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). 

Learn more about AAIMM’s Doula Program HERE. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF FATHERS

Fathers who are actively engaged during the pregnancy journey, offering steadfast emotional nourishment, support and protection, foster positive birth outcomes. Historically, the involvement of Black fathers transcended the birthing moment, encompassing the entire gestational period, during which fathers participated in rituals, ceremonies, and discussions focused on the well-being of the mother and the unborn child. This comprehensive approach to fatherhood cultivated a sense of unity and communal responsibility. 

In the U.S., Black fathers have maintained this responsibility, being anchors of support to their children and families often in the face of discrimination and widespread negative stereotypes. AAIMM recognizes, embraces, and celebrates Black fathers as catalysts for building strong communities and healthy families. AAIMM has created space through our Fatherhood Program for Black dads to build relationships in brotherhood while accessing the tools they need to prepare for their integral role in the family.  

Learn more about AAIMM’s Fatherhood Program HERE. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY

In many African societies, community is not merely a physical space but a dynamic and interconnected network where individuals collaborate, celebrate, and navigate life's challenges together. This communal ethos is deeply rooted in the principle of Ubuntu (meaning “humanity” in Bantu), emphasizing the interdependence of individuals within the community, epitomized by the saying, "I am because we are."

Black American culture embraced Ubuntu in the way that communities were built and thrived through collective resolve. One example was historic Black Wall Street in the early 20th century in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This section of North Tulsa—at the time an affluent oil town—comprised a prosperous Black community. Mrs. Viola "Mother" Fletcher, author of Don't Let Them Bury My Story: The Oldest Living Survivor of the Tulsa Race Massacre in Her Own Words, who recently visited Los Angeles, reflected on the community and the destruction it endured due to racism. 

Despite centuries of adversity, the beauty of our Black history is our ability to continually showcase our resilience, solidarity, and strength as a people when we present a unified front. The strength of our community shows through grassroots organizing, collective activism and advocacy, and the support networks we have built to champion equality.  

AAIMM’s Community Action Teams share this legacy throughout Los Angeles County, bathing our communities with the joy of knowing that we are not alone in this journey. We are in this together. 

Get involved with AAIMM’s Community Action Teams HERE. 

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the California Legislative Women’s Caucus held an annual ceremony in the State Capitol to recognize seven California ‘HERstory Makers’. In recognition of her groundbreaking achievements, the Caucus chose our executive director, Janette Robinson-Flint, as one of the 2024 California Women Making HERstory. The California Legislature paid tribute to Janette on Monday, March 11th in Sacramento, presented by State Senator Nancy Skinner.

Since 2018, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH), in partnership with First 5 LA and community-based organizations, has led a broad African American Infant & Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM) to address the disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes caused by the societal and physiological effects of racism and discrimination. The AAIMM Doula Program launched in 2019 to match Black pregnant individuals with skilled Black birth doulas who provide support, advocacy, and education throughout the perinatal period. In addition to direct service provision, the Program also organizes workforce development opportunities for birthworkers of color and fosters demand for doula services via public awareness, clinician and community engagement, and statewide policy work.

[AAIMM Contribution: Activating Our Village in Los Angeles County: Birth Equity & Black Families
Authors: Sonya Young Aadam, Dr. Deborah Allen, Dr. Brandi Desjolais, Dr. Melissa Franklin, Adjoa Jones, Helen O’Connor, Kaci Patterson, Dr. Sylvia Swilley]

Collective Impact Fuels Change in Maternal Health
More than 150 maternal health professionals join forces to create maternal health playbook

[CHAPEL HILL, NC] - Esteemed maternal health professionals in partnership with

the de Beaumont Foundation and the Maternal Health Learning & Innovation Center

(MHLIC) today announce the release of the highly anticipated book, The Practical

Playbook III: Working Together to Improve Maternal Health. This comprehensive and

groundbreaking work serves as a crucial resource for professionals across diverse

fields, providing practical and actionable guidance. A key focus of the book is to

encourage collaboration across sectors to address the multifaceted challenges in

maternal health.

In The Practical Playbook III, writers delve into the collaborative efforts essential for

improving maternal health outcomes. “The book is unique in that it brings together

the expertise of practitioners and people with lived experience who have known

about and been invested in reversing the maternal health crisis since before it gained

national attention,” said co-editor Lindsey Yates, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor

in the UNC Department of Maternal and Child Health.

The book offers a meticulous exploration of effective strategies, evidence-based

practices, and innovative approaches to address the complexities surrounding

maternal health.

The California Abundant Birth Project (CA ABP) is now in Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, and Riverside Counties!!

CA ABP is a guaranteed income program that provides cash during pregnancy. It was developed by Expecting Justice and the community to make birthing healthier and safer for the people facing the greatest risk during their pregnancy journey.

CA ABP provides cash with no strings attached as a strategy to prevent stress during pregnancy. Research shows this is likely to prevent babies from being born too early or too small and can also protect the health of the mother (birthing parent). By providing unconditional cash, mamas have resources to support themselves and their families, and babies have the chance at a healthy start.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

The Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM) today received the 2023 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize. The prize celebrates communities across the country where people and organizations are collaborating to build positive solutions to barriers that have created unequal opportunities for health and well being. 

“(A) doula will provide non-judgmental prenatal and postpartum support that is in alignment with your family's needs.” 

— Michelle Henderson, AAIMM Backup Doula 

“I truly believe that every parent who wants to chest/breastfeed deserves the opportunity to have that chance.”

“I'm very passionate about nutrition and its effect on chronic health and one of the best starts in life is breast milk.” 

“I am passionate about educating, empowering, and cheering on breastfeeding as the norm for our Black breast/chestfeeding families.”

“It is amazing to see how CinnaMoms has led to the promotion of so many staff members at WIC. Seeing staff advance in their lactation careers has been quite rewarding.” 

“At a point in history the majority of this nation depended on Black breastmilk. We have to reclaim that.”