Join the South LA/South Bay Community Action Team on Friday, October 23rd, 2020 10:00-11:30 AM for our South LA/South Bay African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Community Action Team monthly offering!

The Black Birthing Bill of Rights, which is an advocacy tool developed by the National Association for used to ensure Black women and birthing persons receive equitable care. During this event, two mothers from our community will share their personal birth stories and Dr. Dionne Bensonsmith will inform and educate the community on the importance and significance of the Black Birthing Bill of Rights.

Dr. Dionne Bensonsmith a professor at Claremont Graduate University; paving the way for black voices in public policy, race/gender politics, mental health policy, black feminist politics, reproductive justice, and feminist methodologies. In addition to research, teaching, and mentoring graduate students, she is the co-founder and co-director of Mothers on the Frontline, a non-profit organization that uses feminist informed methods such as storytelling, ethnography, and participatory research to facilitate caregiver healing and children’s mental health justice. 

In South Los Angeles County and South Bay areas (South LA, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Compton, and Long Beach) the African American/Black Infant and Maternal Mortality rates are alarmingly high relative to other areas in Los Angeles County and the Country. 

African American/Black women, fathers, and families, advocates, community/faith-based organizations, allies, and providers (perinatal clinicians, mental health providers, doulas, midwives, caseworkers, etc.) who live in and serve South LA, Inglewood, Hawthorne, Gardena, Compton, and Long Beach are encouraged to attend.

To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/slasb-aaimm-october-virtualitea-black-birthing-bill-of-rights-tickets-125517627603

For more information on the Black Birthing Bill of Rights: https://www.blackinfantsandfamilies.org/black_birthing_bill_of_rights

The California Healthcare Foundation has featured our Steering Committee Member and member of the SLASB AAIMM CAT Sonya Young Aadam: 

For Black communities, the ability to stay physically and mentally healthy has long been undermined by racism, social exclusion, and economic inequality. These challenges are especially acute for Black women, who face additional layers of discrimination and exclusion based on their gender and on cultural stereotypes.

For almost three decades, the California Black Women’s Health Project, a statewide nonprofit, has dedicated itself to improving the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health of the state’s 1.2 million Black women and girls through education, policy, outreach, and advocacy. It has trained hundreds of Black women through customizable Advocate Training Programs, including its Sisters Mentally Mobilized initiative, to become mental health community advocates and to launch regional mental health–focused support groups called Sister Circles.

I spoke with the project’s chief executive officer, Sonya Young Aadam, about the organization’s work, the challenges to Black women’s health in California, and ideas for eliminating inequities.

Read the entire article Here.

Black Voices News publishes an article about AAIMM's Black Breastfeeding Week!

features quotes from Dr. Tonce' Jackson, Dr. Melissa Franklin, and Asaiah Harville & speaks about our work in the community!

Please visit the link below to read the full article!

Black Voice News: Raising Awareness: Black Mothers and Breastfeeding

PRPSN Project Return is looking for volunteers who har advocates, community leaders, and students to facilitate in person and telehealth groups as a stipend volunteer!

To be fully effective, our voices of lived experience must be joined together behind common messages and combined advocacy efforts. When you join the coalition, you will be informed of state-level and local advocacy opportunities, with tips to help you advocate effectively. You will also receive updates to keep you educated about the Mental Health Services Act, changes to Medi-Cal, and legislation that has the potential to impact you.

• You must be +18 with a passion for the community
• able to access online platforms
• willing to complete documentation & complete a livescan.

Join the Peer Voices of California A Client Advocacy Coalition - Email [email protected] or call 562.506.6784.

https://www.accesscalifornia.org/peeradvocacycoalition

ABORTION DOULA TRAINING
in collaboration with the LA County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality prevention initiative and ITS FREE! ⁣

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*Applications due October 16th 11:59 p.m. PST. See attached flyer for further information.

There will be two training options. ⁣

*YOU MUST ATTEND ALL 4 PARTS* ⁣

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Training Option 1⁣

Part 1 & 2 - Monday, November 9, 2020 9am - 5 pm⁣

Part 3 & 4 Monday, November 16, 2020 9am - 5 pm⁣

Location: Online ⁣

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Training Option 2 ⁣

Part 1 - Saturday, January 9, 2021 10 am - 1 pm⁣

Part 2 -Sunday , January 10, 2021 10 am - 1 pm⁣

Part 3 -Saturday,  January 16, 2021 10 am - 1 pm⁣

Part 4 - Sunday , January 17, 2021 10 am - 1 pm⁣

Location: Online ⁣

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Trainings are limited to 20 people per session! So, APPLY ASAP and SPREAD THE WORD! ⁣

Please use the link below to complete the interest form:

www.rebrand.ly/abortiondoulatraining

On behalf of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH), the Department of Health Services, First 5 LA, the Center for Strategic Partnerships, and the LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment, we are excited to announce the launch of the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Prevention Initiative Village Fund (Village Fund). 
 
The Village Fund seeks to reinforce the broad goals of the AAIMM Prevention Initiative by funding community-led efforts that support the physical and mental well-being of Black women/birthing persons, fathers, partners, and families before, during, after birth. Organizations, networks, coalitions, individual service providers, micro-enterprises, or small businesses are eligible to apply. Priority consideration will be given to entities that are Black-led.

The SACRED Birth Study explores how Black mothers & birthing people experience racism in hospital settings during labor, birth, and postpartum prior to going home. 

Complete a 1-hour survey and provide access to hospital medical records to receive a $100 gift card. 

Click here for details. 

Unfortunately, black babies have the highest Infant Mortality rates in the United States. Though the rates have decreased over the years, studies show that the risk of black babies dying before their first birthday is twice as high as other groups; and many of those deaths are tied to preterm births. The time spent and the care given in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is pivotal to the lives of these babies.

The research team at UCSF is conducting a study on NICU experiences of Black birthing people and family members in the NICU. They are recruiting Black women and birthing people who currently or recently had an infant(s) in the NICU to participate in a study. Eligible participants will receive up to $75.00 in gift cards after completing an online survey and interview. By understanding these experiences, we hope to improve access to breastfeeding care, lactation support and mental health services in NICU settings.

To learn more about the study, please see the flyer below or email [email protected] for more information.

Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative Steering Committee and Community Action Teams have released a statement opposing the killing of Black individuals, racism, and oppression. The statement was signed onto by the initiative's network of partners and collaboratives, including LA County Department of Public Health and First 5 LA, the effort's countywide co-leads. Those interested in expressing support with the statement may do so at: https://www.blackinfantsandfamilies.org/oppose_racism

The statement is below:

COVID, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding Update - LA County Department of Public Health

June 22, 2020

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recently provided an update related to women who were pregnant and tested positive for COVID-19. Below are key points shared in the update.

• 329 women who are pregnant have tested positive for COVID-19, and 74% of the women who were tested and were positive, were symptomatic.
• To date, there have been 72 live births and 5 non-live births among women who tested positive for COVID-19. Our hearts go out to the families who are mourning the loss of their infants.
• 48 infants have been tested at birth and all have tested negative for COVID-19.
• LADPH reinforced that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most infants. It is not known whether mothers with COVID-19 can transmit the virus via breast milk, but the limited data available suggest this is not likely to be a source of transmission. Further, whether and how to start or continue breastfeeding should be determined by the mother in coordination with her family and healthcare providers.
• A mother with confirmed COVID-19 should take all possible precautions to avoid spreading the virus to her infant, including hand hygiene and wearing a cloth face covering, and talk to her provider about the safest way to breastfeed.
• New parents to visit BREASTFEEDLA.ORG and PHFEWIC.org for more information.