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Black Maternal Health Week April 11th-17th!


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LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROCLAIMS APRIL 11-17 AS BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK AND APRIL 16 AS THE DAY OF THE BLACK INFANT

Motion aims to bring attention to birth justice and the importance of reducing the Black maternal and infant mortality rates in Los Angeles

 

(Los Angeles County, CA) Today, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion recognizing April 11-17 as Black Maternal Health Week. The motion, brought forward by LA County District 2 Supervisor, Holly Mitchell, is a win for the county’s African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM), its Steering Committee and Community Action Teams. Launched in late 2018, AAIMM is a coalition of the LA County Alliance for Health Integration (Departments of Mental Health, Public Health, and Health Services), First 5 LA, community organizations, mental and health care providers, funders, and community members.

 

The AAIMM Initiative mission is to end the unacceptably high rates of Black infant and maternal deaths in Los Angeles County and ensure access to healthy and joyous births for Black families. AAIMM approaches its work by recognizing racism as a root cause of birth inequities faced by the Black community. Black Maternal Health Week was introduced and led nationally by Black Mamas Matter Alliance four years ago and brought to Los Angeles by Black Women for Wellness.

 

Click here to access the press release. 


WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK

 

WEDNESDAY APRIL 14TH

 

Noon
Black Women for Wellness Present: Kitchen Divas Special Edition

 

 

THURSDAY APRIL 15TH

11am - 12:15pm

Floor 101 - The Children's Collective Inc. Black Infant Health Program

Zoom: Meeting ID: 879 4893 3901, Passcode: TCCIBIH

12pm - 1pm

County Lunch & Learn: Claiming our power, resilience and liberation: Shifting the narrative from statistics to solutions to improve Black maternal health

Register at: https://marchofdimes.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zR46M4FdQxy0JxiUNNkaKA

 

Lunchtime conversation on shifting the narrative on Black maternal health from disparities data to community-driven policy, program and care solutions that center Black mothers and improve outcomes.

  • Jan Robinson Flint (Black Women for Wellness)
  • Khefri Riley (Frontline Doulas)
  • Stephanie Bryant (Riverside University Health System-Public Health)
  • Angie Dixon-Hamlett (Black Infant Health Long Beach)
  • Mashariki Kudumu (March of Dimes-moderator)

 

2:30pm - 4pm

Celebrating our Health, in a Joyous Way! Hosted by Cinnamoms

To Register: www.cinnamoms.org

 

6pm -7:30pm

In collaboration with Pasadena Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and San Gabriel Valley Links, Inc.: Building the Village to Support Black Birthing Families

Roundtable discussion with clinicians, birth workers, advocates, fathers and grandmothers to raise awareness, identify resources and mobilize action to decrease morbidity and mortality for Black women and babies.

  • LaTanya Hines: OB/GYN; Association of Black Women Physicians & Kaiser
  • Sister Minister Loretta Randle: grandmother, community advocate, wisdom keeper; When 1000 Grandmother's Pray Prayer Advocacy & BestStart4BlackBabies Initiative
  • Valencia Walker: neonatologist/Diversity & Equity Officer; Association of Black Women Physicians &Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  • Wenonah Valentine: grandmother, mentor, wisdom keeper, CEO and Founder; iDREAM for Racial Health Equity
  • Jason Dawson: father, advocate, health equity leader; L.A. County  Center for Health Equity, AAIMM SLA/SB Community Action Team
  • Michelle Sanders: mother, doula; L.A. County AAIMM Doula Program
  • Crystal Yelverton (moderator)

Join at:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9035965996

FRIDAY APRIL 16TH

9:45am - 10:45am

AV Day of the Black Infant and Day of Remembrance

11:00am
- Black Family Resource Drive presented by Black Infant Health Long Beach

Noon
- Kitchen Divas: Fertility & Womb Wellness

 

APRIL 16-17 BLACK MAMAS MATTER CONFERENCE

Founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), the Black Maternal Health Conference (BMHC) is the premiere assembly for Black women, clinicians, professionals, advocates, and other stakeholders working to improve maternal health using the birth justice, reproductive justice, and human rights frameworks. This year’s virtual conference will offer a national space for learning, rich discussions, and mobilization to transform Black maternal health, rights, and justice. We need a place to be in community together, to vision and dream, and to celebrate each other.

Register HERE

SATURDAY APRIL 17TH

 

10:00am
- Baby Bundle & Drive-Thru Toy Drive

 

 

PAST EVENTS..

SUNDAY APRIL 11TH

 

Opening Ceremonies 
3:30pm
- Sista Soul Sunday: A Spiritual Soul Session

 

5:00pm
- Black Women for Wellness Present: Kitchen Divas

 

8:30pm
- Big Momma's Money: Financial Well-Being Seminar

 

MONDAY APRIL 12TH

 

8:30am
- BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK VIRTUAL PRESS BRIEFING

 

10:00am
- Birth Story gatherings for postpartum Black moms who birthed at Cedars-Sinai (morning session)

 

Noon
- March of Dimes: Reclaiming our Power, Resilience, and Liberation

 

2:00pm
March of Dimes - Amplify Black Birthing Experience with Kimberly Seals Allers

 

6:00pm
- Birth Story gatherings for postpartum Black moms who birthed at Cedars-Sinai (evening session)

 

TUESDAY APRIL 13TH

 

Noon
- AV Doula Panel Discussion

 

 

1:00pm
THE VILLAGE SPEAKS: BMHW 2021 Events