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Website: https://blackmamasmatter.org/bmhc-2021/
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.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 700 women die each year in the United States as a result of pregnancy or delivery complications. Even more alarming are the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in pregnancy-related deaths. Black women are most disproportionately affected with a mortality rate of 37.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 14.7 deaths per 100,000 live births and 11.8 deaths per 100,000 live births for White and Hispanic women, respectively.
BMHC meets a national need for a forum dedicated to Black Maternal Health and Black people working to improve our outcomes. To date, discussions about Black Maternal Health have been carved into existing reproductive, maternal, and public health conferences where there is little space for meaningful dialogue and limited framing on health equity and reproductive justice. BMMA has created that space with the BMHC and we center Black Mamas voices and experiences in all activities. This conference is for us, by us!
The BMHC will be segmented into five tracks: Holistic Care & Clinical Innovation, Policy/Advocacy, Research, Culture Shift (Creative), and Special Topics
The BMHC will:
Build capacity of Black leaders in maternal health to shape programs, policy, and care and engage in evidence-based advocacy;
Disseminate best practices to address critical issues in Black maternal health from different sectors including research, care, policy, and culture shift; and
Grow a community and network of stakeholders committed to improving Black maternal health.
Cultivate a space of love, respect and listening that centers the voices and experiences of Black Mamas, Black Birthworkers, Black scholars, and Black Women leaders
Tentative BMHC21 Agenda NOW AVAILABLE! Information in this document is still being finalized and subject to change.
Who is the BMHC for?
BMHC is targeted to care providers, researchers, advocates, public health professionals, and Black Mamas who are working to advance maternal, birth, and reproductive justice, and those who are interested in learning more about how to work towards health equity using the reproductive justice and birth justice frameworks. We also welcome artists, media and cultural workers who want to elevate the voices and experiences of Black Mamas and the various issues connected to Black maternal health. It is open to anyone who is invested in the health and longevity of Black Mamas and Black innovators in health who serve our communities!
Those who participate in the BMHC will:
Deepen their understanding of contributing factors to Black maternal health outcomes
Learn about and ideate community-driven program, care, and policy solutions
Gain skills to engage more effectively in evidence-based advocacy
Comprehend the current evidence base and identify ongoing research needs
Explore how culture is a necessary and powerful part of healing and resistance
Whether you’re working in public health or healthcare, or other sectors that impact health outcomes of Black women like law, policy and government, this conference is for you. If you’re an artist, advocate or content creator that wants to lift up the importance of Black maternal health, we’d love to have you. Register now and be a part of this important national movement to improve the health outcomes of Black Mamas!