Birthing while Black: The Impact of Obstetric Violence and Responses to Systemic Racism in Maternal Health
Overview
This is the recording for webinar portions of the 5th Annual Public Health Nursing Racism Pre-Conference Session, held October 25, 2020 at 4pm MT, a free event during the 2020 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. This focus was on systemic racism and the health of Black birthing families.
https://www.apha.org/apha-communities/member-sections/public-health-nursing
The event objectives were to:
- Increase the level of dialogue and visibility of racism as a maternal and public health issue
- Characterize obstetric violence from the experiences of Black birthing families
- Identify ways to support individuals who are experiencing obstetric violence
- Utilize the Achieving Health Equity Framework to develop research, practice, and policy action steps that reduce systemic racism in maternal health: Valuing all individuals and populations equally—that is, there are no invisible, undervalued, or disposable people; Recognizing and rectifying historical injustices; and Providing resources according to need—not equally, but according to need.
Moderator: Rebecca Shasanmi Ellis, MPH, RN, BSN, Faculty-Center for Study of Health, Emory University
Panelists
- Rachel Azanleko-Akouete (Health Integration – Fairfax County Health Dept., Virginia)
- Alexis Cobbins (California Preterm Birth Initiative)
- Charles Johnson (4Kira4Moms)
- Vu-An Foster (Life After 2 Losses)
- Miyhosi Benton (Women and Justice Project)
Breakout Opening Remarks: Camara Jones, MD, MPH, PhD, Senior Fellow, Morehouse School of Medicine
Achieving Health Equity Framework Breakout Moderators
- Research: Dazon Dixon Diallo, DHL, MPH, Founder and President of SisterLove, Inc.
- Practice: Nastassia Davis, DNP, MSN, RN, IBCLC, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Montclair State University
- Policy: Jack DiMatteo, Legislative Assistant, Office of Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
- Presentation of Action Plans: Public Health Nurse Facilitators
- Research – Kia Skrine Jeffers (UCLA School of Nursing)
- Practice – Robin Evans-Agnew (University of Washington SON)
- Policy – Lorie Goshin (Hunter-Bellevue SON)
Closing Remarks: Camara Jones, MD, MPH, PhD, Senior Fellow, Morehouse School of Medicine
