Black Mamas Matter Quoted in The Nation and Essence

We’re one week out until long-time HIS Client, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, kicks off its 6th annual #BlackMaternalHealthWeek campaign, which the organization launched in 2018. BMMA Co-Founder & Executive Director Angela D. Aina spoke separately with Essence Magazine and The Nation about how BMMA and its Alliance partners are responding to the alarming rates of maternal mortality among Black women and birthing people; and why it’s important to center the expertise, experiences and perspectives of Black women in all practice, systems and policy-based decisions.

From Essence:

“Keep amplifying your voices. Keep sharing your stories,” she says. “This is part of the reason we founded Black Maternal Health Week. Not only as a public health campaign, but as a campaign to showcase and amplify the voices, experiences, the activism, the community-based work of Black mamas, Black birthing people, Black leaders, and Black maternity care providers who are doing this work.” READ MORE

From The Nation:

“We need legislation that helps to expand the number of midwives, particularly Black midwives of all licensure,” Aina said. “We need more birth centers; we need more states to be friendly to home births and other birthing options. We need doulas, [and] more perinatal workers at the local level,” adding that it’s essential that more support translates to more boots on the ground. “Philanthropy is throwing billions of dollars [at] apps and technology. But for the folks in rural areas, the folks in local communities, an app is not going to help stop hemorrhage. An app is not going to pick up on the fact that we got a postpartum mama who just gave birth three weeks ago and now her legs are swelling.” READ MORE

Learn more and get involved with BMMA’s Black Maternal Health Week (#BMHW23) campaign HERE!