Black Maternal Health Awareness
Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) was founded in 2018 to raise awareness of maternal and infant inequity, particularly among Black/African American families. On April 13th, 2021, President Biden and the White House marked a special day and made an official announcement commemorating Black Maternal Health Week, now recognized yearly from April 11th through April 17th. This week is a time to celebrate and honor the strength, resilience, and beauty of black mothers everywhere.
Nationally, Black families suffer injustice and misconceptions from care providers. Unfortunately, families don't know about some essential free services like WIC, CalFresh, and others that could support them in their prenatal journeys. As stated by the Association of American Medical Colleges, "Medically, roughly 10% of OB/GYNs identify as African American"; this is one barrier to quality care for our families. Due to this revelation, black infants and mothers are dying at 110% higher rates than any other group of people.
CinnaMoms's goal is to work in communities with high black populations.
Families have an authentic connection by being supported by women, mothers, and eventually friends who look like them. CinnaMoms helps give families access to safe spaces and resources, like CinnaMoms Crenshaw, that allow them to access the three essential pillars of CinnaMoms: Rest, Nest, and Connect.
The theme for 2024's BMHW is "Our Bodies STILL Belong to Us: Reproductive Justice NOW!" To honor Black families during this week and beyond, CinnaMoms is devoted to sharing vital resources with families. We partner with several ally organizations to bring a wealth of support and love to our families. Which include, but are not limited to, Black Infant Health, the AAIMM initiative, IRTH, WIN LA, and Black Mamas Glowing.
Most recently, we have partnered with Black Women for Wellness to host a film festival at USC's Fisher Museum of Art on Saturday, April 13th, 2024. We would love for you all to join us!
Our village and community thrive best when we unite and support our black families. A quote from the Rest Deck created by Tricia Hersey states, "I am not a machine. I am a divine being. I can rest." this truly supports one way of becoming an ally of the Black Maternal Health movement. Encouraging a black mama or sharing resources like CinnaMoms with families can be the difference between life and death.
The time is NOW!
Our Black families deserve rest and equity in prenatal and postpartum access.
Simply put, they deserve REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE NOW
