The Francis Crick Institute’s Post

Team members Jeremy Arnold and Reagan Williams attended the Collective Power for Reproductive Justice conference to connect and hear what's top of mind with the reproductive justice (RJ) ecosystem. For over 30 years, this conference has gathered leaders from different disciplines, backgrounds, and locations to share space, ideas, and perspectives. This year, the gathering fell during Black Maternal Health Week 2024 (#BMHW24)! It began with a plenary session titled: “Emerging Leaders Shaping the Future & Speaking Up for Justice”. As Reagan says, "Giving young people (in this case undergraduate students) the validation, respect and responsibility to kick off the conference spoke volumes to the dismantling of hierarchy and white supremacy culture. I was incredibly inspired as a ‘20 something’. I was reminded that young people have been critical to the progress of racial justice and defying white supremacy culture to carve out a space for marginalized people in spaces that were not created for us or by us. I was affirmed as a young black queer intellectual. I was reminded to honor my lived experience as expertise and that qualitative data allows us to piece together larger narratives in a mosaic of diverse perceptions. Philanthropy has an opportunity to make meaningful change, when funders intentionally relinquish power, capital and storytelling to the communities they seek to serve." As the Race, Healing, and Joy project continues, our goal is to center Black leadership in RJ and create transformative experiences of healing and joy for those closest to the issue. We deserve a vibrant reproductive ecosystem of contributors (including a funding community that puts its money where its mouth is.)  Let's continue dreaming in service of what's possible. Anything can happen when we build collective power. How do you fit into the #reproductivejustice ecosystem?

As we continue our #blackhistorymonth series, this week we turn our attention to a pressing issue: Maternal health disparities. Black women in the U.S. face significantly higher risks during pregnancy and childbirth, with them being 2-3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, regardless of their income or education level. Moreover, the majority of these maternal deaths are preventable. This stark inequality underscores the urgent need for targeted efforts to address the root causes of these disparities, including access to quality care, underlying health conditions, systemic racism, and the social determinants of health. In the forefront of this crucial work is Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA), a national network of Black women-led and Black-led organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, health, and well-being of Black mothers. Through their tireless work, they aim to change policies, cultivate research, and advance care for Black mothers. As we spotlight the challenges and disparities in maternal health, let's also celebrate and support the organizations and individuals dedicated to making a difference. It's time to ensure that every mother, regardless of race, has the support and care she needs for a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth. 💜 https://lnkd.in/eRyCtZa #MaternalHealth #BlackMamasMatter #HealthEquity

Diversity and taking a people centered approach is fundamental to providing equitable healthcare. Initiatives like this, doctors like Onye Nnorom and those participating in this incredible initiative need to be recognized for their commitment to disrupt a system that we know is inequitable. Keep shining Sis ✨ #representationmatters #healthcarungdifferently

Why focus on Black children in care? [ ] Addressing the challenges of Black children in the care system is very crucial and should be done unapologetically. This is because: [ ] Black children are over represented in the care system unfortunately due to socio-economic disadvantages and racial inequality. [ ] Children and young people from Black and mixed ethnic groups are over represented in the youth criminal justice system- Barnados [ ] Children and young people in care from Black and mixed ethnic groups are more likely to be permanently fostered than to be adopted. - Studies done. [ ] Black Children and young people in care are at higher risk of going missing exposing them to dangers like child sexual exploitation, county lines involvement etc. [ ] Black Children and young people face risk of adultification, excessive policing, harsher sentences over- criminalisation. - Child Q [ ] Nearly one in 10 Black care - experienced young people receive a custodial sentence before turning 18. - Barnados [ ] Black children experience racism /racial discrimination which impacts on their emotional mental health hindering the development of positive racial identity and stability in placements. [ ] Children and young people from Black and mixed ethnic groups are tragically more likely to be physically harmed or killed. Evidenced by incidents such as the deliberate pushing of 13 year-old Christopher to his death in a river - unjustly described as ‘a prank’ by the Justice system - With the perpetrator walking free. - Christopher & Jayden 2024. It sadly goes on… [ ] The challenges faced by Black Children and young people in care or outside of care is disheartening and it requires systemic change to bridge the gaps and enable them to enjoy and achieve like their peers… Thank you BASW England for the spotlight on Black children in care in this edition of professional social work magazine. Thank you to all contributors to the enlightening article on black children in care. Picture shown is BASW magazine front cover for Jan / Feb edition. ————————————————— VOT Training by Vivian Okeze - Tirado offers training to foster carers to support them to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people from all backgrounds. #careforallchildren #blackchildrenincare #equalityincare #promoteidentity #childrenandyoungpeople #diversityinclusion

📣 Black maternal health Week 🤰🏾✨ 🌟 It's Black Maternal Health Week, let’s not forget to continue raising awareness and demanding action for the well-being of Black mothers and babies. Education and fair and just behavior will help eliminate racial disparities in maternal healthcare and ensure every Black mother receives the support and care she deserves. 💪🏾💕 🔹 Did you know that Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared to white women? It's time to address this injustice and create a more equitable healthcare system. 💔 🔹 Come together to amplify the voices of Black mothers, advocate for policy change, and ensure that every mother has access to quality care and support. 🌍🤝📢 Help make a lasting impact. Together, we can create a future where every mom and baby thrives. 💜🙌🏾 👉🏾 #BlackMaternalHealthWeek 🖤🤰🏿✨ Let's build a world where All mothers are protected, valued, and celebrated. #BlackMaternalHealthMatters 🖤🤱🏽✨

I'm so excited to share this new article by my amazing colleagues Vincenzo Malo, Sunnie Hodge, & Marcel Foster, MPH. It highlights eight priorities for engaging in equity-centered research with LGBTQIA+ populations. Please read & share! "By engaging in these practices, researchers can help dismantle systems of oppression that drive outcomes and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ populations, as well as shift narratives away from deficit-framing research and toward strength-based research. This article presents these considerations for researchers not as an exhaustive checklist, but rather as a resource for engaging in equity-centered research that meaningfully characterizes, protects, and celebrates the joy of LGBTQIA+ communities." https://lnkd.in/gt5t3kYJ

In this video, Yorya Perez shares the importance of our Hispanic/Latinx resource group as a space for our clinicians, associates and allies to feel represented, included, heard and understood. Learn more about this group and DEI at TeamHealth: https://bit.ly/3oKjj5P 

We highlight Kiana Shaw’s story on this eighteenth day of Black History Month. Hailing from Bellflower, Calif., Kiana Shaw recounts a heart-wrenching experience where the hospital staff dismissed her concerns and failed to take her requests seriously. Despite expressing her fervent desire to breastfeed exclusively, they disregarded her wishes, offering formula almost immediately and later when she was asleep. Shaw, navigating the challenges of postpartum depression, feels that her birth experience significantly contributed to her emotional struggles. To enhance the quality of care for Black women, it is imperative for medical professionals to genuinely consider qualitative data — to wholeheartedly embrace and comprehend the narratives of women, understanding the myriad ways they are presently failing in labor and delivery wards nationwide. Angela Doyinsola Aina, from the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, emphasizes this need for genuine understanding. In conducting focus groups with Black women, doulas, and midwives to delve into their labor and delivery experiences, a common thread emerges — the traumatic encounters that Black women endure within the hospital system. The prevailing mistreatment, disrespect, and abuse are not isolated incidents but a shared reality that demands acknowledgment and change. Ensuring the well-being of Black maternal health in the USA is paramount. Black women face disproportionately higher rates of maternal mortality and adverse health outcomes during pregnancy and childbirth. Addressing these disparities is crucial for fostering equitable healthcare, dismantling systemic biases, and ensuring that every Black mother receives the necessary support and quality care needed for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth experience. Improving Black maternal health is not just a health imperative but a step towards building a more just and inclusive society. . . . . . . . . . . #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackWomen #BlackHistory #MaternalHealth #BlackWomenHealth #HealthEquity #BlackMaternalHealth #CelebrateBlackWomen #WomensHealth #BlackVoices #BlackHistoryMatters #MaternalMortality #EmpowerBlackWomen #HealthForAll #BlackHistoryInTheMaking #MaternalJustice

In this video, Yorya Perez shares the importance of our Hispanic/Latinx resource group as a space for our clinicians, associates and allies to feel represented, included, heard and understood. Learn more about this group and DEI at TeamHealth: https://bit.ly/3oKjj5P