Description

Black Maternal Health Week 2024 is almost here. 

April is National Minority Health Month and this year we are hosting our 3rd annual 5K Walk to help raise awareness..

The Black infant and maternal mortality crisis in the U.S. is a national issue. Beauty for Ashes Maternal Wellness Inc .is hosting a 5K Walk to raise awareness, and to raise funds to provide support to families in need.

Black women and birthing people are 3-4 times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes and complications than their white counterparts. Most pregnancy related deaths are preventable. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as structural racism, implicit bias, variation in quality healthcare, and underlying chronic conditions. Social determinants of health have historically prevented many people from racial and ethnic minority groups from having fair opportunities for economic, physical, and emotional health.

Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) was founded and is led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance. BMHW takes place annually from April 11-17 and was recognized by the White House on April 13, 2021. It is a week of awareness, advocacy, activism, and collaboration​ to amplify ​the voices, perspectives and lived experiences of Black Mamas and birthing people. This year's theme is Our bodies STILL belong to us: Reproductive Justice Now!

Infant mortality is defined as death during the first year of life. The United States has a high infant mortality rate, and Black babies are in the gravest danger, with an infant mortality rate in 2018 of 10.8 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared to a rate of 4.6 White babies per 1,000 live births.

Day of the Black Infant The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared April 16 as the Day of the Black Infant.

Doula support has been shown to help improve birth outcomes so we are working to make doula support more accessible to Black birthing families, while also supporting the doulas that have committed themselves to providing that support. Click here to learn more about the evidence on doula support

Beauty for Ashes Maternal Wellness, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to improving the lives of women, infants and birthing families as well as the birth workers that are called to serve them. Funds raised will be used to cover the cost of labor and postpartum doula support, lactation support, and supplemental supportive services including transportation and nutritional support. To learn more about the programs and services we provide, please click here .

We will kick off our Virtual Walk on Monday April 1, 2023 and participants can walk anytime, anywhere throughout entire month  of April. The Community Walk will be held in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 13th.  Join us and help save Black moms and babies.

DATES TO REMEMBER

• APRIL 1-30: NATIONAL MINORITY HEALTH MONTH


• APRIL 1: VIRTUAL WALK KICK-OFF Walk anytime, anywhere throughout the month of April in solidarity with us


• APRIL 11: INTERNATIONAL DAY for MATERNAL HEALTH RIGHTS


• APRIL 11-17: BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK


• APRIL 13: COMMUNITY 5K WALK IN LOS ANGELES


• APRIL 16: DAY OF THE BLACK INFANT