The Black women Birthing Justice Collective {BWBJ} was founded in February 2011.
Black Women Birthing Justice is a collective of African-American, African, Caribbean and multiracial women who are committed to transforming birthing experiences for Black women. Our vision is that that every woman should have an empowering birthing experience free of unnecessary medical interventions. Our goals are to educate women to advocate for themselves, to document birth stories and to raise awareness about birthing alternatives. We aim to challenge medical violence, rebuild women’s confidence in giving birth naturally and decrease disproportionate maternal mortality.
While working at Women’s eNews for a post collegiate externship I was introduced to the plight of Black women and maternity through the Black Women’s Maternal Health series. This was in January 2008 and my nephew, Gavin, had just been born. As excited as I was to be a new aunt, I was overwhelmed with frustration and sadness after watching my sister struggle through an “emergency” cesarean section after the doctors told her that Gavin’s amniotic fluid was low. I will never forget the smell of burning flesh, the stark white, sterile operating room and the clear lack of concern from the hospital staff. During my externship at Women’s eNews I spent time learning about maternal health in a number of capacities. What struck me most was the disproportionate maternal and infant mortality Black mothers were facing. I wondered why Black babies and mothers were dying at excessively higher rates than their white counterparts and what could be done about it? I am here to help ensure that Black women have safe space to learn about the alternatives to medicalized birthing and to incrementally work with ally organizations who have leverage in policy work to gauge what we can do to decrease the deaths of Black women and babies.
We are currently collecting birth stories from African American women. If you are interested in giving your birthing story please contact me at Shanelle@bwbj.org
Please visit our site at www.bwbj.org
