POC-Scholarship for Lactation Education
Donation protected
As a Certified Nurse-Midwife and IBCLC I stand with ALL women. I have witnessed systemic racism in our maternity system for years, and I previously had no idea where to begin. It was easier for me to stay silent than to risk saying the wrong thing and offending someone. I'm choosing not to remain silent anymore. I am choosing to be actively ANTI-racist and do all I can to change the system in my area of expertise - maternity care/lactation.
Here are some facts:
If you are a black woman in the United States, you are FOUR TIMES more likely to die in childbirth.
If you are a black woman in the United States you are much less likely to make it to the one-year mark of breastfeeding.
If you are a black woman in the United States who is upper-middle class with a higher education - you are even MORE likely to die in childbirth.
Why is that???
The black women with a higher socioeconomic statuses are more likely to live in white neighborhoods, deliver their baby at a predominantly white hospital, and have a white physician/pediatrician. The death rate for maternity care climbs when your status as a minority is highlighted. THIS IS WHAT SYSTEMIC RACISM LOOKS LIKE IN MATERNITY CARE. Black women are less likely to be believed when they raise issues with their white provider. Black women are blown off when they present with symptoms of pain. Black women are ignored or worse yet... silenced.
How do we fix this?
We need more people of color to become providers. We need more support within our maternity system for people of color. We as providers need to really assess our implicit bias that exists whether we want to admit it or not. We need to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Don't get it twisted... WE ARE THE PROBLEM.
So, I would like to match up to $100 raised towards a scholarship for a person of color who would like to do ANY education regarding women's healthcare (nursing, midwifery, doula, CLC, IBCLC).
If you are a person of color, please email me and let me know what your hopes and dreams are for women's health. Your email will automatically enter you into the drawing for the scholarship. I want to hear your story and how you want to change these abysmal statistics for black women in healthcare. The winner of the scholarship will be chosen by a random computerized system to eliminate any bias. The drawing will be done at 10am next Friday, June 12th, 2020. I will email you directly if you are the winner.
email ---> [email redacted]
I offer a free breastfeeding support group on Facebook called "Breastfeeding for Busy Moms". This group is a safe space for ALL women looking for help feeding their babies.
Here are some facts:
If you are a black woman in the United States, you are FOUR TIMES more likely to die in childbirth.
If you are a black woman in the United States you are much less likely to make it to the one-year mark of breastfeeding.
If you are a black woman in the United States who is upper-middle class with a higher education - you are even MORE likely to die in childbirth.
Why is that???
The black women with a higher socioeconomic statuses are more likely to live in white neighborhoods, deliver their baby at a predominantly white hospital, and have a white physician/pediatrician. The death rate for maternity care climbs when your status as a minority is highlighted. THIS IS WHAT SYSTEMIC RACISM LOOKS LIKE IN MATERNITY CARE. Black women are less likely to be believed when they raise issues with their white provider. Black women are blown off when they present with symptoms of pain. Black women are ignored or worse yet... silenced.
How do we fix this?
We need more people of color to become providers. We need more support within our maternity system for people of color. We as providers need to really assess our implicit bias that exists whether we want to admit it or not. We need to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. Don't get it twisted... WE ARE THE PROBLEM.
So, I would like to match up to $100 raised towards a scholarship for a person of color who would like to do ANY education regarding women's healthcare (nursing, midwifery, doula, CLC, IBCLC).
If you are a person of color, please email me and let me know what your hopes and dreams are for women's health. Your email will automatically enter you into the drawing for the scholarship. I want to hear your story and how you want to change these abysmal statistics for black women in healthcare. The winner of the scholarship will be chosen by a random computerized system to eliminate any bias. The drawing will be done at 10am next Friday, June 12th, 2020. I will email you directly if you are the winner.
email ---> [email redacted]
I offer a free breastfeeding support group on Facebook called "Breastfeeding for Busy Moms". This group is a safe space for ALL women looking for help feeding their babies.
Organizer
Heather ONeal
Organizer
Morgantown, WV
