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National Black Maternal Health Week addresses disparities that disproportionately impact Black mothers | American Black Journal

April 17, 2026

During National Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17), a discussion focused on the disparities affecting Black mothers in Detroit and beyond. The conversation featured two advocates who work to improve maternal health outcomes through different approaches: expanding access to community birth centers and midwifery services, and implementing systemic policy reforms. The discussion highlighted how inequitable healthcare outcomes for Black mothers are connected to multiple systems including housing and criminal justice.

Who is affected

  • Black mothers and pregnant individuals
  • Detroit's Black maternal community specifically
  • Leseliey Welch (co-founder & CEO of Birth Center Equity)
  • Cassy Jones-McBryde (founder of the Michigan Chamber for Reproductive Justice)

What action is being taken

  • National Black Maternal Health Week is being observed to raise awareness and address systemic inequities
  • Leseliey Welch is advocating for an increase in community birth centers and midwifery care
  • Cassy Jones-McBryde is working to promote policy changes affecting Black maternal health across multiple systems

Why it matters

  • Black mothers face disproportionate systemic inequities and health disparities that result in inequitable maternal health outcomes and limited care options. This issue intersects with multiple systems beyond healthcare, including housing, incarceration, and legal representation, demonstrating that maternal health equity requires comprehensive, multi-system reforms rather than isolated medical interventions.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: bridgedetroit.com