,,iii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #abh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #ad1 #bjbe,mr4   
,book] submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i*
 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,heal?1    
,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions          
,,resolution  ,recogniz+ ,m>* #ad1      
#bjbe1 z ,black ,midwives ,day & !      
long/&+ & invaluable contributions (    
,black midwives to mat]nal & infant     
heal? 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  ,:]eas        
recogniz+ ,m>* #ad1 #bjbe1 z ,black     
,midwives ,day und]scores ! importance (
 midwif]y 9 help+ to a*ieve bett]       
mat]nal heal? outcomes by address+      
fundam5tal gaps 9 access to high-quality
 c>e & multiple aspects ( well-be+2     
,:]eas ! ,black ,midwives ,day campaign1
 f\nd$ & l$ by ! ,national ,black       
,midwives ,alliance 9 #bjbc1 is a day ( 
aw>5ess1 activism1 education1 &         
community build+2 ,:]eas ,m>* #ad1      
#bjbe1 is int5d$ to increase att5tion = 
! /ate ( ,black mat]nal heal? 9 ! ,unit$
 ,/ates1 ! root causes ( poor mat]nal   

heal? outcomes1 & = community-driv5     
policy1 program1 & c>e solutions2 ,:]eas
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates is exp]i5c+ a mat]nity 
c>e des]t crisis 9 :i* #b1bjj1jjj wom5 (
 *ildbe>+ age live 9 mat]nity c>e des]ts
 :]e !y h no hospital or bir? c5t] (f]+ 
mat]nity c>e1 & no ob/etric provid]s2   
,:]eas mat]nity c>e des]ts lead to high]
 risks ( mat]nal morbidity & mortality z
 mo/ complications occur 9 ! po/p>tum   
p]iod :5 bir?+ p are f> away f _!       
provid]s2 ,:]eas midwife-l$ c>e has be5 
%[n to result 9 co/ sav+s1 r$uc$ m$ical 
int]v5tions1 l[] ces>ean rates1 decreas$
 pret]m bir?s1 & improv$ heal? outcomes 
= bo? mo!rs & infants2 ,:]eas midwives  
provide ess5tial mat]nal heal?c>e       
s]vices across div]se sett+s1 includ+   
homes1 communities1 hospitals1 bir?     
c5t]s1 cl9ics1 & heal? units1 ensur+    
accessibility & cont9uity ( c>e2 ,:]eas 
increas+ ! numb] ( ,black midwives 9 !  
work=ce is critical to address+ mat]nal 
heal? disp>ities1 z ,black midwives (f] 
culturally compet5t c>e t builds tru/1  

enhances mat]nal satisfaction1 &        
improves heal? outcomes = ,black mo!rs &
 _! infants2 ,:]eas incorporat+ midwives
 fully into ! ,unit$ ,/ates mat]nity c>e
 sy/em w\ld r$uce mat]nal heal?         
disp>ities & address ! mat]nity c>e     
des]t crisis2 ,:]eas1 despite !         
m$icalization ( *ildbir? 9 ! ,unit$     
,/ates1 ! mat]nal mortality rates 9 !   
,unit$ ,/ates are among ! highe/ 9 !    
develop$ _w1 increas+ rapidly1 &        
disproportionately high] among ,black   
bir?+ p2 ,:]eas ,black bir?+ p 9 !      
,unit$ ,/ates suff] f life ?reat5+      
pregnancy complications1 kn[n z mat]nal 
morbidities1 twice z (t5 z ,:ite bir?+  
p2 ,:]eas dea?s f mat]nal morbidities h 
deva/at+ effects on ,black *ildr5 &     
families1 & ! va/ majority ( mat]ial    
morbidities are entirely prev5table     
?r\gh ass]tive ef=ts to ensure t ,black 
bir?+ p h access to in=mation1 s]vices1 
& supports to make _! own heal? c>e     
decisions1 p>ticul>ly ar\nd pregnancy & 
*ildbe>+2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ! #bjbc    

,c5t]s = ,disease ,control & ,prev5tion 
,report1 ! mat]nal mortality rate =     
,black wom5 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates has       
cont9u\sly increas$ to #ej4c dea?s p]   
#ajj1jjj live bir?s1 comp>$ to a        
decreas$ rate obs]v$ =-- 7#a7 ,:ite     
wom51 ) a rate ( #ad4e dea?s p] #ajj1jjj
 live bir?s2  7#b7 ,hispanic wom51 ) a  
rate ( #ab4d dea?s p] #ajj1jjj live     
bir?s2 &  7#c7 ,asian wom51 ) a rate (  
#aj4h dea?s p] #ajj1jjj live bir?s2     
,:]eas ! high rates ( mat]nal mortality 
among ,black bir?+ p span across income 
levels1 education levels1 &             
socioeconomic /atuses2 ,:]eas /ructural 
racism1 g5d] oppression1 & ! social     
det]m9ants ( heal? inequities exp]i5c$  
by ,black bir?+ p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates     
significantly contribute to !           
disproportionately high rates ( mat]nal 
mortality & morbidity among ,black bir?+
 p2 ,:]eas ,black bir?+ p are m likely  
to report exp]i5ces ( disrespect1 abuse1
 & neglect :5 bir?+ 9 facility-bas$     
sett+s z comp>$ to ,:ite p2 ,:]eas      

,black families b5efit f access to      
,black midwives to receive culturally   
s5sitive & congru5t c>e e/abli%$ ?r\gh  
tru/ & respect1 back$ ) ! wisdom (      
"t-honor$ te*niques & be/ practices2    
,:]eas ! "w & contributions ( pa/ &     
pres5t midwives :o h u%]$ 9 new life h  
done s despite a hi/ory fraught )       
p]secution1 enslavem5t1 viol5ce1 racism1
 & ! sy/ematic erasure ( traditional &  
lay ,black midwives ?r\gh\t ! #bj?      
c5tury2 ,:]eas ! decimation ( midwif]y  
across ! s\!rn ,unit$ ,/ates r$uc$ !    
numb]s ( ,black midwives f ?\s&s to     
doz5s 9 a #ej-ye> p]iod f ! #aibjs to ! 
#aigjs1 leav+ _m communities )\t c>e    
provid]s2 ,:]eas "s ,/ates h crim9aliz$ 
& suppress$ direct-entry midwives1      
despite ris+ mat]nal mortality rates    
across ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas !        
crim9alization & ov]regulation (        
midwif]y disproportionately impacts     
,black midwives & bir?+ families1       
exac]bat+ mat]nal heal? disp>ities &    
r$uc+ access to culturally compet5t c>e2

 ,:]eas ! resurg5ce ( ,black midwif]y is
 a te/am5t to ! resili5ce1 resi/ance1 & 
det]m9ation ( _s 9 ! pres]vation ( heal+
 modalities t are practic$ all ov] ! _w2
 ,:]eas ! focus on holi/ic c>e1 :i*     
involves c>+ = ! :ole p]son1 family1 &  
community1 is :at makes a diff]5ce 9    
midwif]y2 ,:]eas midwif]y honors ! "r to
 bodily autonomy ( ! bir?+ p]son & c be 
facilitat$ at home1 9 a bir? c5t]1 or   
hospital1 & works 9 t&em ) d\las1       
community heal? work]s1 ob/etricians1   
p$iatricians1 & o!r mat]nal1            
reproductive1 & p]9atal heal? c>e       
provid]s2 ,:]eas ! ,midwif]y ,model (   
,c>e has be5 prov5 to h bett] pregnancy 
outcomes ?r\gh prev5t+ infant mortality 
& morbidity1 l[]+ pret]m bir?s1 r$uc+   
m$ical int]v5tions1 & provid+ ! bir?+   
p]son cont9u\s support2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjbb1
 ! ,committee on ! ,elim9ation ( ,racial
 ,discrim9ation 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is        
preamble z ,,c]d7 ( ! ,unit$ ,nations   
express$ conc]ns reg>d+ ! impact (      
sy/emic racism & int]sect+ factors on   

access to compreh5sive sexual &         
reproductive heal? s]vices = wom51 & !  
limit$ availability ( culturally        
s5sitive & respectful mat]nal heal? c>e1
 p>ticul>ly = ^? ) l[ incomes1 rural    
resid5ts1 individuals ( ,african desc5t1
 & indig5\s communities2 ,:]eas ,,c]d   
recomm5d$ t ! ,unit$ ,/ates fur!r       
develop policies & programs to elim9ate 
racial & e?nic disp>ities 9 ! field (   
sexual & reproductive heal? & rights1   
:ile integrat+ an int]sectional &       
culturally respectful approa* 9 ord] to 
r$uce ! high rates ( mat]nal mortality &
 morbidity affect+ racial & e?nic       
m9orities1 includ+ ?r\gh midwif]y c>e2  
,:]eas1 9 #bjbc1 ! ,human ,rights       
,committee ( ! ,unit$ ,nations express$ 
simil> conc]ns z ,,c]d & fur!r recomm5d$
 t ! ,unit$ ,/ates take measures to     
remove re/rictive & discrim9atory legal 
& practice b>ri]s to midwif]y c>e1      
includ+ ^? affect+ ,black & indig5\s    
peoples2 ,:]eas a fair di/ribution (    
res\rces1 especially ) reg>d to         

reproductive heal? c>e s]vices1 is      
critical to clos+ ! racial disp>ity gap 
9 mat]nal heal? outcomes2 ,:]eas an     
inve/m5t mu/ be made 9 robu/1 quality1 &
 compreh5sive heal? c>e = ,black bir?+  
p1 ) policies t support & promote       
af=dable & holi/ic mat]nal heal? c>e t  
is free f g5d] & racial discrim9ation2  
,:]eas x is fitt+ & prop] on ,black     
,midwives ,day to recognize ! trem5d\s  
impact ( ! human rights1 reproductive   
ju/ice1 & bir? ju/ice frameworks h on   
protect+ & advanc+ ! rights ( ,black    
bir?+ p2 ,:]eas ,black ,midwives ,day is
 an opportunity to ackn[l$ge ! fight to 
end mat]nal mortality locally &         
globally2 ,:]eas mat]nal heal? is       
intractably l9k$ to infant heal?1 & !   
,unit$ ,/ates infant mortality rate rose
 #c p]c5t f a rate ( #e4dd infant dea?s 
p] #a1jjj live bir?s 9 #bjba to #e4fj   
infant dea?s p] #a1jjj live bir?s 9     
#bjbb1 ! l>ge/ increase 9 ! infant      
mortality rate 9 #b decades2 & ,:]eas   
,congress mu/ mitigate ! effects (      

sy/emic & /ructural racism to ensure t  
all ,black p h access to midwives1      
d\las1 & o!r community-bas$1 culturally 
mat*$ p]9atal heal? provid]s3 ,n[1      
!re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7          
recognizes ,m>* #ad1 #bjbe1 z ,black    
,midwives ,day2  7#b7 enc\rages ! ,f$]al
 ,gov]nm5t & ,/ate & local gov]nm5ts to 
take proactive measures to address      
racial disp>ities 9 mat]nal heal?       
outcomes by support+ initiatives aim$ at
 div]sify+ ! p]9atal work=ce1 increas+  
access to culturally congru5t mat]nal   
heal? c>e2  7#c7 commits to collaborat+ 
) relevant /akehold]s to develop & enact
 policy solutions t promote heal?       
equity1 address sy/emic racism1 &       
support ! advancem5t ( ,black midwif]y2 
7#d7 calls =-- 7,a7 increas$ fund+ =    
education1 tra9+1 & access to ,black    
preceptors2  7,b7 remov+ b>ri]s &       
re/rictions to ,black preceptors2  7,c7 
provid+ f9ancial pa?ways to support     
/ud5ts & preceptors2  7,d7 m5tor%ip     
programs t focus on promot+ & su/a9+    

,black midwif]y2 &  7,e7 remov+ b>ri]s  
relat$ to accr$itation by recogniz+     
midwives across all tra9+ pa?ways2  7#e7
 enc\rages ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t & ,/ate   
gov]nm5ts to au?orize ! autonom\s       
practice ( all midwives to ! full ext5t 
( _! tra9+2  7#f7 promotes !            
au?orization or reau?orization ( fund+ =
 ,,tric>e & ,m$icaid cov]age ( mat]nity 
c>e provid$ by midwives ( all tra9+     
pa?ways2  7#g7 enc\rages ! ,f$]al       
,gov]nm5t & ,/ate & local gov]nm5ts to  
take active /eps to de/igmatize &       
decrim9alize midwif]y pa?ways 9 ! sett+ 
( *oice ( ! pregnant p]son1 includ+ _!  
homes1 bir? c5t]s1 cl9ics1 or heal?     
units2 &  7#h7 supports & recognizes !  
long/&+ & invaluable contributions (    
,black midwives to mat]nal & infant     
heal? 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4