THE LIVES OF BLACK MOTHERS AND BABIES

By Andrew Malekoff© May 2018

In a report issued by Nassau County’s Department of Health - Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan (2016-2018) – there is no mention of maternal mortality or information on social and environmental risk factors for women and infants of color. Consequently, no initiatives to address maternal and infant mortality disparities are recommended, yet overall Nassau County health data indicates that it ranks at the top of all counties in New York State.

To address this “invisible injustice,” maternal and child health advocates convened at Hofstra University on March 23, 2018 for a Birth Equity Breakfast organized by the Nassau County Perinatal Services Network.

Birth equity refers to the assurance that all human beings have the best possible births, buttressed by careful attention to racial and social disparities. 

Keynoter Dr. Martine Hackett, assistant professor at Hofstra University’s School of Health Professions and Human Services, presented data from the NYS Department of Health that showed the disparate outcomes for Black mothers and babies as compared with their White counterparts.

Infant mortality refers to the death of children before their first birthdays, which is a key indicator of the overall health of a population. According to the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Japan is the number one ranked country for newborn survival, while the United States ranks only 22nd in the world.

Among the eye-opening data that Dr. Hackett cited are the differences between the infant mortality rates in contiguous communities in Nassau County. For example, in Roosevelt there were 11.1 infant deaths per 1,000 births from 2012-2014, while neighboring Merrick had zero deaths. Overall, in Nassau County the Black infant mortality rate is more than four times that of the White infant mortality rate and even higher than in New York City.

Dr. Joia Creer-Perry, President of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, spoke about the perception of Black mothers and the barriers to receiving holistic care by the health care system. If a woman is living under great stress she will have trouble carrying her baby to term. Premature birth to underweight babies is a leading cause of infant mortality.

Social justice activist and attorney Fred Brewington condemned the institutional racism prevalent in healthcare that has resulted in infant mortality figures today that are no different than they were almost a century ago.

Just weeks after the Birth Equity Breakfast, Tasha Portley, a nurse living in Tyler, Texas, spoke at a similar forum halfway across the U.S. In a report published in the April 16th edition of the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Portley stated that “Pregnant Black women often experience casually degrading remarks from White people when they seek maternal health care.”

Portley shared the story of a Black woman who had some difficulty acquiring a breast pump from a local social services agency and, in the process, was the target of demeaning remarks by an employee. Portley went on to say, “We are dying because we are Black and we are living in a country where there is inherent racism. It is systemic. It is the thread; it is the fiber of everything that exists.”

Dr. Hackett highlighted what needs to happen in order to turn the corner on disparities in Nassau County. Among her recommendations were to inform women after childbirth of warning signs for hemorrhage, embolism or infection, especially when there are preexisting conditions; to enhance service integration for women and infants; and to treat women of color with dignity, respect and culturally relevant care.

Bringing birth inequities to light is an important step forward. When this issue is not identified in Nassau County health data, people don’t know about it and it cannot be addressed. The breakfast concluded with the unveiling of the Birth Justice Warriors, an initiative envisioned by Dr. Hackett, to train birth advocates with the hope of ameliorating the birth inequities in Nassau County.

Published in the Long Island Weekly in May 2018

TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT RACE AND DIVERSITY

The church shootings of nine black parishioners in Charleston, S.C. at the hands of 21-year old Dylann Roof, who has confessed to the crime, sends a sobering message to all those involved with adolescents. Although cries of “hate crime” ring out in this instance—and no doubt are true—we need to recognize that issues surrounding diversity and systemic racism are an issue for every teenager and young adult here on Long Island.

Those of us who have the privilege to work with youth in schools, community centers and other arenas face the unique challenge of helping them address diversity and racism openly and honestly. Although discussions about race during the last two presidential campaigns gave a number of people a chance to process their feelings, it doesn’t appear that we have come very far.  

An open, non-judgmental group experience can provide adolescents with a unique opportunity to explore the typically taboo areas of race and ethnicity, exposing deeply ingrained or loosely formed beliefs and influencing their perceptions and behaviors in the world outside of the group.

When stories like the church shootings and the deaths of unarmed black citizens at the hands of the police dominate the media, young people’s stereotyping and polarization are too often reinforced. Within group settings, we can encourage discussion about ethnic identity, bias, prejudice, and intergroup relations as a normal part of adolescent development. We can help young people to tune in to ethnically and racially-charged local, national and international events that affect them.

I vividly recall a meeting I had with a group of local teenagers in the immediate aftermath of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado. The group talked about their feelings regarding profiling and stepped-up security in schools and in the community. One group member, Carlos, recalled an incident when he was stopped by a police officer who asked to check his arms. “He was looking for gang tattoos. He thought I was MS 13,” Carlos explained as he slowly pulled his shirt sleeve back across his forearm as if back in the moment. “I told the cop, ‘First, of all I’m Salvadorian and proud of it. Second, I’m not a gang banger.’ “

Carlos continued, “A week later, I saw the same cop at my restaurant job, where I work as a maître d' and wear a tuxedo. He looked me over and seemed really confused. I smiled and said to him, ‘See, I’m the same person.’ ”

A healthy exchange of ideas and opinions about controversial subjects in a safe environment enables young people to test out their beliefs and attitudes, to practice listening to others’ views, to respectfully express differences, and to discover common ground.

By advancing an understanding of differences, we can reach for commonalties experienced among young people across cultures to open pathways for relating among different ethnic groups.

Presently, we all face the sad possibility of seeing a dramatic erosion of empathy and loss of community as a result of the struggle for economic survival. We cannot afford to allow the development of empathy for others to slip away from our youth in the process. As adults, we must do all that we can to help young people confront the issues surrounding diversity openly, honestly and safely. Our survival and humanity depend upon it.

Andrew Malekoff is the executive director of North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, which provides comprehensive mental health services for children from birth through 24 and their families. To find out more, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org.