BIPOC Mental Health Month

July is Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month. In keeping with our promise and commitment to educating ourselves and our community around minority groups and their experiences during the perinatal period, we pulled together several resources that support BIPOC Mental Health education. These resources come from two reputable perinatal organizations –  Mom Congress 2020 and Maternal Mental Health NOW – who are committed to bringing the most informative and valuable resources to the families in our community. We hope these resources will allow you to listen, watch, read, share, and learn more about how to support the BIPOC community as we are all in this together.

Mom Congress 2020 has shared Black Learn, Listen and Lift Tool Kit – full of resources (like films, books, podcasts) to help our non-black providers better understand race, bias, and racism.

Maternal Mental Health NOW just shared this compilation of Black-led organizations that are working to reduce birth disparities experienced by Black families.  Please find more information about these organizations below and consider supporting them during this time by making a financial donation, registering for an event or contributing a story.

iDREAM for Racial Health Equity addresses racial and ethnic disparities in African American health and examines critical solutions to the infant mortality crisis in Los Angeles County. iDream is a leadership, training, and advocacy development network dedicated to equipping a pipeline of stakeholders to address the complex health issues facing African-American families and to empower the next generation of leaders about the disparities in healthy birth outcomes.

Black Birthing Justice is a collective of African-American, African, Caribbean and multiracial women who are committed to transforming birthing experiences for Black women and transfolks. Our vision is that that every pregnant person should have an empowering birthing experience, free of unnecessary medical interventions. Our goals are to educate, to document birth stories and to raise awareness about birthing alternatives. We aim to challenge medical violence, rebuild confidence in our ability to give birth and decrease disproportionate maternal and infant mortality.

The California Black Women’s Health Project (CABWHP) is the only statewide, non-profit organization that is solely committed to improving the health of California’s 1.2 million Black women and girls through advocacy, education, outreach and policy. We focus on empowering Black women to take personal responsibility for our own health and to advocate for changes in policies that negatively affect Black women’s health status.

Black Women for Wellness believes in the strength and wisdom of our community and allies. We believe that we have the solutions, resources and responsibility to create the shifts and change needed to impact our health status. Each of us must develop our personal power, hold accountable and support acknowledged leadership, and most importantly, contribute to our survival and growth as a community.

Black Maternal Health Summit 2020 – The Shades of Blue Project is partnering with UTHealth and other community organizations for an event that will provide attendees in the health profession (clinical providers, educators, social workers, counselors, and researchers) with information on providing compassionate maternal, perinatal, and postpartum care to women from marginalized communities.

Multicultural Maternal Mental Health Conference – The Multicultural Maternal Mental Health Awareness Conference is a unique national event that focuses on the importance of cultural competence in maternal mental health care and advocacy. The conference is open to the public.

Diversity Science, Eliminating Inequities in Perinatal Health Care Project

Share your Maternal Health Care Story! Help gather stories that illuminate the experiences of providers, Black mothers and birthing people during pregnancy and birth.  These stories will help to represent the lived experiences and patients and providers in e-learning and resources.