“The health of Black and Brown mothers and babies are at risk in Rhode Island. The story that this data tells is heavy and painful and should mobilize each and every person to call on our policymakers to act now.”
–Paige Clausius-Parks, Executive Director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT.
On January 30th, SISTA Fire members joined a panel discussion hosted by Kids Count RI called, Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Maternal, Infant, and Young Children’s Health in Rhode Island. This discussion focused on data regarding Rhode Island’s early childhood disparities among children of color.
Director, Ditra Edwards spoke on our participatory action research practices and our campaign to improve birth outcomes for Black families at Women and Infants Hospital. Charmaine Porter spoke about their experiences as a parent-to-be, highlighting the need for more gender-affirming care. Ditra and Charmaine both uplifted the need for more doulas of color, and for spaces like the Urban Perinatal Education Center that provide essential resources to Black birthing families.
The brief includes recommendations such as the need for more community-driven data collection like SISTA Fire’s Participatory Action research. It also addresses the need for a more diverse workforce that is culturally and linguistically competent to serve the various communities represented in RI. SISTA Fire’s own work is highlighted on page 13 of the brief, with a selection of our key findings from the participatory action research we completed in 2018 and 2019. Read the full brief or watch the panel recording below!
Media Links:
Full Publication of the Brief (SISTA Fire is highlighted on page 13)
The Public’s Radio (i’m quoted in this one)
