Welcome, We Are...
We Are Our Brothers & Sisters Keepers
The BLACK Collaborative Inc.
A Tri-State Birth & Lactation Coalition
Black Maternal Health Week
Each year in the United States, hundreds of people die during pregnancy or in the year after. Thousands more have unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery with serious short- or long-term health consequences. Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. Held annually on April 11-17th, Black Maternal Health Week is a week-long campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance​ to build awareness, activism, and community-building​ to amplify ​the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of Black Mamas and birthing people. The activities and conversations hosted throughout the week intentionally center the values and traditions of the reproductive and birth justice movements. ​
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The week is intentionally held during National Minority Health Month and begins on April 11th annually to join dozens of global organizations in marking this day as International Day for Maternal Health and Rights – an opportunity to advocate for the elimination of maternal mortality globally.
Agent of Change Keepers!
We are a consortium of Black birthing, lactation, and maternal child health professionals, advocates, and allies working collaboratively to address Black mortality, reproductive rights, and health equity.
TARGET
Individuals identifying as Black/African American women, infants, children, and families who historically have lower breastfeeding rates or suboptimal breastfeeding outcomes, who are disproportionately impacted by infant mortality and maternal morbidity, regardless of education, income, or disability, who live in rural & urban communities with reduced access to resources or hindered access due to social and organizational barriers.
GOAL
Mitigate systemic racism as a barrier to health and health-seeking behavior through storytelling, collaborative partnerships, technical assistance, resource building, and community mobilization for sustainability.
LEGAL STRUCTURE
The Corporation is established as an Ohio non-profit directorship corporation. All of the foregoing objectives and purposes shall be exercised exclusively for charitable, educational, and social improvements in such manner that the corporation shall qualify as an exempt organization under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and applicable Ohio laws, as they are currently and shall hereafter be in force and effect.
The BLACK Collaborative Project is a consortium of Black birthing, lactation, and maternal child health professionals, advocates, and activities working collaboratively to move the needle on Black infant mortality, maternal mortality, reproductive rights, health equity, and racial justice.
Mission: The BLACK Collaborative Project deploys community-based collaboration strategies, including leveraging grassroots organization partnerships to amplify the voices of the Black community. We work to explicitly align services and operations that are necessary strategies for implementing cross-system interventions to advance Black health.
Goal: Mitigate systemic racism as a barrier to health through story-telling, policy change, representation, and education.