Today, March of Dimes issued the following statement in response to the death of George Floyd and the outpouring of support by peaceful activists who are seeking to constructively address the scourge of racial violence.
March of Dimes joins other advocates in calling for justice in the case of George Floyd. In our work, every day, we see painfully inequitable treatment of women and babies of color due to a larger systemic problem that undervalues their lives. Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women are and Black babies are twice as likely to die before their first birthday. These numbers are the result of deeply entrenched, structural racism. It's time for bold, immediate action from policymakers to unequivocally say that Black Lives Matter. Let’s work together to bring justice and full access to health care for all moms and babies, particularly underserved families of color.
We cannot let this moment pass without each of us examining our own role in how we repair the injustices that exist. March of Dimes stands ready to work with those who are committed to a country of healthy moms and strong babies of all races and backgrounds.
March of Dimes offers a number of programs that seek to promote racial justice for moms and babies. March of Dimes recognizes that implicit bias and stigma experienced by patients throughout our health care system are potential contributors to the disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. This year, March of Dimes launched an implicit bias training for health care providers with the goal of uncovering institutionalized racism in the health care system and training health care workers not to perpetuate the cycles of discrimination. In addition, the Beyond Labels website was created as a resource to raise awareness of stigma and work to help eliminate these disparities by addressing the root causes. We also have a robust federal and state advocacy agenda and network focused on systemic solutions to health inequity.
To join us and learn more about the work of March of Dimes, please visit www.marchofdimes.org.
