"Been Hard To Breathe" March For Maternal Justice

press release: In Dane County black newborns have a 9.3 mortality rate while white babies have a 3.7 rate. Black mothers and pregnant people have a 5 times higher chance of dying in labor. Implicit Bias, racism and obstetric violence goes unchecked within the healthcare system and we can not forget about this in our fight for equity. We are calling for attention to be made to the lack of informed consent in hospitals. We are calling for accountability and action being taken when pregnant patients express the feeling of being neglected or ignored. We are asking and demanding equitable pay for our black and brown birth workers.

To fight this racism, it must first be acknowledged, recognized and explicitly named.

Say his name

Say her name

Say the names of all those lost to racism behind the hospital's doors.

March with us from the Capitol at noon, June 6, where we will call to defund the police. One set of riot gear is the monetary equivalent to 50 sets of PPE.

From there we will walk to Meriter and St. Mary's where personal stories, experiences and creative writing will be shared. Our voices will be heard

Please wear PPE. Snacks and water will be available

From birth, black babies fight for their chance to live. For us it's BEEN HARD TO BREATHE.