Notes on Independence: Women aren't Free
It’s late at night, 2:28 am and technically it’s already the 4th of July. When my mother mentioned the family gathering to go swimming, i didn’t quite get her reason why. I figured she just wanted us all together. Then it hit me, it’s the 4th! My next thought was “women ain’t free”. Although America celebrates its “independence” and us Black folks just finished celebrating “our freedom” on Juneteenth, i still can’t just sweep under the rug that the state of our nation is in shambles. The governments continued negligence of the maternal health crisis specifically in regards to the disadvantages of women and infants of color has gone way overboard. We are not free!
America has been names the most dangerous developed country for women to give birth. Isn’t this supposed to be the land of opportunity, liberty and justice for all? The U.S. is known to be one of the leading countries in the nation and yet, we have one of the highest maternal death rates. This is something we already know though, right?
The inexplicable happenings within the medical and pharmaceutical industries has been tolerated for far too long. We tolderate because we believe the lies that have been fed to us for so long. The primary reason that we are in this predicament is because for centuries, the people who have run this country have devoted much of their time, energy and resources into obtaining and maintaining control over our minds. We still believe that the very system that was never created to protect POC will one day provide access to the high quality healthcare that everyone else is privileged to have. We are not free!
The game will always be rigged. And the only way to beat this system–the only way to decrease the infant mortality rate, the only way to decrease the number of deaths among black women in childbirth, the only way to eliminate unnecessary surgical operations and the excessive use of interventions in the birth space is that we educate, empower and create opportunities for and by POC.
“Free your mind, and the rest will follow” – En Vogue
I speak so passionately about this not just for myself, but for those women who have yet to be taught. There has to be someone willing to stand in the gap. There are many birthworkers that are WOC and there are even allies who want to see change. The conversations are happening. Posts are being circulated on social media by the minute, and that’s a great place to start. However, I would like to propose that action begins to take place. More action.
If you are a person of color or if you are an ally that would like to interrupt the system, lets stop repeating statistics and do the work. Donate towards the education of a student midwife or Doula. There is no federal funding for us. Setup a donation drive or host a free (or low-cost) parenting or childbirth education class in your establishment or local religious center. Be vocal. Share your birth stories. There’s so much that can be done that can get us closer to actual freedom. Someone shared a quote that said, “if you want to know how a nation of people are doing, look at its women and children.”
So how are y’all doing?
