Expectant mothers, soon-to-be pregnant women and their supporters gathered in the sanctuary of a South Side church Saturday to learn how to best advocate for themselves during pregnancy and where to find health resources.
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Black women die in childbirth at a disproportionately higher rate than other races and ethnic groups in the United States, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control data.
A panel of six doctors, midwives and health advocates spoke to the small crowd and answered questions at the Progressive Baptist Church in the Armour Square neighborhood on navigating the birthing experience as a Black woman. The mortality rate for Black women in 2024 was 44.8 deaths per 100,000 women. That’s more than three times higher than the death rate for white women, 14.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
“We’re dying giving birth and we shouldn’t be,” said Kirsten Corley, one of Saturday’s panelists, influencer and mom of two. “The thought that our mortality rate is higher because of preventable reasons is really heartbreaking, and I just want to be a part of the change so that it’s not the case anymore.”
The event is a part of the First Ladies Health Initiative programming, a faith-based nonprofit organization focused on bridging the health gap for underserved communities. The nonprofit was founded by Tracey Alston in 2008 and now operates across the United States in Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Taylor Alston-Cleveland and Marquisé Alston-Allison are Alston’s daughters and the current co-executive directors of the First Ladies Health Initiative. Alston died earlier this year and the sisters carry on her legacy as community health advocates through events like this Black maternal health panel.
Alston-Cleveland, an expectant mother herself, called it a “full circle moment.”
“It’s been great to sort of carry that torch forward and make sure we’re helping our communities as best we can and ultimately saving lives,” Alston-Cleveland said.
Alston-Allison joked that it is nepotism rooted in the community.
“Our mother, Tracey, truly believed that it took a village to do anything in any community. So being able to be the second generation stepping into this work is a tremendous honor,” Alston-Allison said.
The sisters have headed the health Initiative since 2022. Educating women on maternal health matters is just one of the initiatives of the nonprofit that hopes to break down health access barriers in a tangible way.
The Initiative partnered with churches to organize health fairs and offer screenings for HIV, blood pressure, mammograms and more, according to Alston-Cleveland. Organizers say they have conducted more than 600,000 health screenings since its inception.