Let your voices be heard in Virginia and everywhere!
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Begin forwarded message:
From: "Kim Bobo, Virginia Interfaith Center"
<kim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 13, 2021 at 2:11:34 PM EDT
To: "Ms. Babs Williams" <bbnanwill@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Improving Black Maternal and Infant Health
Improving Black Maternal and Infant Health - October 13, 2021
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Dear Babs,
In Virginia, Black women are three to four times more likely than white women
to die during childbirth or a pregnancy-associated condition. Black women are
also twice as likely to lose an infant within one year of giving birth. The
mortality rate for a Black expectant woman with a college degree is higher
than a white woman without a high school diploma.
Studies have provided an abundance of evidence that these disparities are not
connected to the level of education, income, or health insurance coverage of
women. Although the causes of individual cases of Black maternal and infant
deaths are complicated, studies are clear that racism—not race—is the driving
force for the higher rates among Black women as a whole.
Most maternal and infant deaths are preventable. In 2019, Virginia’s Maternal
Mortality Review Team highlighted the following provider-related factors as
the most prevalent contributors to pregnancy-associated deaths: delay in or
lack of diagnosis, treatment or follow-up, and failure to refer or seek
consultation. VICPP is advocating that all licensed medical professionals be
required to take implicit bias/cultural competency training to learn how they
might not be treating or listening to all their patients equally. Sometimes
medical personnel resist additional training, but clearly something needs to
change to reverse this alarming maternal health crisis.
We launched our #PUSHbiasout campaign to address racism in our health
institutions this month, which is recognized as National Pregnancy and Infant
Loss Remembrance Month. One campaign highlight is participating in the
International Wave of Light observed at 7 p.m. this Friday, October 15th to
honor pregnancy and infant loss. We encourage you to light a candle and say a
prayer or have a moment of silence in remembrance of all the Black women and
their infants who have died needlessly and reflect on the need to address
racism in health care.
CLICK HERE for VICPP’s toolkit for more details to add your light to the
wave, along with many other resources to help you support our campaign this
fall. Read our latest blog written by VICPP Congregation Engagement Director
and Health Equity Program Manager, Dora Muhammad, "The Personal Loss that
Centers Our Public Push for Birth Equity."
Thank you for your best work on expanding and improving health care for all
in Virginia. Now let’s work together to improve Black maternal and infant
health by fighting racism and implicit bias.
Sincerely,
Kim Bobo
Executive Director
READ BLOG
Last Day to Apply to Vote by Mail is Next Friday
If you are planning to vote by mail for the November General Election, the
last day to request an absentee ballot is next Friday, October 22nd. The
witness requirement is no longer waived, so you must open and complete your
ballot in the presence of a witness who will then sign the return envelope
with you. Help remind others by sharing VICPP’s Absentee Voter Flyer. Want to
do more to ensure every vote counts? VICPP is participating in the Center for
Common Ground’s text banks which are focused on reaching voters who have not
voted in recent elections and may face being purged from the voter rolls.
Help get out the early vote and sign up here.
DOWNLOAD FLYER
Upcoming Events
October 15, Richmond Racial Equity Summit: The Institute for Contemporary Art
at VCU is hosting an evening conversation with the creators and contributors
of the Richmond Racial Equity Essays project. Essayists Oscar Contreras
Telón, Lea Whitehurst Gibson and Shekinah Mitchell will read short excerpts
of their works and panel will discuss racial equity in the arts. The event
will be livestreamed on YouTube here.
REGISTER HERE
October 21, James River Fall Event: VICPP James River Chapter will host a
fall event, “Building A Safe, Healthy, Beloved Community” featuring special
guest speaker Delegate Marcia Price (D-95th District). On the agenda will be
VICPP's 2022 legislative priorities, local advocacy on gun violence from the
health perspective, and the latest on GOTV activities.
REGISTER HERE
November 9-10, Immigrant Advocates Summit: The 12th Virginia Immigrant
Advocates Summit will focus on the implementation of new protections against
ICE access of personal information, financial aid extension to all students,
and FAMIS MOMS prenatal coverage to undocumented women, along with criminal
justice reform and a pathway to citizenship.
REGISTER HERE
November 13, JAB Talk: The second JAB Talk will focus on the principle of
autonomy, known for its informed consent protocol. You will hear from
National Council of Negro Women’s Health Equity Committee Chair and an
Assistant Professor of Bioethics at the University of Alabama. A
representative of the family of Mrs. Henrietta Lacks is tentatively confirmed.
REGISTER HERE
November 18, #LearnPrayAct: Getting Ready for the 2022 General Assembly. The
2022 General Assembly will gavel in on January 12th. Join VICPP for a
briefing on the status of our campaigns and priority bills, participation in
constituent meetings with legislators, and information on becoming a Witness
at the Capitol once the legislative session begins.
REGISTER HERE
Grocery Store Actions
Join or host a Paid Sick Day Action on November 20th at 10 am outside a Food
Lion or Harris Teeter grocery store to highlight the fact that two-thirds of
Virginia grocery store workers have no paid sick days. We are inviting all
our members to pick a store near them and get friends involved in planning
the event and passing out information! We need dozens of actions all around
Virginia, along with our coalition members. Click on the button below to sign
up to host, check out the toolkit, or mark that you're planning on attending
an action near you.
PAID SICK DAY ACTIONS
Supporting Afghan Families in Virginia
The Governor’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & the Department of
Social Services Office of New Americans held a virtual town hall on Oct. 8 to
introduce the Governor's Executive Team on Immigrant Integration. The team
shared current estimates of 1,200 families to be resettled in Virginia. Have
you visited VICPP’s dedicated webpage for Afghan relief support? New updates
include an Amazon wish list for evacuees temporarily housed at Fort Lee and
an online donation portal for a fund set up by Richmond-area mosques to
support long-term local resettlement efforts. As a reminder, ICNA Relief
Virginia’s donation drive at its Henrico collection site ends this Friday,
Oct. 15.
VISIT AFGHAN RELIEF WEBPAGE
Upcoming Candidate Forums
VICPP is proud to support the following upcoming non-partisan candidate
forums and debates sponsored by our advocacy partners:
October 14: House Districts 13 & 50 – Danica Roem (D) & Christopher Stone (R)
/ Michelle Lopes-Maldonado (D) & Steve Pleickhardt (R) sponsored by Prince
William Committee of 100 & League of Women Voters Prince William - Fauquier
Area
MORE INFO
October 18: House District 44 – Paul Krizek (D) & Richard Hayden (R)
sponsored by the League of Women Voters Fairfax
MORE INFO
VIEW LIST OF LOCAL CANDIDATES
For Your Congregation's Bulletin or Newsletter
#PUSHbiasout Petition Launched
Help amplify the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy’s PUSH maternal
health campaign for an implicit bias training mandate by sharing the
campaign’s online petition. Follow VICPP @vainterfaith on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram to share, like, and comment on posts that will promote the
petition. Visit www.tinyurl.com/PUSHbiasout to sign the petition and then
share it with others. If you are a digital activist on social media, you can
download the campaign’s graphics from the campaign’s toolkit each week in
October to create your unique posts to share through social media, emails,
and newsletters. Visit www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/health-equity to
access the toolkit resources.
CLICK HERE FOR TOOLKIT
Calling on Election Protection Volunteers
The Virginia Civic Engagement Table, which manages the Election Protection
program in Virginia, is calling for volunteers to monitor the polls during
early voting and on Election Day. There are several ways you can get involved
to ensure the security and fairness of the statewide General Election. Our
most vulnerable voters may need direct assistance navigating the process of
casting their ballot and an added layer of reassurance that our elections are
free, safe, and secure. Sign up to volunteer here:
www.protectthevoteva.com/volunteer
SIGN UP
VOLUNTEER
Calling All Volunteers
VICPP has been blessed with many wonderful volunteers over the years - whom
we count on because we have such a small staff.
Social justice is a group activity - we can’t be effective on our own.
Volunteer with us today!
There are many ways to volunteer:
During the General Assembly
In the civic engagement process
In your congregation
In your community
In Richmond
And much more!
Click the button below to learn more and sign up to volunteer and join the
VICPP family!
APPLY HERE
IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK
Health Equity
California Nurses Association welcomes passage of bill mandating implicit
bias training
Daily Nurse: October 7, 2021
By Daily Nurse blog
Image: California Nurses Association
READ STORY
Examining when implicit biases influence clinical care
Contemporary Pediatrics: October 10, 2021
By Miranda Hester
Image: American Pediatrics Association
READ STORY
Wage Theft
Two companies accused of misclassifying workers on new Virginia General
Assembly building project face embezzlement charges
WRIC: October 6, 2021
By Dean Mirshahi
Image: Dean Mirshahi
READ STORY
General Assembly building contractors indicted on charges of falsely
identifying workers
The Free Lance Star: October 7, 2021
By Patrick Wilson
Image: Bob Brown
READ STORY
WHAT NEXT?
Help us continue to work for a more just society.
The greatest impact cannot be made alone. Get involved with VICPP and be a
part of the mission to advocate for a more just and sustainable world,
starting right here in our own communities.
Click the buttons below to spread the word and to forward this newsletter,
and to donate to VICPP, an organization that has been doing impactful work
for decades.
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Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
1716 E. Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23223
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The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates economic, racial,
and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education,
prayer, and action.
