Mommy Matters: Black Maternal Health and the PA Momnibus

With Mother’s Day weekend concluding, it’s imperative that we sustain the appreciation and support for all that mothers do. That means advocating for maternal rights and reproductive justice.

As a 2024 participant in the New Voices of Reproductive Justice cohort, I had the opportunity to attend the 2025 PA Black Maternal Health Summit. During the event, community leaders and health workers participated in panels, workshops, and receptions that addressed systemic disparities affecting Black birthing people, while also offering tools and resources to improve outcomes for mothers.

As a gift to mothers everywhere, I’d like to make some of this information more accessible and share insights that can strengthen our advocacy efforts.

Key Terms to Know:

• Infant mortality: The death of an infant before their first birthday.

• Maternal mortality: The death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within a year postpartum.

• Infant morbidity: Health complications or illnesses in infants

Why This Summit Matters

The PA Black Maternal Health Summit was a three-day event aimed at driving advocacy around maternal mortality and morbidity issues that disproportionately impact Black women. Formed by the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus, the group was established in 2023 with state Reps. Morgan Cephas (D-Philadelphia), Gina H. Curry (D-Delaware), and La’Tasha D. Mayes (D-Allegheny) serving as co-chairs.

This year’s summit was the first state-wide gathering hosted in Pittsburgh, a city known for its expansive health systems but still grappling with stark racial health disparities.

According to recent data:

• As of 2022, PA’s maternal mortality rate was 82 deaths per 100,000 live births, with Black women experiencing 163 deaths per 100,000.

• Maternal morbidity was reported at 109.9 per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations.

• In 2022, 741 infants died before reaching their first birthday, an infant mortality rate of 5.7 per 1,000 live births.

These sobering statistics underscore the need for focused, sustained advocacy.

Day 2 Highlights

Over the three days, the summit offered a full agenda from conversations on midwifery, tech, and research, to the role of fatherhood in maternal advocacy. Notable guests included Lt. Governor Austin Davis, Mayor Ed Gainey, Selena King (PA Legislative Black Caucus), Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew (Allegheny Health Network), and Carmen Alexander (The Midwife Center), among many others.

Although I wasn’t able to attend Day 1 in person, I joined Day 2, beginning with the Press Conference at the City-County Building. There, speakers highlighted state resources, shared stories from impacted individuals, emphasized the importance of improving birth outcomes, and celebrated the passing of the PA Momnibus.

You can watch the full press conference here 

What is the PA Momnibus?

The “Momnibus” is a combination of “mom” and “omnibus”, a bill that combines several policies into one larger package. Inspired by the federal Momnibus Act introduced by Reps. Lauren Underwood (IL), Alma Adams (NC), and Sen. Cory Booker (NJ), the PA Momnibus is a legislative package aimed at improving maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania.

It includes legislation to:

• Mandate implicit bias training for healthcare-related boards.

• Expand Medicaid to include doula services.

• Create a Doula Advisory Board to set standards for practice.

• Require insurance coverage for doulas and blood pressure monitors.

• Designate maternal health deserts to target investment.

• Expand mental health access for pregnant and postpartum patients.

• Launch a program to distribute essential postpartum resources.
  

Following the Press Conference, I attended the PA’s Call To Action Panel. At the Main Stage Conversation, Rep. Curry led a powerful discussion with:

• Sec. Debra Bogen (PA Dept. of Health)

• Dr. LaDawn Robinson (PA Human Relations Commission)

• Evirta Marsh (PA Dept. of Corrections)
  Commissioner Michael Humphreys (PA Dept. of Insurance)

Rep. Curry asked bold questions about systemic accountability, equity audits, and how to turn statements into action. Each department shared where advocacy was needed and where progress was happening.

Commissioner Humphrey discussed population usage research and the importance of expanding data inclusivity. He also highlighted the development of the Communal Outreach Team, market regulation and consumer affairs, and efforts to close the insurance policy knowledge gap to encourage more consumer complaints.

Marsh shared updates on the provision of doula services, drug and alcohol support, and lactation rooms in correctional facilities. Secretary Bogen spoke about extending maternal/infant health coverage through the first year and expanding home visiting programs to support families. Dr. Robinson passionately encouraged attendees to report discrimination to the PA Human Relations Commission to access investigative services.

The takeaway? We must keep showing up, applying pressure, and speaking our truth — not just in rooms like this, but in our communities, at the polls, and in conversations with our lawmakers. We must demand full funding for the Momnibus bill, call for culturally competent care, and ensure Black women and birthing people are centered in every healthcare policy decision.

Later that evening, I attended the Labor of Love Reception, hosted by Healthy Start, honoring the work of doulas and midwives. Representatives Mayes, Curry, Cephas, and Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz shared heartfelt speeches on how birth workers helped bring the Momnibus to life. Rep. Cepeda-Freytiz especially emphasized the importance of organizational endorsements, as they show how many people care.

 If you or your org supports maternal health, send an endorsement and get counted.

Day 3 Takeaways

Encouraged by Day 2, I returned for Day 3 ready to learn.

The morning began with a welcome from Rep. Cephas, followed by a standout workshop from Stephanie Etienne of Center 1968. She broke down how bills are proposed, tracked, and passed in Pennsylvania, giving us a "Legislation 101" on how to advocate more effectively. We learned about:

• Bill and printer numbers

• How to track amendments

• How to identify primary and secondary bill recipients

• The three readings a bill must go through before passage

We even left with an assignment to practice advocacy steps ourselves.

Next, EMBRACE Center of Excellence presented on their anti-racist training models, data equity, and Data Justice Working Group. Marian Jarlensky showed the impact of inclusive research and programs, using visual data that reflected the need for assistive aid across diverse demographics.

Then, Jamarah Amani, Executive Director of Southern Birth Justice Network, gave a moving presentation on Black midwifery traditions. She screened a portion of her documentary-in-progress, telling stories of Black midwives and its erasure. Her knowledge was infectious and thorough, she was able to restore the connection and significance of midwifery by recanting the stories of influential figures like Biddy Mason. Amani shared powerful stories of reclamation, highlighting how midwives in the South revived and preserved their practices, offering insight into the importance of gardening and ancestral knowledge. Her commitment to preserving the oral history of the tradition was deeply moving, underscoring the value of generational wisdom.

The final panel centered around “The Ebony Canal”, a documentary by Emmai Alaquiva, hosted by Marcia Perry Dix (Perry Media Group). The film follows Black mothers through pregnancy and has been making waves on the film festival circuit.

During the panel, I was honored to ask the final question about cultural integrity and archival legacy. In which Alaquiva shared his respectful expertise on the crystallization of the human spirit and the unwavering commitment to have representative staff/collaborators that support the stories we tell.The film later won a 2025 Webby Award, and its presence at the summit was the perfect close to a soulful, powerful gathering.

The Mommy Bus 

Before we left, Reps. Mayes and Curry gave final remarks, then surprised us with the Mommy Bus. Parked outside the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, the pink-wrapped Pittsburgh Transit Bus features statistics and facts on Black maternal health and honors the passing of the PA Momnibus. It’ll be riding around the city through August, so if you spot it take a picture and tag it with #PAMomnibus.

Beyond the Summit: Black Mommies Matters

Joining the PA Maternal Health Summit was a profound experience that provided me with meaningful tools and a strong sense of communal support. After the summit, I had the opportunity to attend the opening of Elephant Song Doula Services, founded by Kieashia DeShawn, a local Black woman doula from Pittsburgh. I originally met Kieashia through my New Voices Cohort and was grateful to reconnect with her at the summit. I was also surrounded by many incredible community members doing faithful work to improve our collective well-being. 

Reproductive justice goes beyond childbirth; it includes the quality of our lives. That’s why it was so inspiring to see support from various organizations and to meet new people who value our shared efforts to build a healthier, more just community.

Most importantly, it was moving to witness people show up for Black women, especially Black mothers. Black women are three times more likely to die from childbirth. While many attribute this to economic status, research shows that even high-income Black women face worse outcomes than low-income white women. This points to a deeper systemic issue, one that links racial inequities to maternal mortality. Considering the historical context of Black Lives in America, this ongoing crisis reflects persistent attempts to devalue and erase Black existence.

This is why Black Lives Matter—all of them, including Black birthing people. We deserve to live, and we deserve to bring life into the world. By continuing to advocate for improved Black maternal care, we uplift the standard of care for all birthing people in this country. So, this Mother’s Day, I invite you to reflect on the efforts being made to support and uplift maternal health equity so we can celebrate mothers and caregivers every year.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the birthing people and caregivers who make life possible. Thank you for your contributions, and may you be protected by the community you deliver.