This week we sit down with March Of Dimes CEO, Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, to discuss the March of Dimes Report Card for New York. This conversation discusses why preterm birth rates are higher in communities of color. In addition to the health and socioeconomic determinants mothers of color are most vulnerable to and what March of Dimes is doing to improve health outcomes in communities of color.

This LIVE podcast took place at Mental Wealth Expo and was moderated by NFL Veteran Marcus Smith. The conversation discussed the important role black father’s play in building a strong foundation in communities of color. This collective group “Dads” (Styles P, Larry Morrow, Dr. Jeff Rocker, Sean Williams, Roger Milliner, Cordney Mac Wilds took on the complexities of parenthood and how the presence of black fathers in a household plays a vital role in changing the societal narrative around black men and their connection to fatherhood.

The MEternal Podcast sits down Elena D. of Get Well With Elle and Dr. Ashley Lowe-Simmons to talk the connection between maternal health and mental health, as well as holistic maternal health solutions for a healthy pregnancy.

Live from the Mental Wealth Expo, The MEternal Podcast sits down Tonya Lewis Lee, Shawnee Gibson, and Nastassia K. Harris of the Perinatal Equity Network to talk the black maternal health crisis and self advocacy<br /><br />

This episode features actress, model and wellness advocate Cynthia Bailey as she shares her story of managing mother and how her experience with fibroids and pregnancy has helped to shape her wellness journey and advocacy.

This episode features Mental Health and Maternal Advocate Ashlee Muhammad. Ashlee shares her story about motherhood and how she leveraged her insecurities to teach other mothers of color to self advocate and become more confident when expressing their feelings during and after pregnancy.

Angie Martinez shares her journey through pregnancy, life and motherhood. This episode encourages mothers of color to find the right healthcare and support team during pregnancy and ways moms can overcome the challenges of managing motherhood, career, and life.

Family Planning plays a vital role in ensuring positive health outcomes in communities of color. This episode of MEternal features Dr. Michael Simoni of Reproductive Medical Associates (RMA) and will teach multicultural mothers about what reproductive health should look like when it comes to women of color.

This episode features maternal health advocate and March Of Dimes board member Tonya Lewis Lee and this conversation will help healthcare providers and mothers of color navigate the data and resources available as a solution to maternal healthcare deserts.

All women deserve healthcare that is safe, effective, efficient, and equitable. Joining us on MEternal is March Of Dimes CEO Dr. Elizabeth Cherot. This conversation will address the key findings of the recently published March Of Dimes Maternity Care Deserts Report and the crisis of access and equity in communities of color.

Joining us on the podcast is Doctor Joe Puma, Founder and President of Sorin Medical. This conversation will cover the complexities of Cardiovascular Health and its correlation to pregnancy throughout each trimester.

Women of color have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. HIV Maternal Health Director for Black Ladies and Public Health, Deirdre Speaks Johnson, joins us on the podcast to discuss her personal journey with HIV, how it affects maternal health, and how she's working to educate the black community to end stigmas and the criminalization of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Joining the MEternal Podcast is stand-up comedian and actress Angelina Spicer. Angelina's story on how she became an accidental advocate for maternal health will take mothers through the complexities of postpartum depression and how she is using comedy to reduce the stigma and shame associated with postpartum depression.<br /><br />

Joining us on the podcast is Stacey Brayboy March of Dimes Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs. We'll be discussing public policy in the maternal health space and how March of Dimes is joining policymakers and local communities to help improve access to care.

Half of the population menstruates. We all know plenty of women that have a period. But not everyone knows that two in five women struggle to purchase period supplies due to lack of income. This is called period poverty, and chances are we each know someone who has experienced this need – a neighbor, a co-worker, a friend. Joining MEternal is Vanessa Bracetti-Ormsby Founder of Expecting Relief and Jennifer Gaines Program Director for the Alliance for Period Supplies. No student should have to miss school, no adult should have to miss work, and no person should have to miss out on daily life because they are unable to afford the necessities they require to thrive. This conversation will help to ensure that women in need have access to essential period products required to participate fully in daily life.

Joining MEternal are Nic and Trish Encina, the co-founders of Modelo Health. We'll be discussing the complications of high-risk pregnancy and how Modelo Health is using preventative medicine to improve maternal health outcomes in communities of color. We will also be discussing the benefits of precision medicine and what increases maternal health risks.

Joining the podcast is Dr. Dawnette Lewis, MD MPH for the Center of Maternal Health at Northwell. As a maternal healthcare leader at one of New York’s largest hospital systems, she’ll be discussing the risk black women face during and after childbirth and the solutions Northwell Health provides for black mothers. Throughout the conversation mothers of color will hear about the support systems Northwell Health has in place to combat the black maternal health crisis and ensure black mothers have an equitable health care experience.

April marks the start of Black Maternal Health Awareness. In this episode we are joined by March of Dimes VP Mission Operations for March of Dimes, Rahni Jenkins to discuss the importance of Implicit Bias Training and how it helps providers break down the racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health. This conversation was designed to help providers identify racial implications and better equip themselves to serve black moms and babies’ relationships and ways they better help black women have a more equitable healthcare experience. Mothers of color will also learn ways to better prepare for their pregnancy and identify financial support to ensure they are receiving adequate healthcare.

According to the CDC, between 2020 and 2021 black women had the largest rate increase in maternal mortality tied back to systemic racism as the root cause. Black Maternal Health Advocate and Film Maker Tony Lewis Lee joins the podcast to discuss why it's important to bring black maternal health conversations to the forefront and how storytelling can be used as a tool to educate and empower women of color.

Establishing a quality relationship with a healthcare provider is vital, and mid-wives have helped to bring that essential quality back to ensure healthier outcomes in communities of color to create change for the better. For this week's conversation we are joined by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Helena Grant Mid-Wife and Co-Chair of NYC Health and Hospitals Midwifery council. Mothers of color will learn ways to become partners in their care and how to get politically involved to create sustainable change and save lives.