I recommend you follow, listen & support a much needed new podcast @natalstories "a podcast docuseries about having a baby while Black in the US". Below are excerpts from their mission statement & producer @gabhorton. Link in bio to listen & donate. Also, check out the LEARN tab on their site which has a curated list of resources to educate, empower, & help through action & donation. • "Through first person testimonials, NATAL will empower Black pregnant & birthing parents w/ info & resources to navigate their parenthood journeys; hold medical systems accountable for the wellbeing of Black pregnant & birthing parents; create space for Black parents to share the lessons learned w/in a supportive community; & provide audiences w/ tools & language to amplify the national conversation about the current state—& future, of Black perinatal care." • "So many people could identify w/ Beyoncé (who suffered from preeclampsia during her 2017 pregnancy) & Serena Williams’ recent birthing testimonies shedding light on the gross disparities afflicting Black birthing parents; but where could non-celebrity Black parents & loved ones go to take up public space to share, to mourn, to listen, to celebrate, to feel seen, to feel safe? • "Before I left my friend’s home that night, she said, “Gabie, you really need to do something about this. What happened to me is happening to other Black moms/parents. We aren’t talking about it & it’s really scary. It’s just not right.” She was right. As a full-time media producer, I knew that I had the capacity & tools to help more people talk about Black parents’ birthing experiences; to bring these stories to dinner tables, to hospital waiting rooms, to doula centers, even to Congress; but I knew that I did not want to go about this journey alone. The only thing I was sure of that evening was that I wanted to create a dedicated space for Black pregnant & birthing parents & those of us in community w/ parents, in collaboration w/ a team committed to centering Black people’s lived experiences in audio storytelling." • #NATAL #NATALstories #blackmaternalhealth #blackparents #blackpodcasts #blackmothers #birthingwhileblack