Maternal mortality is a serious health care crisis, especially for Black women in this country. We must address the intersecting issues of racism, sexism, and economic inequity that negatively impact Black women’s maternal health.
Let’s talk about Black History Month and guidance for ways white people can engage during February and beyond.
Image: Lexus Gallegos, Macro
Black History Month should be a time of celebration for everyone. If you’re white and sitting here thinking, “but how can I celebrate Black History Month? This isn’t for me,” I get it.
To be sure, Black history is everyone’s history, but has been systemically left out of our history books and mainstream media. Black History Month is a great opportunity to celebrate the Black people in your life, find ways to give back to the Black community, and most importantly to put in work on breaking down the privileges in your own life and to take action to break down the white supremacy around you.
It’s true that Black History month is not about you — that’s a reason to not take up space that isn’t for you, not an excuse to do nothing at all. Maybe you’ve kept quiet because you don’t feel educated enough to say something meaningful, or maybe you’re feeling a sense of guilt. To be frank, though, this is white supremacy in action. Our white guilt will not save Black lives or stop the inequities that exist for communities of color, but our actions can!
And you are not alone in this journey — there are plenty of white folks out in this world taking steps to understand the white privilege in their own lives, how white supremacy shows up at work and at home, and taking active steps towards change and healing. There are tons of resources that exist out there, and a great first step is exploring your options, read and listen to the stories of Black people, find guides for how to show up for racial justice, and give back to Black authors, journalists, business owners, community leaders, and all the people who continue to shape and change the world we live in.
This is certainly not an exhaustive list but if you’re struggling for ways or places to get started on your journey, take a look at some steps below. Happy Black History Month, and cheers to a year of growth and accountability to ourselves, and our communities. Let’s create a legacy of being actively anti-racist and no more white complacency.
Listen and Trust Black Women
From the Me Too movement, to standing up to police violence, to reproductive justice, Black women have always been at the center of this work, rooting the path for justice in healing and community. If you haven’t read up or been tuning into this work, now is a great time to start!
Take to social media and follow SPARK and In Our Own Voice to get a crash course in reproductive justice and hear the stories of Black women who are leading the movement for sexual health and rights in all communities.
NBCBLK put together a collection of stories highlighting Black women who are lifting up their communities today. Black History Month in the present! Check out She Thrives.
Black Storytellers
Speaking truth to power is not new to our work here at Planned Parenthood, nor is it new to social justice movements. Some of the most well known activists have been incredible storytellers. A great place to start in owning your own story is being able to listen and understand others. From articles, to novels, to film, you have an infinite amount of Black storytellers that exists out there. I always like to check out Barack Obama’s favorites list of the year to craft a reading and watch list. For me, the film Moonlight and Patrisse Cullors’ and ashe bandeles’ book When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir, were two of the biggest stories that impacted me over the last year. Start building your reading list and let us know who your favorite Black storytellers are!
Learn About White Supremacy and White Privilege
The world is full of research and guides for how to unpack white privilege, but if you’re not sure where to get started, I recommend the classic Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh. In this reading you’ll explore the structural ways racism exists and see an example of how you can examine daily effects of white privilege.
For a newer read, you may have seen Layla Saad’s Me and White Supremacy workbook. It is a 28 day guide into examining white supremacy in a variety of its forms. It’s a free guide, use the hashtag #MeAndWhiteSupremacy and you’ll find a community of other folks diving into this work, too.
Go Deeper
If you’ve read these resources before, or are looking for more, good! This is just the start for ways you can learn and take part in racial justice work. Share this blog or these resources with your friends and family members, and start a conversation about how white privilege shows up in your everyday life. Then we can start to build a community that holds each other accountable to being better and bolder in standing up against racial injustice.
What can get lost in the work Planned Parenthood health centers do to extend care across the country — to people of all income levels, of all educational backgrounds, of all gender expressions, of every race and color — is how much of what Planned Parenthood does, every day, depends on the devotion and contributions of Black women.
Black women work at the heart of this institution. With a breadth of lived experiences, perspectives, and professional backgrounds, Black women provide care at Planned Parenthood health centers and inform how Planned Parenthood speaks and acts to protect and expand access to care.
We want you to meet a few of the Black women who power Planned Parenthood — and to read in their own words how, in the work they do, they stand with Black women every day.
Ambalika Williams
Patient Advocacy Program Manager, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
1. How long have you worked at Planned Parenthood?
I’ve worked with Planned Parenthood for two years.
2. Why did you come to work at PP?
I moved from Texas to D.C. to pursue a career in reproductive health advocacy after watching Texas close over 30 abortion clinics because of HB 2.
3. What does standing with Black women mean to you?
Working towards a movement of reproductive freedom is personally important to me because I have been denied reproductive health care several times because I am a Black lesbian. I believe standing with Black women means actively working toward creating a world where Black women and femmes can thrive and have full control of their destiny.
Nia Martin-Robinson
Director of Black Leadership and Engagement, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
1. What has been your path within Planned Parenthood?
I just celebrated my three-year Planniversary this January. I came to Planned Parenthood in January of 2016 as a Regional Campaign Director and more recently joined the Strategic Partnerships Team as the Director of Black Leadership and Engagement.
2. Why did you come to work at PP?
Planned Parenthood is an essential part of the fight for Reproductive Freedom, but we cannot be successful and fulfill our mission of health care for all or achieve health equity unless we prioritize Black women — the health of Black women, the families of Black women, and the leadership of Black women. I brought my skills and expertise to Planned Parenthood because I wanted to be a part of the legacy of Black women who are fighting to ensure that Black women, girls and femmes are centered in every facet of our work.
3. What does standing with Black women mean to you?
Everyday, our communities are under attack. Our access to sexual and reproductive health care is in jeopardy. We stand with Black women because Black women have been the backbone of social movements in this country for centuries.
We stand with Black women for whom the “choice” in “pro-choice” does not apply, because of restrictive policies — Black women in the rural South, for example, who are hundreds of miles from the nearest health center or hospital, and who too often find their pain ignored and their decisions shamed.
Jamesa Bailey
Manager, Black Organizing Program, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
1. What has been your path within Planned Parenthood?
I have been at Planned Parenthood since July 2016. I first joined the PP team as a coordinator in our Government Relations team and then transitioned to our Organizing and Engagement team as a coordinator for our Constituency Organizing team. In September 2018, I was promoted to the Manager of the Black Organizing Program, a new formal program within the federation, and I am so honored and excited to grow our Black organizing work.
2. Why did you come to work at PP?
I didn’t know anything about Planned Parenthood until I got to college and I trusted Planned Parenthood of Dover, Del., to provide care for me while I was away. I didn’t feel always feel comfortable going to my campus health center, so I was grateful that Planned Parenthood gave me the non-judgmental and affordable health care that I needed. I came to work here to not only repay them for taking such good care of me, but to also educate people, particularly Black women, on all of their sexual and reproductive health care options.
3. What does standing with Black women mean to you?
The word stand is a verb, which means it requires an action. Standing with Black women means more than just wearing the shirt or using the hashtag. Standing with Black women means you see us, our bodies, experiences, and voices and not only do you see those things but you also respect and value them. Standing with Black women requires intentionality, respect, and a strong desire to not just want to give us a seat at the table, but to help create a table for us.
Monica Massamba
Regional Youth and Campus Organizer, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
1. What has been your path within Planned Parenthood?
I joined Planned Parenthood in 2017 as Regional Youth & Campus Organizer in the Organizing, Engagement, & Campaigns Department. I will be celebrating my two-year anniversary this March.
2. Why did you come to work at PP?
I came to work at PP because when I needed to get my own abortion, Planned Parenthood staff supported me in helping me find a local provider and access to the Carolina Abortion Fund. After the 2016 election, I knew that the threat of defunding was real and I wanted to help mobilize young people of color in the fight to protect health care for millions across the country.
3. What does standing with Black women mean to you?
Standing with Black women means believing us when we report an assault. Standing with Black women means trusting our leadership. Standing with Black women means taking our health concerns seriously. Standing with Black women means providing the highest level of healthcare to any of us no matter what.
Reproductive healthcare is not a luxury, and for Black women specifically, being in full control of our reproductive decisions can quite literally be a matter of life and death.
Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, Chief Medical Officer, Planned Parenthood of Maryland
“I work for Planned Parenthood because Black women want and deserve access to the full range of reproductive health care — but this persistent lie is threatening their ability to obtain it.“ - Tamika Turner
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