WATCH: Conference addresses racial disparities in maternal care

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Health care providers, advocates, and community members filled Canisius University’s Science Hall on Saturday for the Black Mamas: The Fight to be Heard conference.

The event, hosted by the Buffalo Center for Health Equity and Jericho Road Community Health Center, focused on informing the community about mental health around the time of birth, and solutions to address racial disparities in maternal care.

“Well, it’s important because … it’s a public health problem,” Buffalo Center for Health Equity CEO Pastor George Nicholas said. “We have a lot of conversations where people talk about, you know, the right to life. Well, the right to life, you know, is something that’s very important.”

Nicholas said black women are facing serious issues as it relates to maternal health.

 
“In New York State, African American women are three to four times more likely to have a negative health outcome as it relates to the birthing process, and that goes across economic things,” Nicholas said.

Throughout the conference, people heard from a number of professionals; experts discussed several topics, such as family planning and reproductive health equity.

Nicholas said the partnership with the Jericho Road Community Health Center has been a game changer.

“One of the problems that we have is, we don’t have enough people that look like Black women that are in this service providing; they do, you know, they have a great facility over there on Doat Street,” Nicholas said.

This was the second annual conference, and Nicholas hopes they continue in the future.

“Coming together, you know, I think that the solutions to all the problems that we have within our community is found in relationship building and folks coming together to work together. And so, this is another opportunity to do that,” Nicholas said.

More information about the Jericho Road Community Health Center and the Buffalo Center for Health Equity is available on their websites.