First Year Cleveland

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So grateful for the opportunity to speak at today's 2024 March of Dimes Prematurity Press Conference in Columbus. Thank you Bianca Zarders MPH and the MOD team for allowing space to share First Year Cleveland 's policy agenda and collective impact work driven by the communities we serve to support full term healthy pregnancies. It was great to share the podium with a few of the powerful women driving impactful work across the state, especially one of my sister C's Danielle P. Tong, MPH, LSW , Executive Director of CelebrateOne. We even got a chance to tour the March of Dimes Mobile Health clinic, providing OB care to women across Ohio!

So grateful for the opportunity to speak at today's 2024 March of Dimes Prematurity Press Conference in Columbus. Thank you Bianca Zarders MPH and the MOD team for allowing space to share First Year Cleveland 's policy agenda and collective impact work driven by the communities we serve to support full term healthy pregnancies. It was great to share the podium with a few of the powerful women driving impactful work across the state, especially one of my sister C's Danielle P. Tong, MPH, LSW , Executive Director of CelebrateOne. We even got a chance to tour the March of Dimes Mobile Health clinic, providing OB care to women across Ohio!

Yesterday at our quarterly Community Partner Gathering, we gathered to learn about the factors impacting Infant Vitality and to foster community connections around this critical issue. The meeting spotlighted the essential role of healthcare in enhancing maternal and child health, specifically in supporting the pregnancy and birthing experiences of our families. We extend our gratitude to Cleveland Clinic, The MetroHealth System (Cleveland, OH), and University Hospitals for sharing their strategies to meet the needs of pregnant women and their families. We were also pleased to welcome Cradle Cincinnati, who shared insights into their Mama Certified initiative, emphasizing healthcare system transparency and accountability to improve maternal and infant health. A heartfelt thank you and shoutout to our speakers for their valuable knowledge, expertise, and insights: ? Rasheeda (Woods) Larkin, MPA / Diversity, Equity & Belonging Strategist & Manager, University Hospitals Ahuja Center for Women & Children Programs ? Amy Lowell, CNM-APRN, MSN / Director of Midwifery, The MetroHealth System (Cleveland, OH) New Midwifery Program ? Monique Yoder Katsuki, MD, MPH / OB/Gyn Hospitalist, Cleveland Clinic TeamBirth ? Meredith Shockley-Smith, PhD / Executive Director, Cradle Cincinnati Founder, Queens Village ? Lauren Everett, MPH / Associate Director, Cradle Cincinnati Mark your calendars for our next gathering on February 6th, where we’ll focus on data-driven approaches to making a difference.

Grateful for our partnerships!

It’s #ElectionDay! During a time when women’s rights and DEI efforts are threatened and economic stability seems unachievable, I humbly ask everyone to use your voice and be an advocate for our communities through advocacy efforts that translate into supportive and sustainable environments to thrive. This can be done by voting in EVERY election, working with local legislatures to reform policies to ensure paid family leave, livable wages, affordable housing, and accountable healthcare, and most importantly, listening to our families because they know what they need. See you at the polls!

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and it’s crucial to highlight the alarming fact that the U.S. remains one of the most dangerous developed countries for childbirth, particularly for women and babies of color. At First Year Cleveland, we are committed to changing this narrative. Join us in our mission to reduce racial inequities in maternal health. Together, we can support meaningful interventions and create a safer environment for all families. Click the link in our bio to learn how you can participate in our upcoming Community Partner meeting!

First Year Cleveland, together with?the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at CWRU, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, School of Medicine, and Schubert Center for Child Studies hosted over 120 Case Western Reserve University and community members to mark the 5th anniversary of Toxic: A Black Woman’s Story. Envisioned, filmed and premiered in Cleveland 5 years ago, Toxic follows Nina, a Black pregnant woman in her second trimester of pregnancy. The film depicts the cumulative effects of toxic, racialized stress Nina experiences in a single day—and how that stress contributes to infant mortality. Following the film, tables of students, community partners, faculty and staff?explored how our own bias, history, and racist systems must be named and dismantled to build communities where families can thrive.?In 2021, Black babies made up 35 percent of births in Cuyahoga County and 59 percent of infant deaths.?Black mothers in Greater Cleveland are four times more likely to experience the death of their baby than white mothers, regardless of socioeconomic status.?First Year Cleveland, housed at the Mandel School, believes everyone has a role to play in ensuring that every baby born in Greater Cleveland will celebrate a first birthday. Toxic, and the accompanying discussion guide, can be purchased here: toxicshortfilm.com

“Yes we can talk about social determinants of health, but we have to admit they are rooted in a racist system with a profound impact to all communities of color.” - Angela Newman-White On Saturday, Angela spoke to hundreds of women at the Celebrate Sisterhood event, where she educated them on infant mortality and the unique challenges Black families face in Cleveland. She also shared the ABCDE’s of safe sleep. (Alone. Back. Crib. Don’t Smoke. Educate everyone.) We are grateful for Angela’s leadership and expertise in the mission to help every baby celebrate their first birthday!

This year, our Executive Director, Angela Newman-White, will be a featured speaker at Celebrate Sisterhood! We are grateful to Cleveland Clinic for their commitment to advancing health equity and building stronger healthcare in Cuyahoga County. Celebrate Sisterhood is all about educating, energizing, and empowering multicultural women to embrace self-care and we are excited to attend tomorrow! #CelebrateSisterhood #HealthEquity #WomenEmpowerment #SelfCare