By Shirley Hawkins
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — Black Women for Wellness, a community-based organization dedicated to reproductive justice issues that impact Black women and girls, held their 25th Reproductive Justice Conference Aug. 15 at the California Endowment Center.
More than 500 women attended the conference, entitled “A New Era of Justice: Our Bodies, Our Voice, Our Freedom,” to network and hear the latest developments on reproductive issues including increased access to health care, improved maternal and infant health outcomes and greater reproductive justice and equity.
The keynote speaker at the event was California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a staunch advocate for women’s reproductive rights.
Bonta was at the forefront in leading an investigation into statewide compliance with anti-implicit bias training for perinatal care providers, which found that not a single employee had been fully trained. As a result of the investigation, the attorney general sponsored new legislation to ensure successful implementation of state-mandated implicit bias training to reduce the disproportionate maternal mortality rate of Black women.
Bonta also released the first-ever report on reproductive health care in California jails, highlighting the importance of ensuring reproductive rights for incarcerated individuals. Finally, he has also defended access to abortion and contraception to ensure the privacy of patients receiving reproductive health care, to demand tech companies protect sensitive reproductive health data,and to protect those who come to California for care.
“I know like you know there is still more work to do (on reproductive justice),” Bonta said. ”Your work is a matter of life and death. We lead the world with the highest infant mortality rate in the world and Black women lead with 4% higher rates (than average). It is wrong and it must change. I see the deep seated obstructions that Black women face when it comes to reproductive justice.
“We need to move the needle, and we need to move it with impunity,” he added. “We are in the middle of making changes now.”
Janette Robinson-Flint, founder and executive director of Black Women for Wellness, has been working on reproductive justice issues that affect Black women and girls for nearly three decades.
She was surprised when she was ushered on stage and received commendations from several political leaders, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Attorney General Rob Bonta, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell,
U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan, City Councilwoman Heather Hutt and state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas.
“Black women’s bodies are on the line in this new era of justice ushered in by the Dodd decision, the conservative Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade, and the willingness of many state governments to erode a woman’s right to autonomy,” Flint said.
“Black women want to feel safe and heard in every aspect of their lives. Unfortunately, they have the highest mortality rates from giving birth, cancer outcomes and other health disparities.”
The community activist stressed that urgent changes needed to be made to improve the future of reproductive justice.
“First of all, I would say we really need to address the ingrained racism, sexism and misogyny in the current systems,” she said. “It doesn’t matter the tools that you have, because we’re always using the tools and always sharpening the tools, but the system needs to go. Let’s just get rid of the current system and start something new.
“Then while we’re creating that new system — and while we are negotiating and navigating the current system — I think an important thing to do is to open up the pipeline of health care providers,” Flint added. “And by pipeline, I mean we need more midwives, doulas, health educators, nurse practitioners, frontline staff and all the people who touch us as we try to secure perinatal health care.
“We need folks at the front desk. We need folks who draw blood. We need people who look like us, who share our culture and lived experience in the U.S. That is one way we begin to navigate better.
Flint suggested not going to the doctor’s office alone.
“You should always have an advocate with you,” she said. “It could be your mom, your auntie, your friend, your partner, your sister, whomever. It’s someone who can help you listen better, someone who can intervene if that is needed, and someone who can ask a question.
“That person is there as your advocate, your champion, your cheerleader and your coach to help you navigate a system that you know is wrought with racism, misogyny and not listening to Black women.
Flint urged women in attendance to be tough when dealing with medical professionals and be active participants in their health care needs.
“You need to claim your power,” she said. “So however you claim your power — the affirmations you do every day, the questions you write down, the health education you seek, the classes you go to — you need to be an active participant in your health care.
“That means that if something doesn’t feel right, if something doesn’t sound right, if you have questions, if you don’t agree, you have to open your mouth. You have to be empowered. You have to be that active participant in your health care so you get what you need and you are heard.
