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Annual Report 2020 - 2021 birthequity.org

Defining the Problem Birth Equity Deﬁned

It’s Racism, Not Race

Maternal Mortality Around the World

Black Maternal Mortality in the U.S.

birth equity (noun): 1. The assurance of the conditions of optimal births for all people with a willingness to address racial and social inequities in a sustained effort. -Joia Crear-Perry, MD

Founder & President National Birth Equity Collaborative 3

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world where maternal mortality is rising. And, the U.S. has nearly the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income countries. Each year, approximately 700 American women die during pregnancy, childbirth or subsequent complications. — Forbes, August 2021 4

The Problem: It’s Racism, NOT Race In the US, Black pregnant women and birthing people are 2-3 times more likely than white women to die during pregnancy, labor, and within a year of childbirth. This is true despite socioeconomic factors and social determinants such as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age. A history of racism follows us to the present day: modern gynecology was founded on medical leaders such as J. Marion Sims performing experiments on enslaved Black women. Today, medical workers routinely dismiss Black women’s pain or believe Black people feel less pain than white counterparts. During the 2019 Gates Foundation GoalKeepers event on Bias in Maternal Health in the US - Dr. Joia Cear-Perry outlined her own experiences giving birth and why it is “...racism, not race” that is killing Black mamas and their babies.

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Even when accounting for social determinants, Black pregnant women and birthing people in the U.S. die at 2.5 times the rate as their non-Black counterparts.

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ABOUT NBEC History + Foundation

Mission, Vision + Values

Our People + Teams

Impact + Growth

History + Foundation The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) is one of the nation’s leading experts and an advocate for change in the Black maternal health and infant mortality crises. As an organization focused on the sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing of Black women and birthing people world-wide, NBEC creates transnational solutions that optimize Black maternal, infant, sexual, and reproductive wellbeing. Established in 2015, NBEC was created to combat the increasing rate of infant mortality within the most marginalized populations—Black and Brown people. As an OB/GYN, Founder Dr. Joia Crear-Perry witnessed the disparities experienced by Black women and birthing people, as well as children dying during childbirth and the postnatal period. Recognizing that ensuring better care for Black babies had to start with better care for Black mamas, NBEC expanded its mission to focus more on the mother’s experience along with baby’s in hopes of creating safe and healthy conditions for both moms and their babies. A major aspect of this work has included raising awareness of the crises and offering actionable solutions. With the launch of its training program, NBEC began training providers and birthing facilities on ways they could be more equitable in delivering care to Black and Brown birthing people. But with every step forward it became clear that to truly solve the Black maternal mortality crisis, this fight must be fought on several different fronts. It is through this expanded focus that NBEC has evolved to become one of the leading organizations within the maternal mortality crisis, using advocacy, collaboration, strategic communications, policy, research, training, and technical assistance to accomplish its mission. Through these channels, NBEC not only hopes to help to significantly curb the maternal and infant mortality rate but to also shift the culture within public health, creating an all-around more equitable and respectful level of care for all women, birthing people, and their babies.

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Mission NBEC creates transnational solutions that optimize Black maternal, infant, sexual and reproductive well-being. We shift systems and culture through training, research, technical assistance, policy, advocacy and community-centered collaboration.

Vision

Our vision is that all Black mamas, their babies and their villages THRIVE.

Values NBEC’s core values are: Radical Joy • Reproductive & Sexual Freedom • Black Lives Sisterhood (collaborataion) • Anti-racism/Decolonization • Power • Black Feminism/Womanism

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Founder + President Joia A. Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG is a physician, policy expert, thought leader and advocate for transformational justice. As the founder and president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC), she identifies and challenges racism as a root cause of health inequities. She is a highly sought-after birth equity and racial health disparities expert and speaker who has been featured in numerous publications and news outlets including NPR, ABC News, Forbes, Washington Post, Glamour, Essence, Ms. Magazine, Bloomberg, etc. to name just a few. Dr. Crear-Perry has received numerous awards for her work as a health advocate exploring racial disparities in the industry including from the National Organization of Women (NOW), USA Today's Women of the Century, USA Families, Balm in Gilead, etc. Dr. Crear-Perry has addressed the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights multiple times to elevate the cause of gender diversity and urge a human rights framework toward addressing maternal mortality. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Birthing Project, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Jefferson Community Healthcare Center and as the Director of Clinical Services for the City of New Orleans Health Department.

Dr. Joia Crear-Perry

Dr. Crear-Perry currently serves as a Principal at Health Equity Cypher and on the Board of Trustees for Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Community Catalyst, National Clinical Training Center for Family Planning and the UCSF PTBi. She is an Adjunct Professor at Tulane School of Public Health. After completing undergraduate studies at Princeton University and Xavier University, Dr. Crear-Perry received her M.D. from Louisiana State University and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. She is married to Dr. Andre Perry and has three children: Jade, Carlos, and Robeson. Her love is her family; health equity is her passion; maternal and child health are her callings.

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Advisory Board

Learn More

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Executive Leadership Team

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Team Leads

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Our Team of Experts ●

Research + Strategy is the engine that drives all of NBEC’s work. Our team of researchers work to uncover data, lead studies, publish articles,

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Birth Equity Research Scholars provide research and evaluation support for NBEC’s programmatic teams including developing research

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Policy + Advocacy is responsible for managing NBEC’s Federal, State, and Local policy and advocacy priorities. Our Policy Shop uses a

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Transnational Birth Equity leads NBEC’s global projects, advocacy, and partnerships, as well as internal community care for staff. Their

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Birth Equity + Innovation focuses on developing cutting-edge strategies that address the root causes of birth inequities, including evictions and

and prepare presentation materials of their ﬁndings of the ever-changing landscape of Black maternal health.

and evaluating proposals, plans, analyses, and reports. Scholars inform organizational research and evaluation practices that center Black women and decolonized research methodologies. reproductive justice lens to make recommendations to elected ofﬁcials, key stakeholders, and community-based advocacy groups in an effort to advance birth equity through policy, practice, and programs. initiatives are centered on learning from Black women globally, unpacking the harms of the family planning framework, and addressing the impact of climate change and environmental racism on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to embed a reproductive justice lens within global programming, funding and relations. unstable housing, community violence, and the climate crisis.

TRAINING

RESEARCH

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

POLICY

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ADVOCACY

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION 14

Our Team of Experts ●

Training + Evaluation works alongside Community Based Organizations (CBOs), hospitals, and health systems, to assess organizational capacity

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Technical Assistance + Business Development works hand in hand with organizations, communities, and stakeholders to develop and

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Development, Marketing + Communications is responsible for propagating the work and mission of NBEC through strategic

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Business Operations handles all of NBEC’s internal administrative functions and is comprised of the Finance, Compliance, Legal, Information

to advance birth equity and conduct responsive training and evaluation planning. NBEC’s core services center around its Birth Equity Assessment, an organizational readiness and equity assessment, and seminal training series. Utilizing a combination of these tools and technical assistance, we support organizations in developing a “Culture of Birth Equity” that ensures equitable outcomes for all birthing people. implement strategies to achieve health equity goals as well as provides training and technical assistance for organizations that value community voices and strive to improve the lives of Black families, in line with NBEC’s deﬁnition of true Birth Equity. communications and fundraising outreach. The strategic communications team works to shift the culture of the Black maternal and child health space by amplifying the voices of those most disenfranchised—Black women and Black birthing people. Technology, and Human Resource departments.

TRAINING

RESEARCH

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

POLICY

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ADVOCACY

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION 15

Impact In 2020, the nation and the world shifted its focus to consider the longstanding impact that systemic racism has had on America’s systems and infrastructures and the resulting legacy of racism, white supremacy, gender oppression, physical and psychological harm, danger and even, at times, death, for those giving birth while Black. NBEC, along with other Black-women led organizations and collaboration partners, has been a leading advocate drawing desperately needed attention to the Black maternal health and infant mortality crises here in the U.S. and around the world. In just six short years since its inception, Black maternal health and mortality inequities have finally begun to capture the attention of mainstream media in the United States. Coverage by national news outlets is the result of decades of scholarly research, advocacy, and storytelling about the ways in which America’s substandard maternal health system is particularly harmful to Black people who are pregnant and giving birth.

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Our voices are often the most effective tool for change. NBEC’s strategic communications and messaging is how we cause culture shift and improve healthcare for Black birthing people.

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Media & Branding Impact

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NBEC in the News Harper’s Bazaar: We Should All Be Talking About America’s Black Maternal Health Crisis

Ms. Magazine: Taking Politics Out of Women’s Health

Rewire News Group: Race Isn’t a Risk Factor in Maternal Health. Racism Is

CBS News: How Climate Change Threatens Pregnant NBEC hosts Climate Justice is Reproductive Justice Women and their Fetuses panels during Climate Week 2021

Washington Post: Say Her Name - Dr. Susan Moore

Health Affairs Journal: Pathways To Equitable and Antiracist Maternal Mental Health Care

NPR’s The Takeaway w/Melissa Harris-Perry: Abortion is Back in the Supreme Court (podcast)

Forbes: “Envision Equality” series

CBS News: Studies ﬁnd that Black women at a Higher Risk for Miscarriage

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Colorlines.com: Why Naming 'Race' As The Factor Behind Black Women's High Rates of Maternal Mortality Is Counterproductive 19

NBEC in the News Human Rights Watch: Include Maternal Health in Climate Change Action

Healthday: Why Black Women Are Less Likely to Survive Pregnancy, and What’s Being Done About It

NBEC calls for a White House Ofﬁce of Sexual & Reproductive Health & Wellbeing (OSRHW)

Dr. Joia testiﬁes at the House Oversight Committee Hearing on Birthing While Black

NBEC hosts Black Maternal Health Awareness Week

NBEC hosts Climate Justice is Reproductive Justice panels during Climate Week 2021

PBS Newshour: Dr. Joia speaks about the low COVID vaccination rates among pregnant Americans

NBEC collaborates with the Brookings Institution on a report about the racial implications of medical debt

GMA 2021 Inspiration List: Dr. Joia listed as an inﬂuential ﬁgure making Black history in maternal and infant health

Dr. Joia recognized by CNN as one of the leading advocates for Black maternal health

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Dr. Joia Crear-Perry Founder & President NBEC

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Dr. Joia Crear-Perry Founder & President NBEC

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Dr. Joia Crear-Perry Founder & President NBEC

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Dr. Joia Crear-Perry Founder & President NBEC

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Our Work Programming + Initiatives

Program Highlights

Financial Statement

Ways to Support Our Work

Programming + Initiatives Respectful Maternity Care Birth Equity Trainings & Assessments Birth Worker & Patient Advocacy Birth Justice Fund Rapid Response

White House Ofﬁce of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Wellbeing Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 Black Maternal Health Supreme Court Amicus Brief Equitable Maternal Health Coalition

Safer Childbirth Cities Maternal Telehealth Access Project (MTAP) Saving the Lives of Moms & Babies Series Infant & Maternal Health CBO

Climate Justice is Reproductive Justice Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership Birth Equity Scholars Fellowship Program Global Learning

COVID-19 Vaccine Information Campaign Strategic Communications Op-Eds & Press Briefs Documentary Films

Black Maternal Health Awareness Week National Infertility Awareness Week AIM Community Care Initiative (HRSA) ACOG Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health

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Dr. Joia Crear-Perry Founder & President NBEC

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Program Highlights Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) NBEC and an array of clinical, philanthropic, academic, and community-based partners are creating tools and a supporting infrastructure to support better birth outcomes with its Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) - a cyclical framework for training on anti-racist maternity care. With major funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, RMC is an actionable tool to liberate patients, from biased practices and beliefs, structural and institutional racism. RMC is a radical shift in practice to reduce inequities in birth outcomes. Providers are trained and socialized to practice in ways that perpetuate racial biases. Establishing Respectful Maternity Care is normalizing a new model of care at the core of medical practice! By 2022, NBEC’s Respectful Maternity Care will create quality improvement tools, uplift community members as health system change agents, and educate providers on anti-racist maternity care. 32

Program Highlights Respectful Maternity Care Collaborative (RMCC) NBEC eststablished the Respectful Maternity Care Collaborative (RMCC), a formalized partnership of stakeholders across the United States, dedicated to improving maternal outcomes for Black birthing people with funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) in 2021. The long-term objective of this project is to create a sustainable research infrastructure for RMCC members to conduct research that is responsive to the needs of and centers Black birthing people. The collaborative’s primary activities will involve creating training tools and structured opportunities for individuals and organizations to engage in patient-centered research as critical stakeholders, and build the conﬁdence of members as they design and lead research,and learn from one another. RMCC will train stakeholders in fostering a safe space in which to do this work with Black birthing people and provide training to build knowledge of patient-centered outcomes research among membership. This synergy will lead to a long-term build-up of a Black maternal health research agenda that is led by Black birthing people. 33

Program Highlights Safer Childbirth Cities (SCC) Safer Childbirth Cities is part of a $500 million initiative by Merck to reduce the racial inequities we see in maternal health outcomes and address both the health and social factors that affect a healthy pregnancy and safe childbirth. The initiative is designed to foster local solutions that help cities become safer and more equitable places to give birth. Through SCC, NBEC will develop a harmonized set of indicators for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the Safer Childbirth Cities initiative and will align monitoring of SCC with other like-minded national-level investments and policies.

Program Highlights Transnational Birth Equity NBEC’s Transnational Birth Equity Team leads the org’s global projects, advocacy, and partnerships, exploring ways to uplift the sexual and reproductive wellbeing of Black birthing people transnationally through programming that includes family planning, climate justice, international advocacy, and research. NBEC’s initiatives are centered on learning from Black women globally, unpacking the harms of the family planning framework, and addressing the impact of climate change and environmental racism on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) to embed a reproductive justice lens within global programming, funding and relations. In 2022, NBEC willl host an event at the Commission on the Status of Women in partnership with (Global Fund for Women and UNFPA) on the effects of Climate Change on birthing persons of African descent, work to shift power towards our global partners through centering Black intellectuals and researchers in Latin America by hosting a bi-monthly Book Club as well as a Transnational Film Festival in Fall ‘22 that will amplify the sexual and reproductive priorities of Black communities in the US and Latin America. 35

Dr. Joia Crear-Perry Founder & President NBEC

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Program Highlights Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership Howard University launched its Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership in Fall 2021 as part of a consortium sponsored by Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company created by Melinda French Gates. The consortium will be a partnership between the National Birth Equity Collaborative, Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s African American Policy Forum, The Policy Academies, and Howard University’s Gender Equity Center and will focus on researching Black women’s issues in the US. NBEC will play a major strategic role in the consortium’s Center for Birth Equity Research and Praxis (CBERP) which will serve as a hub for research and policy on the sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing of Black mamas, babies, and their villages across the African diaspora. CBERP is being developed in partnership with The Brookings Institution, Tulane University, and Morehouse School of Medicine. 37

Financial Statement Revenue

Unrestricted Revenue - Gen Ops Unrestricted Revenue

Unrestricted Revenue - Donations Foundations/Corporate Individual

Unrestricted Revenue - Other

Earned Income (Training and Tech Assistance)

Restricted Revenue - Programs

Respectful Maternity Care/ Mothers' Voices Maternal Telehealth Access Project (HRSA) Birth Equity Scholars Fellowship Program Global Learning Birth Justice Fund Safer Childbirth Cities PCORI Research Project Defund Family Planning Equitable Maternal Health Coalition Merck for Mothers AIM Community Care Initiative (HRSA) Empowering Health Grant ACOG Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (HRSA) Infant and Maternal Health CBO Grant

2021 $1,600,000 $1,600,000

$300,000 $250,000 $50,000

$455,000 $455,000

$2,464,556 $515,053 $373,151 $300,000 $250,000 $220,000 $200,000 $145,352 $130,000 $101,250 $88,500 $63,750 $50,000 $17,500 $10,000

Total Unrestricted Revenue Total Restricted Revenue

Total Revenue

Expenses NBEC Staffing Fringe benefits @ 24% SubContractors, CBOs, and Consultants Other Costs - Office Space, Staff Travel, Meetings 10% for Fiscal Sponsorship Fee

Total Expenses

Annual Gross Income Revenue - Expenses

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$2,355,000 $2,464,556

$4,819,556

2021 $2,245,917 $539,020 $1,358,365 $160,609 $481,956

$4,785,866

2021 $33,690

**The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) is a fiscally-sponsored program of the Foundation for Louisiana (FFL) a nonprofit charitable organization with a 501(c)(3) designation. All gifts made to NBEC through its fiscal sponsor are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law.**

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How You Can Help Support Our Work ENGAGE with content and research from organizations like NBEC devoted to ending the Black maternal health crisis; follow/share information and articles from reliable resources on social media to help dispel common misconceptions about the crisis facing Black mamas and their babies. SUPPORT legislation and policy that empowers marginalized communities on the federal, state, and local levels PARTNER with organizations on the front lines of the Black maternal health crisis and promote the work being done by Black women-centered and led orgs ADVOCATE for Black women and pregnant people to experience respectful maternity care and for all women and birthing people to have full bodily autonomy DONATE to organizations like NBEC & others ﬁghting for Black women and birthing people

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Thank You!

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