African Americans in the United States experience the highest infant mortality rates compared to any other racial or ethnic group, highlighting the critical need for comprehensive change. The Black Pearls Society, Wake County Government, and Wake Area Health Education Center are partnering to present the 3rd Annual Black Maternal & Infant Health Conference on Thursday, Aug. 14. The conference will gather health professionals, advocates, and community leaders from across North Carolina to collaboratively address these disparities and strive for improved health outcomes.

The full-day educational event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the McKimmon Conference & Training Center at NC State.

“The number of infant and adult lives lost is a clear calling for an urgent response,” stated Wake County Commissioner Safiyah Jackson. “We can’t continue to ask black mothers to be resilient without addressing the root causes that make resilience necessary.This conference is about reimagining how we support the birthing experience and the first year of life-through policy, practice and the power of community.”

This year’s theme, Healing the Water: Transforming Systems for Black Maternal & Infant Health, emphasizes the systemic factors influencing birth experiences and outcomes. The conference aims to shift the focus from individual responsibility to collective strategies that improve the environment in which Black birthing individuals receive care.

Conference participants will engage in an evidence-based exchange of ideas, lessons, and best practices across various disciplines. The event will highlight the power of partnerships in promoting culturally responsive and equitable care, from intra-professional collaborations to community-led initiatives. Session topics will include antiracist clinical practices,community-based doula support,perinatal mental health,and policy changes.

Conference Aims to Fix Systems, Not Individuals

“We are doing a better job as a society to talk the talk of understanding the impact of systems and structures, but even as we say those words, we aren’t always keeping our analysis or our solutions at the systems and structures levels,” said conference co-chair Dr. Stephanie Baker, member of the Black pearls Society, Inc. and Associate Professor of Public Health at Elon University. “We hope to move more people towards analyzing and fixing systems rather of a hyperfocus on individuals.”

“We can’t continue to ask Black mothers to be resilient without addressing the root causes that make resilience necessary.”
– Safiyah Jackson, Wake County Commissioner

The conference registration fee is $50, which includes access to all sessions, a continental breakfast, lunch, conference materials, and parking. Continuing education credits will be available through Wake AHEC.

Black Maternal and Infant Health Conference

Now in its third year, the Black Maternal & Infant health Conference is growing as a key venue for learning, networking, and progress across the state.

The conference originated as an initiative of the Black Pearls Society, Inc. to raise awareness of persistent racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. The inaugural conference took place in Guilford County and included a screening of the AfterShock Documentary, which tells the story of Shamony Gibson’s death after childbirth. Last year’s event, held in Durham County, featured the dads for Doulas institution, highlighting the crucial role of fathers.

This year’s conference will concentrate on the systems and structures that contribute to racial inequities.

For more information and to register for the event, visit wake.gov/BMIH.

Sponsor the Conference

Sponsorship opportunities are available for organizations and businesses interested in supporting this vital work. Sponsorships will help fund conference scholarships, event logistics, and expanded access for community-based participants. Sponsors will receive recognition in conference materials and during the event.

Those interested can learn more here.