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OP-ED: Improving Maternal Health Care in America

NNPA NEWSWIRE — As a Republican and as a Democrat we have made a conscious decision to work closely together on this issue in our respective home states of Louisiana and North Carolina. Yet, we also know that disparities in maternal health and mortality are national problems that warrant effective and timely congressional, statewide, and local responses and remedies.

Published

3 years ago

July 20, 2022

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BY SEN. WILLIAM “BILL” CASSIDY (R-LA.) AND BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR, | The Hill

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Black women experience maternal mortality two to three times higher than that of white women. The estimated national maternal mortality rate in the United States is about 17 per 100,000 live births –– but it is about 43 per100,000 live births for Black women.

We both are advocates and supporters of proposals that address public health disparities in America, particularly with respect to inequities concerning the maternal mortality rates of Black women. As we bring awareness this week to Black Maternal Mental Health Week, we shine a light on an issue that should transcend partisan divisions and the racial divide that unfortunately persists across the nation.

As a Republican and as a Democrat we have made a conscious decision to work closely together on this issue in our respective home states of Louisiana and North Carolina. Yet, we also know that disparities in maternal health and mortality are national problems that warrant effective and timely congressional, statewide, and local responses and remedies.

The two of us have been actively involved in addressing various social inequities for decades from the formidable days of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to today, in our communities and in our nation’s capital. In addition, our two families have had a positive history in the medical, health care, and environmental fields.

But what really served as a catalyst that enabled us to initiate a public bipartisan unity and resolve to work together going forward to address the issues of maternal mortality and other matters that impact the quality of life of all Americans was simply our mutual impatience with the current widening, unproductive partisan divide in Washington, D.C., and throughout nearly all the state legislatures.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr once prophetically affirmed, “We must be impatient with injustice.” We are impatient with the injustice of nonproductive political polarization in America. We also believe that beyond the labels and aisles of our different political parties, there is both an opportunity and a responsibility to work together to address the systemic injustices and disparities of our nation.

Fortunately, there are some recent successful bipartisan actions by the U.S. Congress that each of us have personally supported and endorsed. The John Lewis National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Endowment Revitalization Act is now law. This new law provides funds to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to conduct research into and to address minority health disparities.

Also, the Maternal Health Quality Improvement (MHQI) Act enacted by the U.S. Congress is now law. The MHQI Act looks specifically at reducing maternal mortality among Black women and other minority women and creates racial and ethnic bias training programs for health care providers while studying best practices to reduce and prevent discrimination in the American health care system.

But there is much more that needs to be done to ensure equality and equity in how our nation provides the highest quality health care to all. Today the U.S. Congress should also pass the Connected Maternal Online Monitoring Services (MOM) Act that will allow Medicaid to cover remotely monitoring pregnant women from their homes who are at a higher risk of complications. Imagine a woman in her third trimester of a high-risk pregnancy having to take public transportation to the doctor’s every two weeks for a check-up. Instead, with the passage of the MOM Act, the doctor can remotely monitor the mother’s vital signs and basic labs. If a problem arises, home health care providers or an ambulance can be sent.

Lastly, there is also a bipartisan bill, the Telemental Health Care Access Act, that Congress should pass. That bill would reduce barriers to telemedicine and make health care more accessible to Medicare patients. We witnessed the success of telehealth services during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We call on all Americans to be united to address maternal mortality. Let’s eliminate racial disparity in all health outcomes but especially among those about to give birth or who have just given birth. Let’s pass the other proposed health care reforms and support the research to make our nation’s health care more system effective, fair, equitable, and just.

Senator William “Bill” Cassidy (Republican) is an American physician and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Louisiana, a seat he has held since 2015. He served in the Louisiana State Senate from 2006 to 2009 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009 to 2015. Cassidy sponsored the John Lewis National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Endowment Revitalization Act; the Maternal Health Quality Improvement (MHQI) Act; the Connected Maternal Online Monitoring Services (MOM) Act; and the Telemental Health Care Access Act. Senator Cassidy can be reached at Cassidy.senate.gov.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr, (Democrat), worked as the North Carolina Youth Coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr; civil rights icon and former Executive Director and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); chemist and first to coin the term “environmental racism,” and is currently president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and executive producer/host of The Chavis Chronicles on PBS TV stations across the nation, and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org

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#NNPA BlackPress

Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

1 week ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

Stacy M. Brown

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#NNPA BlackPress

Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

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#NNPA BlackPress

WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: