The UPDATE | November 18, 2021

To Celebrate Black Babies Month, We Must Take Better Care of Black Parents and Infants

We join the Equity Research Action Coalition in celebrating the first ever national Black Babies Awareness Month this November. Black Babies Awareness Month highlights the importance of “protecting, promoting, and preserving the well-being of Black families and babies, according to the Coalition.” Nearly two-thirds of the 11.5 million Black babies in the United States live in families whose incomes are below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. In the District, rates of prenatal care for Black babies are much lower and infant mortality rates much higher than for White babies. The month-long campaign also lifts up the people, providers, and programs-- including Black parents, early educators, community leaders, and advocates--that work to meet the needs of Black babies.

Black Babies Awareness Month is part of the Coalition’s newly released National Black Child Agenda, which outlines bold steps designed to “dismantle structural racism and systemic inequities that have negative effects on Black children’s school and life success.”

ICYMI: Testimony on Trauma Team Promised for Homeless Youth

Last week DC Action Executive Director Kimberly Perry submitted testimony to the DC Council Committee on Human Services about the importance of youth-friendly, culturally competent, accessible mental health services for unhoused youth. This summer, the Department of Human Services pledged to create a trauma team to meet the needs of this population, but we haven’t yet heard any news or information about such a team.

Read, Watch, Listen

READ: The Black Swan Academy released Black Out for Black Power: the 2021 Black Youth Agenda to “encourage and inspire local legislators to change their policies and practices to better serve Black youth in the District.”

WATCH: More Perfect Union created an eight-minute video that explains How America Got (And Lost) Universal Child Care | The Class Room.

LISTEN: Nikole Hannah-Jones, author of the 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, which debuted this week, discusses how Black people shouldn’t be an asterix in American history in this WAMU interview.