Protect and Support Black Women
Sisters,
Today, WE CAN is centering Black women. It’s not Black History Month, but there are several important things we need to highlight that directly affect Black women, and WE CAN needs your help to act in support of Black women.
Black Mamas Matter!
This week, April 11-17, 2024, is Black Maternal Health Week! Many of you know that Black women are at high risk for poor outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Black women are 3 or 4 times more likely than our white peers to die of complications that are mostly avoidable. After giving birth, one study found that Black women were two times more likely to report suicidal ideation in the immediate postpartum period in comparison to their White counterparts in the study. Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting should be joyous times in a woman’s life, not a tragedy for her family members to bear.
This week, we honor the memories of the Sisters lost by taking a stand and advocating for better access to quality, affordable, and culturally relevant care.
Take action today and demand that the U.S. Congress make policies, programs, and other resources available to stop the unnecessary death and harm Black women experience during childbirth, like those proposed in the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2023. Click below to send a letter asking your members of Congress to support Black mamas. #BlackMamasMatter!
Supporting Sisters Who Are Incarcerated!
On Wednesday, April 24th, the FreeHer March/Rally 2024 will occur in Washington, DC. This date marks the 10th anniversary of the first FreeHer Rally in 2014. The purpose of this national march and rally is to uplift the national FreeHer campaign to end the incarceration of women and girls and shift resources currently spent on women’s jails and prisons to reimagining investments in people and communities most impacted by incarceration. How can we ensure that every community has an effective response for addressing poverty, mental illness, lack of educational resources, and lack of housing? We are marching to encourage President Biden and state governors to exercise their clemency power to release women who are aging, elderly, terminally ill, and women known as ‘long-timers’ who have been incarcerated for decades for minor offenses.
Please mark your calendar and attend the FreeHer March on April 21st. If you can’t attend, please consider donating to the effort to post bail, cover legal expenses, and otherwise support the FreeHer movement.
Show Sister Angel Reese Love!
Last week, we saw a young Black woman repeatedly attacked in the media for simply being human. Angel Reese, Louisiana State University basketball phenom, led the Lady Tigers to the elite eight in the NCAA basketball tournament. This is a major achievement, given the tournament begins with 64 teams chasing the championship trophy. Last year, Angel led her team to the championship and has declared she will enter the WNBA after this season. During a post-game press conference, Angel admitted that she has been very unhappy ever since winning the title last year, even expressing regret that the amazing achievement happened. Why? Because she and her teammates have been criticized in the media for celebrating their victories and being happy Black women! There is so much to unpack here, but we all know the bottom line is persistent racism and discrimination that Black women experience for simply existing and exuding #BlackGirlMagic.
Let’s show Sister Angel some love! Let her know that she is seen and appreciated. Let her know that we STAND with her as she begins her WNBA career and in life. How can you support her?
Buy some Angel Reese Merchandise. Check out her website HERE and send her some love on social media. Let’s flood her Twitter and Instagram feeds with some Black Girl Love!
Protect Black Women. Love Black Women. Heal Black Women. Support Black Women. Honor Black Women.
In solidarity,
Stephanie McGencey, WE CAN President/Founder