The Collaborative
An African American and American Indian Led Coalition Advancing Maternal Health And Birth Justice in Our Communities.
The Birth Justice Collaborative (BJC) was launched in 2022, when four African American and American Indian led organizations partnered with Hennepin County to engage their communities in co-designing strategies to improve birth outcomes for their communities. We are now using that knowledge and wisdom to implement five priority strategies.
“Our confidence lies in American Indian and African American community members to identify and help realize the strategies that reflect the future we wish to live into through re-connection with cultural strengths and wisdom, while concurrently addressing structural racism and other barriers to maternal health and well-being.” -Birth Justice Collaborative Partners
Our Strategies
Acknowledge and Address Impacts of Racism
Advocate for and Radically Reform Policy and Payment
Expand Culturally Meaningful Workforce Pathways
Advance and Expand Anti-Bias Accountability Programs
Invest in a Network of Trusted Cultural Providers and Resources
“We know what keeps us safe. Devastating pregnancy outcomes for American Indian and African American relatives isn’t a choice we have to keep making.” -Corenia Smith, Collective Action Lab
