Claremont, Calif. (April 21, 2023)—From April 28 to 29, Pitzer College is hosting the Midwifery is Public Health (MIPH) conference, which will explore the historic and ongoing legacy of Black midwives. As one of the organizers, Pitzer Professor of Sociology Alicia Bonaparte is excited to share her passion for Black community health and birthing with the local community.
“[MIPH] attendees will be able to join, learn, and celebrate Black midwives’ contributions to public health!” said Bonaparte. “This conference was a small dream of mine, and I’ve teamed up with an amazing steering committee and organizers.”
MIPH is designed for present and future public health practitioners, educators, researchers, and advocates; health professions curriculum coordinators; and students interested in becoming midwives, nurses, doulas, or public health practitioners.
MIPH includes speakers who are experts in: the history of Black midwifery; the critical role of Black midwives in the perinatal health landscape; and public health education, research, and practice. Participants will experience theme-oriented presentations, panel discussions, and workshops designed to integrate Black midwifery into the public health curricula.
The keynote speakers include Monica McLemore, a professor at the University of Washington (UW), and Nikia Grayson, chief clinical officer and certified nurse midwife at CHOICES Memphis Center for Reproductive Health.
McLemore is a scholar of antiracist birth equity research, community-informed methods, and policy translation. She retired from active clinical practice after a 28-year career when she was awarded tenure at UW in 2019. Grayson is an experienced nurse midwife with a demonstrated history of working in the medical practice industry and with skills in healthcare, basic life support, medical anthropology, and public health.
Topics at MIPH include the history of Black midwifery, public health research, reproductive justice, and more. You can learn more about MIPH and register for the conference here.
The MIPH conference is made possible with generous support from ACNM Caucus of Black Midwives for Reproductive Justice and Birth Equity, ACNM Foundation, Birth Center Equity, Birthing Cultural Rigor LLC, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Black Women for Wellness, California Healthcare Foundation, Charles Drew University, Commonsense Childbirth, Inc., Elephant Circle, Funders for Birth Justice and Equity, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Orchid Capital, Quilted Health, and the University of Washington.
