JOIN US ON SEPT 21st, 2025 10:30AM-1PM with the Museum of Motherhood at FloridaRAMA
Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn, Mini-Conference
Sponsored by FloridaRAMA
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States spends more per birth than any other similarly industrialized nation in the world, yet maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the US are far worse than in any other peer nation. US maternal death rates have risen substantially among all US women in recent years, but maternal death rates are the highest for Black women living in the Southern US.
The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health reports that in 2024, Florida’s rate of maternal death was more than 3 times higher for Black women (50.5 deaths per 100,000 live births) as compared to white women (14.5 mortality rate).
Maternal death rates, and associated racial disparities, are expected to worsen in the near future amidst proposed cuts to Medicaid that will drastically impact both maternal and infant healthcare. Nearly 40% of all births in Pinellas County were paid for by Medicaid last year. Black women and their babies will undoubtedly suffer the most from Medicaid cuts with both maternal and infant mortality rates expected to rise as a result of funding cuts to these programs.
The fate of Black women and their families does not have to be predetermined; the purpose of Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn is to collaborate with local birth workers and healthcare professionals to understand the causes and correlates of challenges to Black women’s maternal health in order to implement changes in Pinellas county.
To improve Black maternal health, health care itself must make institutional and structural changes to transform the delivery and quality of care. Decision makers at all policy levels must establish comprehensive policy change to address the social drivers impacting health, such as the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that also affect a wide range of quality-of-life outcomes.
WE ARE HARD AT WORK SEARCHING OUT VIRTUAL OPTIONS FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. STAY TUNED. ALSO, YOU CAN MAKE JOIN OUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE TO SUPPORT THE WORK.
LET US LIFT EACH OTHER UP – TOGETHER WE RISE
Even if you can’t join us in person, you can support the cause!
Presentation Panelists
Courtney West is a proud St. Petersburg native and the owner of 3 Gems Birth Services where everyone deserves care. Courtney is a full spectrum doula, doula educator, and a licensed practical nurse with a background in pediatric home health, and mental health nursing. Courtney has led several initiatives at MoM.
Shamella “Mel” Joy is a trauma-informed therapist, her background includes working with veterans and refugee families, providing her with extensive experience in helping clients process and heal from past traumas and PTSD. Mel’s passion lies in supporting new parents grappling with the challenges of postpartum life, as well as those facing the uncertainties of fertility struggles and perinatal loss.
Presentation Panelists
Tracie Williams is the proprietor of The Natal Network and the founder of Jehovah Rapha-Jireh Transformation Health Inc. She serves on the Health, Wellness and Education Committee at MoM. She established The Natal Network, a Tampa Bay-based maternal wellness doula service, to enhance maternal-fetal outcomes.
Tracy Cook-Person is a hoodoo practitioner, doula, folk Herbalist, educator, lecturer, professional storyteller and a published poet. She has been an Assistant Professor at LIU in the School of Education and Technology as well as an Instructor of Pedagogy and Clinical Practice for the TR@TC2 program in the Office of Teacher Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
DRAFT! For Immediate Release: August 20, 2025
Brandy Gottlieb, Director of Communications and Marketing
Champions for Children
Bgottlieb@cfctb.org
(813) 673-4646 ext. 1114
Champions and Museum of Motherhood announce their partnership in support of moms
(Photo c/o Regina Roig-Romero)
Tampa Bay, FL – August 20, 2025– Champions for Children (CFC) and the Museum of
Motherhood (MoM) are pleased to announce their partnership in support of mothers seeking breastfeeding support.
Champions for Children’s abcProgram, licensed by Baby Café USA, will provide free lactation consultation and breastfeeding support services, beginning September 3, at the Museum of Motherhood, 538 28th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33713. MoM will serve as the program’s new Saint Petersburg location.
The abcProgram offers International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), credentialed through the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). IBLCE is the gold standard in clinical lactation care.
Families can access English and fully Spanish support services free of cost and without any eligibility requirements. While registration is encouraged, walk-ins are also welcome. Families should register at cfctb.org/abcprogram.
“We are grateful to the Museum of Motherhood for their partnership. Together, we look forward to providing compassionate, supportive expertise to families who need help to reach their breastfeeding goals with confidence.” says Regina Roig-Romero, program manager for Champions for Children’s ABC Program.
Of the partnership, Martha Joy Rose, MoM Founder and Executive Director says, “We are thrilled about this new partnership with Champions for Children. Their abcProgram speaks to the heart of what we do — working in community to foster compassionate, inclusive environments that uplift individual stories and celebrates women’s vital role in our cultural narrative. By partnering, we are fostering a stronger support system for mothers in the region.”
MoM has been serving the community through its programing, exhibits and collaborative platforms in Pinellas County since 2019 and is Tampa Bay’s first and only women’s museum.
CFC’s ABC program offers breastfeeding support at 10 community locations in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. Hillsborough County services are made possible by the generous support of BayCare, REACHUP, Inc. and the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. Pinellas County services are made possible by the generous support of BayCare.
For more information on CFC’s free breastfeeding support services, the abcProgram, Baby Café or free lactation consultation services, visit cfctb.org/abcprogram.
About Champions for Children:
CFC’s mission is to build stronger families with thriving children throughout the Tampa Bay area through child abuse prevention and family education programs.
CFC has served the Tampa Bay area since 1977 and envisions a world free from child abuse and neglect. The work follows a proactive, prevention-first model that is committed to building strong families as support for thriving children. Through nationally accredited programs, CFC provides parents and other supportive, caring adults with education, support, and resources. CFCTB is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, supported by the generosity of funding partners and private donors.
For more information about CFC, please visit cfctb.org or contact championsforchildren@cfctb.org.
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