Virtual Event: MOD October 21

Demanding #BlanketChange –
A Movement to Prioritize
Our Nation’s Moms & Babies

In 2020, the United States is still among the most dangerous developed nations for a woman to give birth. And it’s even more dire for moms and babies of color. This is a health crisis that has only intensified with the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Wednesday, October 21 at 2pm ET, CQ Roll Call and March of Dimes hosted a Virtual Town Hall to discuss the policies needed to improve the health of moms and babies. The event included discussions on:

Eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities and driving economic, social and health equity by focusing on prevention, treatment and social determinants of health
Improving access to care through expanding critical health programs and closing gaps in coverage
Addressing preventable health conditions through expanding research and improving maternal morbidity and mortality data collection

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Mary C. Curtis
Columnist and 'Equal Time' Podcast Host, CQ Roll Call

Mary C. Curtis, a columnist at CQ Roll Call and host of its "Equal Time" podcast, is an award-winning journalist and educator based in Charlotte, N.C., and Washington, D.C. She has contributed to NBC News, NPR, The Washington Post, The Root, ESPN’s The Undefeated and talks politics on WCCB-TV and NPR-affiliate WFAE in Charlotte. Curtis has worked at The New York Times, the Charlotte Observer, the Baltimore Sun, and the Associated Press, and was national correspondent for AOL’s Politics Daily. Her coverage specialty is the intersection of politics, culture and race, and she has covered the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. View full bio here.

Stacey D. Stewart
President and CEO, March of Dimes

Stacey D. Stewart joined March of Dimes as its fifth President and CEO on January 1, 2017. In this role, Stewart heads the organization leading the fight for the health of all moms and babies. She is responsible for all aspects of the organization’s strategy, vision and operations. Stewart came to March of Dimes from United Way Worldwide, where she held several positions, most recently serving as U.S. President of United Way, the nation’s largest nonprofit organization. There she provided strategic direction for more than 1,000 local United Ways. View full bio here.

U.S. Representative Alma Adams (D-NC)

Dr. Alma S. Adams was elected to her third full term representing the 12th Congressional District of North Carolina on November 6, 2018. After winning a special election in November 2014, Congresswoman Adams was sworn in immediately as the 100th woman elected to the 113th Congress. Representative Adams is the co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus and the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus. View full bio here.

Allyson Felix
Olympian and March of Dimes Celebrity Advocate

Allyson Felix is the most decorated Track & Field Olympian in history. A nine-time Olympic medalist. Six-time Olympic Champion. World Record Holder. She has won, a mind-blowing, twenty-five global medals at the Olympics and World Championships. Allyson is still honing her craft and her determination is rivaled only by the greatest of the greats. Allyson has found passions off the track which she believes are her true calling. She loves children and serves as a member of the Right To Play board hoping to raise awareness for under-served children in developing regions. Her greatest accomplishment and her greatest love is her daughter, Camryn, who reminds her every day that she can never stop fighting for what is right in this world. View full bio here.

Dr. Rahul Gupta
Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Health Officer and Interim Chief Scientific Officer, March of Dimes

Rahul Gupta, MD, MPH, MBA, FACP, is the Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Health Officer and Interim Chief Scientific Officer at March of Dimes. In his role, Dr. Gupta provides strategic oversight for March of Dimes medical, public health and research efforts to improve the health of all moms and babies. Before joining the March of Dimes, Dr. Gupta served under two Governors as West Virginia’s Health Commissioner. View full bio here.

Charles Johnson
Founder of 4Kira4Moms

Charles Johnson has suffered an unimaginable tragedy that strikes too many families – and has made it his life’s mission to save others from the same fate. In April 2016 Charles’ healthy and full-of-life wife, Kira, gave birth to their second beautiful child. But Kira immediately began struggling in ways that the hospital staff could not explain, even as Charles watched and implored the staff that something was horribly wrong. Kira died within hours. Charles was understandably overcome by grief – grief that turned into outrage. He channeled his pain and his passion into founding a nonprofit, 4Kira4Moms, that is dedicated to changing systems to better prevent birth-related deaths. View full bio here.

Sandhya Raman
Healthcare Reporter, CQ Roll Call

Sandhya Raman is a health care reporter for CQ Roll Call. She reports on women and children's health, minority communities, Medicaid and other issues. She also enjoys the intersection of health policy and politics. Before joining CQ Roll Call in 2017, she edited and wrote for Politico Pro.

Jonathan Webb
Chief Executive Officer, Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs

Mr. Webb has spent more than 15 years in the public health space promoting community health outcomes; addressing the social determinants of health; and tackling a number of epidemics including childhood obesity, diabetes, and CVD. Jonathan's professional experience includes work for two local health departments including work within the Office of Epidemiology of the City of Chicago and leading the Community Health Division of the City of Evanston. Additionally, Mr. Webb has spent more than nine years in the nonprofit space leading strategy; building meaningful partnerships; fundraising; and implementing programming for organizations such as the McGaw YMCA, Feed the Children, and the American Osteopathic Association. View full bio here.

*More speakers to be announced

Sponsored by March of Dimes
March of Dimes fights for the health of all moms and babies. We're advocating for policies to protect them. We're working to radically improve the health care they receive. We're pioneering research to find solutions. We're empowering families with the knowledge and tools to have healthier pregnancies. By uniting communities, we're building a brighter future for us all.

Learn more about how to take action to create change for moms and babies everywhere. March of Dimes developed a 2020 report, “Nowhere To Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.” here. The report shines a light on the unequal access to maternity care found throughout the U.S. and highlights current research and its impact on mom and baby health.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and online at BlanketChange.org.