Aminata Kebbeh, an expecting, first-time mother who frequently visits the Tremont Action Center to participate in classes and activities such as prenatal yoga said\u00a0she\u2019s been able to meet and connect with mothers and said that the staff are welcoming and the programming is \u201cwell-thought-out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a great space to just come and take care of myself, feel understood and feel seen as I embark on this journey,\u201d Kebbeh said.\n<\/p>\n
Kebbeh looks forward to coming to the center every week because she\u2019s learned about the realities of childbirth and motherhood, which has made her more confident.<\/p>\n
She also learned a lot about self-care, postpartum health and human rights at the event.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe beauty is that there\u2019s so much happening in New York City that don\u2019t have costs attached to it,\u201d Kebbeh said. \u201cKnowing our human rights and knowing that you have lactation rights [in the workplace]\u2026 you don\u2019t necessarily have to sacrifice being able to care for your baby and being able to breastfeed for income.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chelsea Colebrooke, a first-time mother of an 8-month-old daughter, has been attending the center since she was pregnant to build a support system.\u00a0Colebrooke said that she learned about the benefits of using medication postpartum despite the stigma around medication, especially in Bahamian culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a mother myself, I felt dark at times and I also felt very anxious, but I was scared to take medication because of my cultural background and the stigma,\u201d she said. \u201cBut coming to today\u2019s workshop, it made me realize that it\u2019s okay. We all need help. And if I\u2019m good, the baby\u2019s good.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Humanrightspresentation-1.jpg\")
Samelys Lopez leading the first workshop on human rights with presentation from NYC Commission on Human Rights. Photo by Keke Grant-Floyd<\/p>\n
Bianca Dominguez is another expecting, first-time mother who was familiar with the center because they were offering free cribs and car seats for expecting mothers.\u00a0She decided to attend the event to learn everything about pregnancy and maternal health disparities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just wanted to also have a lot of awareness with Black maternal health, because they did mention that Black women are at higher risk whenever they\u2019re pregnant and not advocating for themselves, so I really like to be educated on all the resources that they provide as well,\u201d Dominguez said.<\/p>\n
Dominguez told the Bronx Times that it was interesting to learn about the safety of taking medication during postpartum.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually didn\u2019t know that it was okay to take pills if you\u2019re breastfeeding, so that was something that was really helpful,\u201d Dominguez said.\n<\/p>\n
Dominguez plans to share all the information she learned with other mothers.\n<\/p>\n
The theme<\/a> for this year\u2019s series is \u201cRooted in Justice and Joy,\u201d and addresses the enduring legacies of systemic oppression, reproductive injustices and health inequities that continue to impact Black maternal health, all while calling for a liberated future rooted in restoration, justice, and joy.<\/p>\n The NYC Health Department\u2019s data<\/a> shows that Black non-Hispanic women are six times more likely to die of a \u201cpregnancy-related\u201d cause, such as pregnancy complications or postpartum hemorrhage, and four times more likely to die of a \u201cpregnancy-associated\u201d cause, such as postpartum suicide or overdose, than white non-Hispanic women.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Dr. Zahirah McNatt, the chief equity officer and deputy commissioner for the Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness (CHECW<\/a>) at the NYC Health Department told the Bronx Times about the need for more care and attention in Tremont, East Harlem and Brownsville, which are areas with poor maternal health outcomes.<\/p>\n In each of these three neighborhoods, there is a neighborhood health action center that focuses<\/a> on providing neighborhood specific services to help reduce health inequities and improve health outcomes.\u00a0<\/p>\n She said that the department hosted this series in these specific locations, because they are some of the most disinvested neighborhoods in New York City.\n<\/p>\n \u201cThey are neighborhoods with a high level of health inequities as a result of disinvestment, of structural racism and other forms of oppression that have taken place historically and in the present in the city,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The health department aimed to celebrate the joy of birth, maternal wellness, underscore the existing concerns and challenges, and showcase how they are supporting birthing people in these neighborhoods.<\/p>\n Each action center has a family wellness suite that offers several services to pregnant people and people who are in their postpartum period.\n<\/p>\n These services include food assistance, breastfeeding support and education, mental health support groups, dance classes, perinatal massage, doula support and many more.<\/p>\n Beyond Black Maternal Health Week, McNatt said that the department focuses on the issue of maternal death everyday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have set a citywide goal<\/a> of reducing pregnancy-associated mortality by 10% for Black women by 2030. And that is one of our targets and our commitments as a city,\u201d McNatt said.<\/p>\n She said that there is still a lot of work to be done regarding public policy around maternal health.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n However, McNatt mentioned a recent law<\/a> passed by the New York State Department of Health that requires the department to establish and maintain a community doula directory, and covered doula services under Medicaid.<\/p>\n \u201cDoulas are not the only answer to the maternal health crisis in New York City, but we know they\u2019re one important component and legislating<\/a> around their brilliance and their genius has been really exciting and successful in the city,\u201d McNatt said.<\/p>\n Dr. McNatt emphasized the importance of pregnant people knowing their rights and having access to community support.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n She shared a publicly available resource called the \u201cNew York City Standards for Respectful Care at Birth<\/a>\u201d that educates people on their rights as pregnant people.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s this large community of folks that you can pull around you as you think about pregnancy or when you become pregnant. [We] always want people to know that they deserve that entire community to be wrapped around them,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n At the end of the event, there was a raffle giveaway for a breast pump and storage bags, nursing pillow, yoga mats, baby essentials and a baby food maker. Each mother received a free box of diapers.<\/p>\n Reach Keke Grant-Floyd at kekegfreports@gmail.com<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> and follow us on Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MaternalHealthpresentation.jpg\")
Jhnelle White, a registered nurse, explaining prevention and management methods for blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and postpartum depression. Photo by Keke Grant-Floyd<\/p>\n