For every woman who carries to term and gives birth to a healthy child, there’s a woman who gives birth prematurely to a low-birth weight child who struggles to survive.
For every new mother who’s surrounded by a supportive community of friends, family, and healthcare providers, there’s a new mother who is isolated and alone, unable to connect with those who can affirm her motherhood.
And more often than not, the woman who experiences the miscarriage, gives birth prematurely, or lacks a safe space in which to affirm her motherhood is a low-income woman of color. Low-income women of color suffer disproportionate amounts of reproductive health complications because they cannot access reproductive health services or information that speaks to their unique needs. As a result, communities of color lack the leadership of empowered mothers of color, who have historically brought cohesion and strength to their communities.
Wombanism, Inc. connects low-income women of color to information, resources, and reproductive healthcare services that affirm the role of mothers of colors in both their families and their communities. Our name reflects our vision and our mission: we view reproductive healthcare through the lens of womanist philosophy, and we seek to use that philosophy to nurture and give birth to a new breed of mothers of color who actively examine and reshape ideas of reproductive health, womanhood, motherhood, sisterhood, and family.
Our womanist approach constantly considers the historical, racial, political, socio-cultural, and economic context of when, where, why, and how women of color have traditionally accessed reproductive healthcare, and what this access has meant and will mean to their families and communities. This approach ensures that low-income women of color can access pre- and postnatal reproductive services and information that are culturally competent, affordable, and empowering.
Our organization creates community groups and develops and delivers education and outreach programs that connect women of all ages to information, resources, and reproductive healthcare service providers. We also enhance the cultural competency of reproductive healthcare service providers both within and outside of communities of color through research, education, and collaboration. Finally, we will decrease reproductive, and pre- and post-natal complications among women of color, and increase their understanding of the reproductive system, pregnancy, labor and birth, motherhood, and community building.
