To the TMC community:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
The past three months have been marked by a global pandemic, a government-sanctioned stay at home order, and the tragic murders of three unarmed Black people whose names are Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. In our own region, we still mourn the tragic death of Antwon Rose II, as we approach the second anniversary of this young Black life. We support the Black community in our city and our country who have suffered greatly due to systemic racism. The Midwife Center (TMC) firmly stands in solidarity with those who are raising their voices, sharing their anguish and anger, and speaking out against systems that oppress and devalue Black lives.
Black lives in this country are not only being mutilated, brutalized, and murdered in the neighborhoods where they live but also killed in the hands of our healthcare system. In southwestern PA where according to the Pittsburgh Inequality Across Gender and Race report, “Pittsburgh's Black maternal mortality rate is higher than the Black mortality rates in 97 percent of similar cities.” TMC recognizes that our Black citizens not only experience unjust violence but are also disproportionately impacted by the current global pandemic and economic recession.
TMC works to promote health and wellness for all in our community, however, these efforts are meaningless if our Black clients, staff, families, and children can’t grow and thrive because of systemic racism.
Therefore, TMC has made a commitment to address these injustices, including the following:
To stand against systemic racism in health care that perpetuates the health inequities experienced by Black families and families of color.- To advocate for people of color to be encouraged to consider, enter, and be supported through education programs related to birth work; including making those programs equitable and affordable.
- To condemn the ongoing systemic violence against Black communities, locally and nationally.
- To continue diversity, equity, and inclusion training and commit to anti-racism training in our practice and to encourage our colleagues in Western PA to do the same.
With this, we continue to hold firm to our mission and commit to ensure access to safe, satisfying care for all.
In Solidarity,
TMC Management Team and Staff