Birthing Justice

Black women in the United States are three to five times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than their white peers, a statistic that has actually gotten worse over the last 30 years. Birthing Justice captures the experiences and challenges of Black women, their families, caretakers and advocates, and examines the structures and systems that determine these disparate mortality rates.

The film addresses the myriad issues fueling the maternal health crisis within the African American community while advocating for best practices that enhance birthing equity for all women, especially Black women. This national epidemic is addressed via four regions — Washington, D.C., Augusta, GA, Missouri, and California — by speaking with those who have been affected by current policies as well as those who are at the forefront of advancing policy change. Through the telling of personal experiences a picture emerges of a systemic lack in the maternal healthcare based on race. To contextualize those deficiencies, the film also explores American medical history, revealing how the impacts of eugenics and a sweeping medical report called The Flexner Report continue to impact medical training for Black doctors and outcomes for Black patients over a century after they were conceived.

Through these stories, what emerges again and again as one of the chief solutions to Black maternal health is a diversified medical labor force, with surveys revealing persistent implicit biases across the field. The film also looks other ways that positive maternal and pregnancy outcomes are achieved for Black mothers, including incorporating and training doulas and in-hospital nurse-midwives, and pending congressional legislation. Transforming this narrative of tragedy into one of hope, Birthing Justice flips the victim-blaming paradigm by centering on the lived experiences of Black women and their advocates as they fix a broken system and transform the future, one birth at a time.

FEATURED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Rep. Lauren Underwood, MSN, MPH, U.S. Representative
Allison Felix, 11x Olympic Medalist
Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG, Founder, National Birth Equity Collaborative
Abayea Pelt, BSW, CLC, Director of Child Maternal Heal Programs, Community of Hope
Dr. Jason E. Glen, PhD, Dept. of History and Philosophy of Medicine, University of Kansas
Holly Mitchell, Chair of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Dr. Elain Batchlor, MD, MPH, CEO, Martin Luther King Community Hospital
Dr. Jesse A. Davis, MD, MBA, St. Louis Children's Hospital

Two discussion guides are available and will be provided via email following your order

Preview link available upon request. Contact [email protected] for more information

Documentary Film - Video Project - Birthing Justice

A Film by Monique N Matthews

86 minutes

Scene Selection • Closed Captioned

Grades 11- Adult

Item #: BIJ-2040

Captures the experiences and challenges of pregnant Black women amidst the broken American healthcare system

Starting at $89

Licensing Options

K-12 Classroom, Public Libraries: DVD - $89 K-12 DVD + Digital File - $139 Colleges & Institutions: DVD - $395 Colleges & Institutions: DVD with Digital Site License - $495 K-12 School District pricing available. Please inquire at [email protected] Community Screenings: Please Complete 'Host a Screening' Form found on top menu bar

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Reviews and Festivals

AIRED ON PBS

"Highly Recommended. Birthing Justice offers the opportunity for all viewers to examine their biases and how they might treat or view a particular patient or another human being... It is recommended for advanced high school classes and college courses in such disciplines as African American Studies, Health Communication, Health Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, and Women's Studies. It should also be required viewing for all medical school students."

— Educational Media Reviews Online

"A concise yet powerful documentary that sheds light on the social injustices deeply ingrained within the healthcare system in the United States."

— Video Librarian

"Birthing Justice is a full-scope analysis of the United States' maternal health crisis. It uncovers the complexity of the current state of affairs and emphasizes the significance of intensive solutions. Ultimately, the film leaves viewers with a sense of hope in the fight to create a more equitable future for Black birthing people."

— Bintou Diarra, A.B Candidate / Medical Anthropology, Brown University

"Birthing Justice is a call to action for a more equitable and diverse space for new and expecting parents - a celebration of the resilience and success of Black birthing people... Birthing Justice invites viewers to not only stand alongside survivors as they recount their experiences, but to celebrate with them as they bring new and wonderful lives into a changing world."

— Every Child Thrives

"Going behind the statistics, Birthing Justice places Black women at the center of the fight to fix a broken system for all women in this country. It focuses on the progress being made by those on the frontline of this fight and highlights solutions that can be replicated in communities across the country."

— PBS

"Birthing Justice addresses the racial disparities in maternal healthcare through compassionate storytelling and by uplifting the values of justice and health for everyone."

— Opportunity Agenda

"In Virginia, Black women are three times more likely to die than white women during childbirth or due to pregnancy-related causes. Birthing Justice exposes this crisis and advocates for best practices to enhance birthing equity for all women, especially Black women."

— Logan Vetrovec, Director, Education and Research, Office of Health Equity, Virginia Commonwealth University

WINNER

Best Director (Documentary), DTLA Film Festival

The Impact DOCS Awards, Best Documentary

Kansas City FilmFest International, Best Documentary

California Womens Film Festival, Best Feature Documentary

WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, Remi Winner

OFFICIAL SELECTION

The Pan African Film Festival

American Black Film Festival

Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival

DTLA Film Festival

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