>>> BLACK WOMEN IN ILLINOIS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM A PREGNANCY -RELATED CAUSES THAN WHITE WOMEN.

A GRIM REALITY THAT LED ADVOCATES TO ADDRESS THESE DISPARITIES THROUGH EDUCATIONAL CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PREGNANT PEOPLE AND THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR AT EVER DRIVE ILLINOIS .

AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S START WITH YOU, WHAT IS THE GATHERING ?

>> THE GATHERING IS OUR EDUCATIONAL GATHERING ABOUT MORTALITY CRISIS FACING BLACK PEOPLE , NOT ONLY IN CHICAGO BUT ACROSS THIS STATE.

WHAT WE DID IS USED LISTENING SESSIONS , WE LISTENED TO WOMEN WHO ARE ON THE WEST SIDE, SOUTH SIDE, WHO WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE , NOT JUST HIM IN THE COMMUNITY , BUT ALSO EDUCATE THE PROVIDER WHO OFTEN DISMISS AND DISREGARD THE CONCERNS OF WOMEN , ESPECIALLY BLACK WOMEN , IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.

OUR GATHERING IS AROUND PROVIDING A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO , A WEBSITE WE LAUNCHED LAST YEAR, I ALWAYS SHARE THIS , I AM A MOTHER OF SIX AND A GRANDMOTHER OF FIVE, ONE THING I REMEMBER MY MOTHER SAYING, DON'T GO OUT, YOU WILL HAVE A SETBACK.

I DID NOT KNOW THE TERMS THAT ARE USED.

>> A LOT OF EDUCATION ABOUT THE TERMINOLOGY.

WE WILL COME BACK TO THAT.

YOU'VE DEALT WITH SOME OF THESE DISPARITIES FIRST-HAND DURING YOUR PREGNANCY.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED.

>> HEALTH DISPARITY RESEARCHER, I KNEW THE RISK FACTORS THAT IMPACT BLACK WOMEN , HIGHER STRESS LEVELS, BEING LOWER INCOME, LOWER ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES, BUT NOT UNTIL I HAD A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH PREECLAMPSIA THAT I SAW IT PLAY OUT.

THROUGH THAT , I SAW HOW WOMEN DESCRIBE THEIR SYMPTOMS TO THEIR PROVIDERS AND HOW YOU HAVE TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF SO THEY KNOW SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG TO BE HEARD.

AND HOW THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REALLY CAN'T FAIL A LOT OF WOMEN IN GENERAL AND BLACK WOMEN SPECIFICALLY WHEN THEY ARE NOT HAVING THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS MET .

>> PART OF THE GATHERING IS EDUCATING HEALTHCARE WORKERS ON DISPARITIES AND REASONS FOR IT .

YOU CREATED A GLOSSARY THAT HELPS PEOPLE WITH THE TERMS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS MAY USE SOMETHING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND.

>> IF YOU TALK TO A PROVIDER ABOUT A SETBACK, THEY MAY THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL, BUT IN THE COMMUNITY , STEP BACK CAN BE HEMORRHAGING.

GO LAY DOWN.

NOTHING IS TRIGGERING YOU TO REACH OUT YOUR PROVIDER , SO THE GATHERING GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT RESOURCES IN THE HANDS OF , NOT JUST THE FAMILIES , BUT THE PROVIDERS, WHEN THEY HEAR SUGAR RUN , NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT , THOSE ARE TERMS USED IN THE COMMUNITY.

PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING THAT COULD BE HAPPENING TO THEM AND THEY ARE IN A STATE OF MIND WHERE THEY CAN'T COMPREHEND THE INFORMATION WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE GATHERING IS OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PART , TAP INTO HOW I CAN HELP MY NEIGHBOR AND MY NEIGHBOR CAN HELP THE FAMILY.

>> YOU HAVE WRITTEN A COMMENTARY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOU MENTIONED A NUMBER OF BLACK PROVIDERS .

YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER ARE FINE.

BUT TELL US ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING BLACK PATIENTS WITH BLACK PROVIDERS.

>> THE RESEARCH SHOWS LIKE PATIENTS PAIRED WITH BLACK PROVIDERS FEEL MORE HEARD AND THAT BLACK BABIES THAT ARE DELIVERED FROM BLACK PROVIDERS HAVE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES.

I GET CHILLS WHEN I THINK ABOUT THOSE PROVIDERS THAT USHERED ME THROUGH MY DELIVERY, THE WAY THEY CARED FOR ME, IN A WAY THAT FELT TANGIBLY DIFFERENT .

EXPERIENCES I HAD A COUPLE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THAT WHERE I TRULY BELIEVED THINGS COULD HAVE GONE ANOTHER WAY.

SPECIFICALLY I WAS TOLD TO GO HOME.

EXPERIENCING SHORTNESS OF BREATH, SWELLING , SYMPTOMS I KNOW NOW WORK PREECLAMPSIA.

WOMEN THAT HAD TO CARRY ME FORWARD AND ULTIMATELY DELIVERED MY DAUGHTER.

THEY SAVED OUR LIVES.

>> WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE TO PROVIDE BETTER CARE FOR FAMILIES?

>> WE CANNOT DISMISS PEOPLE AND THEIR CONCERNS.

AS SHE SHARED, A LOT OF PROVIDERS JUST DON'T -- YOU HAVE A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET IT DONE.

FAMILIES ARE SUFFERING.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING IN HAND.

WE HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

PUTTING FLYERS IN BUSINESSES , RESIDENTIAL AREAS, SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO BETTER.

MY MOM WOULD SAY TO ME, THAT IS TRUE, WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A REAL THING.

EVEN WORSE THAN MOST PEOPLE THINK.

SIX TIMES THE NATIONAL STATISTICS.

AS WE CONTINUE TO DO OUTREACH ACROSS THE STATE , BOOTS ON THE GROUND, AND I URGE PEOPLE TO GO ON THE EVERTHRIVE ILLINOIS WEBSITE , LOOK AT THE GATHERING, TALKING ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE ADDRESS AND THE WAYS WHICH CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES ALIKE.