RECOGNIZING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK

On 2025-04-09, Representative Alma S. Adams (D-NC-12) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK" in the House.

RECOGNIZING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)] [House] [Page H1553] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK (Ms. ADAMS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. ADAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize the eighth anniversary of Black Maternal Health Week, founded by Black Mamas Matter Alliance. I want to take a moment to honor the life and legacy of my constituent, Fatima Carter. I share with you a stunning portrait of her painted by Omari Maynard of the ARIAH Foundation. Through an initiative called ``In Her Honor,'' the ARIAH Foundation and Mothering Justice uplift the lives of women like Fatima, Black mothers who should still be with us today. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Fatima worked for Abbott Nutrition and was a devoted stepmother to her teenage daughter, China Carter. After multiple heartbreaking miscarriages, Fatima and her family were preparing to welcome her daughter, Cameron Carter. Because Fatima lived with type 1 diabetes, her pregnancy was considered high risk. After a medical appointment with concerns about preeclampsia were raised, Fatima went to sleep, and she never woke up. The coroner listed sudden cardiac death as the cause, but we know it was more than that. It was the result of our healthcare system that too often ignores Black women's pain. We will not allow her story to be forgotten. We will not stop until justice, safety, and dignity in birth are guaranteed for all. ____________________