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Philadelphia City Council proclaims Black Maternal Health Week, hearing extensive testimony on racial disparities in birth outcomes
Summary
City Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing April 11–17 as Black Maternal Health Week and heard more than a dozen testimony statements from advocates, clinicians and community groups urging sustained investment to address disproportionately high maternal mortality for Black women.
Philadelphia City Council on April 10 voted to adopt a resolution recognizing April 11–17, 2025, as Black Maternal Health Week in Philadelphia.
The measure, introduced by Majority Leader Catherine Gilmore Richardson and moved for adoption during the session, passed by voice vote after a series of public comments and presentations from state and local advocates.
State Representative Gina H. Curry, co-chair of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus, told council that "we are facing a crisis," citing national and state data showing rising maternal mortality for Black women and saying that more than 80% of the deaths are preventable. "We need continued collaboration at every level of government," she said. Several city-based providers and advocates described community programs they said are already improving outcomes, and urged continued funding and policy support.
Speakers from local organizations described concrete services and planned expansions. Mary Ann Frey, president and CEO of Maternity Care Coalition, said the agency seeks a future "where parents impacted by racial and social inequities can birth with dignity, parent with autonomy, and raise babies who are healthy, growing, and thriving." Christine Sullivan, founder and CEO of Woomish, said Medicaid coverage for doula services has helped improve outcomes in the nonprofit's flagship Philadelphia operations. Salima McNeil described Oshun Family Center's plans to open a maternal wellness village in Kensington in 2026 that will offer doula services, lactation support and psychotherapy.
Advocates also emphasized workforce and training needs. Janae Johns of Once Upon a Preemie urged routine, ongoing implicit-bias training for perinatal and neonatal clinicians and said doulas and midwives contributed to family-reported experiences of respectful, empowering care in neonatal intensive care units.
Council members and the mayor's representative were present for the testimony and then returned to the dais to adopt the privileged resolution recognizing the week. The motion to adopt was made on the floor and carried by the ayes. Council members echoed support for continued legislative and budgetary attention to maternal health issues in the city.
Two related public events were announced: a Black maternal roundtable focused on fathers scheduled for April 11 and an advocacy day coordinated by local organizations to visit council offices the following week. The resolution does not itself appropriate funds; speakers and council members described the adoption as a policy and advocacy step that aims to sustain attention while work on funding and program implementation continues.
