Jenné Johns, MPH, Jaye Wilson, LPN
April marks two federally recognized priorities in the United States: National Minority Health Month and Black Maternal Health Week. As we move as a nation to solve some of the most pressing and challenging inequities faced by Black, Brown, and Minoritized communities, we are reminded this month that we must continue to lift up solutions led and created by those populations most impacted by these disparities. We must also acknowledge the continued growing disparities in Black maternal mortality rates and the widening disparities in the rates of premature births in one of the wealthiest and most technologically savvy nations around the globe. While the White House released its second Annual Proclamation in support of Black Maternal Health Week, we need more…more advocates, more funding, and more solutions that we know work to keep Black Moms, Babies, and Preemie babies alive, healthy, and thriving.
In this month’s Health Equity Column, I have interviewed Jaye Wilson, LPN, Founder, President, and CEO of Melinated Moms, a powerful advocacy organization for women of the melinated spectrum. Jaye offers her personal and professional experiences leading local and national advocacy solutions to support, empower, and activate Black and Brown women with lived experiences during their birthing journey. As you read this column, I encourage you to reflect on how your institution is partnering with or supporting Black women-led and Black women serving organizations to save Black Moms, Black Babies, and Black Preemie, Babies.
What is your definition of health equity?
My definition of health equity is providing the right tools that are necessary for a person to thrive in the most healthy way. So that’s looking at their health from different angles, such as physical health, by making sure they have medical providers or clinician that is following any diagnosis or any health-related ailment. With mental health, you know, making sure that they’re mindful and they have someone that is connected to them and helping them to balance their emotional health.
There’s spiritual, so just keeping them grounded and whatever that means for them, you know, so it’s not specifically religious base, but you know having a connection with a higher power that gives people purpose. There’s environmental, you know, looking around them to make sure that they’re in a safe environment, and they’re able to thrive. All of these different angles really uplift why health equity is important because what I may need to be holistically healthy may be much different and look different than what your needs are. Creating an equitable space to meet your needs and meet my needs, that’s the ultimate goal.
[READ INTERVIEW ARTICLE BELOW]