About 40 women recently came together in Charlotte to make art aimed at raising awareness around the maternal health challenges Black women face. Some of their pieces are now part of an art exhibit in one of the city’s Corridors of Opportunity.
Now, 14 pieces of art are on display at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library on Beatties Ford Road. They depict a mother kissing a child's forehead, a baby wrapped around a mother’s back, and a mother and a child holding hands.
The goal of the canvas paintings is to spark conversation about Black maternal health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from complications due to pregnancy.
Stacey Brown is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the group behind the exhibit. She says it’s important women know how to advocate for themselves.
“No matter what your background is as a Black woman, you have to know your body, you have to know your health, and you have to advocate for yourself, ” Brown said. "No matter what. Because your health care providers may not believe you. They may not be advocating for you.”
Despite those statistics, the CDC highlights that more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
Brown says that part of the reason for having the paintings in the library is to ensure those along Beatties Ford Road, a mostly Black community, have access to the proper resources.
The annual recognition of Black maternal health takes place April 11-17.
