NORTH MIAMI, FL (April 15, 2025)
The City of North Miami's Vice Mayor Kassandra Timothe, MPA, District 2, invites the community to celebrate the miracle and journey of motherhood at the City's inaugural Black Maternal Health Symposium, which is set for Wednesday, April 16th, at the Scott Galvin Community Center, located at 1600 NE 126th Street, North Miami, FL 33181. Through the art of storytelling, the symposium will highlight the unique paths to motherhood by local women representing all walks of life and the community of allies, advocates and supporters that helped on their journeys.
First introduced in 2018 by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Black Maternal Health Week is observed nationwide, from April 11th-17th, to promote awareness and advocacy for improved maternal health outcomes for Black women. North Miami's Black Maternal Health Symposium will feature, “What the Health is Going On? The Science and Numbers Behind Disparities In Black Health.” Led by Dr. Cassandra Arnold, this panel discussion will provide insight from some of our area’s leading maternal healthcare practitioners and community advocates. A second panel discussion led by Tracey Sellers-Montgomery, Founder of Extended Hands, Inc. titled, “Driven to Be A Mother: The Unspoken Paths to Motherhood,” examines the stories, perspectives and uncommon steps to motherhood by several local women.
Inspired by her personal path to motherhood, Timothe will premiere a short film examining her personal maternal health experience in the days approaching and following the birth of her only daughter, along with the unique birthing stories of trauma and triumph experienced by 10 South Florida moms.
This event will also showcase a variety of maternal health service providers, activities for children accompanying their moms, and a children's clothing giveaway by Extended Hands, Inc.
Timothe recalls, “The CDC reports that Black women are three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women.” She continued, “My personal path to motherhood was not easy. Had it not been for my faith, the competency of the healthcare professionals who cared for my daughter and me, and our supportive village, our outcomes could have been very different. That's why bringing this symposium to North Miami -- to South Florida -- was vital in amplifying the often overlooked voices of black women by the healthcare community and the needed fight for maternal healthcare equity.”
The City of North Miami's Black Maternal Health Symposium is presented in collaboration with Black Moms Miami, Extended Hands, Inc., the Zeta Nu Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and the Miami Diaper Bank.
The event is free. Event registration is available on Eventbrite. For more information about the Black Maternal Health Symposium, please visit www.NorthMiamiFL.gov/Celebrate. Media inquiries may be forwarded to communications@NorthMiamiFL.gov.
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Media Contact
Eunicia Baker, Communications Director
305-893-6511, Ext. 12151
ebaker@northmiamifl.gov
About the City of North Miami
North Miami is a suburban city located in northeast Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is roughly 10 miles (16 km) north of Miami. The city lies on Biscayne Bay which surrounds the Biscayne Bay Campus of Florida International University. North Miami is home to a diverse demographic of residents. With more than 64,000 residents, North Miami is the sixth largest city in Miami-Dade County. We are home to the Oleta River State Park; the largest urban park in the Florida State Park System and the nationally accredited Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA North Miami).