Join us for an open mic night of spoken word, food and community to celebrate the launch Voices for Birth Justice public awareness campaign and recognize World Prematurity Day!
If you are an advocate working to improve the health outcomes for communities of color before, during and/or after birth step up to the mic – be heard and be celebrated! Whether you are a caregiver, provider, researcher, community organizer, person with lived experience or just passionate about seeing Black and Brown communities thrive - help us lift up the voices of people who are working to bring joy, peace and power to life’s most important moments.
- Step up to the mic and share your truth. Spoken word sign up is first-come, first-serve.
- Featuring event emcee and co-organizer: Second Mondays, an Oakland-based creative hub and open mic for artists of color. Follow them on Instagram @Second_Mondays.
- Featured performance by Jazz Hudson!
- Family-friendly - all ages welcome. If you have little ones, feel free to bring toys to share!
- Free food and drink
- Health resources and vendors
This event is prioritizing the voices of people of color but encourages allies to share, space permitting. All are welcome to attend!
Voices for Birth Justice shines a light on people from the Bay Area and the Central Valley working to turn the tide of the premature birth epidemic in Black and Brown communities. Stories of positive change, empowerment and community resources drive this campaign, helping to ensure families have the opportunity to thrive.
Conceived by the Community Advisory Board of the UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative in partnership with IDEO.org, Voices for Birth Justice's design and messaging reflects the thoughts, fears and hopes of over 100 parents, grandparents, teens, providers, birth workers, community advocates, and leaders representing Oakland, San Francisco, and Fresno, that participated in the creation of the campaign.
Featured Performance by Jazz Hudson
Jazz Hudson is an award-winning artist, speaker, educator and a young girl advocate who serves a host of communities facilitating transformation and healing through art. With a holistic approach to content & development, her interdisciplinary work engages audiences in dialogue and activism that extend beyond the page and stage.
Jazz has over 11 years of experience as a keynote performer, educator, and consultant forcorporate, educational, nonprofit and community-based organization. She has an expertise in facilitating “experiential workshops” on issues of race, gender, class, hip- hop/arts and radical healing. Jazz leads and design workshops utilizing oral and written tradition as a means of reclaiming and defining self.
Follow Jazz on Instagram!
Second Mondays
Second Mondays is a creative hub + open mic for artists of color. Though many of the artists bring their spoken word pieces, they highlight all forms of art. This includes visual performances, comedians, storytellers, graphic designers - whatever. Second Mondays is there to support, affirm and provide the vibe.
Event Emcees
Tayleur Crenshaw
Maud Alcorn
The event will be recorded to help us spread the word about the campaign and the importance of birth justice. Photos will also be taken at the event.
