T COM 220, Global action selection.

1. Improving Maternal Health
“Improving maternal health is key to saving the lives of more
than half a million women who die as a result of complications
from pregnancy and childbirth each year...”
By Emma Austin
T-COM 220

2. Why does it resonate for me?
❖ As a woman, and menstruator, topics of maternal health
are important to me, because they affect me directly.
❖ Seeing that I have access to resources like Planned
Parenthood; ways to protect and keep myself healthy is a
privilege that unfortunately not all women have.
❖ One example, is the current abortion ban being upkept
in Texas. I grew up in Irving, a city near Dallas, and the
effect of this ban is directly related to a certain decline
in maternal health, because these menstruators are now
being denied access to medical procedures, that impact
them maternally, mentally, and in other aspects of their
life.

3. How can your interest be applied locally?
There are many organizations in Seattle, and surrounding areas
that I could get involved with. One example is The Maternal
Coalition, a group that envisions a world where biases in
healthcare cease to exist.
https://thematernalcoalition.org/programs
In light of the Pandemic, they’ve created a study, an opportunity to “witness those who received perinatal care,
hospital/home birth, stillbirth/miscarriage, or termination support during the pandemic,” in order to breach
these topics of maternal health, and better educate ourselves on how real menstrators have been affected.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8nv-1XUsLJ3agom4NnI4nWzM6UCkVeEetKQrz-gabF9gaQA/viewf
orm
It’s opportunities like these, where my interest can be applied. Where I can attend meetings and educate myself
on the work, in order to be a better ally and advocate for these issues.

4. Where can you make
the greatest
contribution?
Definitely by educating people in my inner circle; my family, friends
and followers.
Because in my reposting of resources, or organizations, and giving my
commentary on these Maternal Health issues, people will see how
passionate I am and might become encouraged to read up on these
issues, and become advocates as well. Creating a sort of domino effect,
because if I can do it, they can too.

5. Is there a feature of social media that can be
uniquely applied to this goal?
*Online advocacy (here are some more organizations):
https://everymothercounts.org/unitedstates/
https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice
*Digital research, getting educated on what reproductive health threats
are, and who are most vulnerable to them.
https://www.bcbs.com/the-health-of-america/healthequity/maternal-
health
*Staying up to date with the latest news stories that involve issues
surrounding Maternal Health.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-texas-abortion-ban-j
ustice-department-arguments/