CONTACT: Karen Ottoni, karen@communicationsshop.us, (202) 961-3453
WHAT: Maternal & Children’s Health in a Dangerous Climate Forum: An opportunity to cover the overlooked environmental crisis harming mothers of color and their babies.
WHO:
- Dr. Doris Browne, 118th President of the National Medical Association; Advisory Council, Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health; President/CEO of Browne & Associates.
- Dr. Sharon Malone, MD, OB-GYN, New York Times best-selling author of Grown Woman Talk, and women’s health advocate.
- Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome, Former Senior Director for Environmental Justice, White House Council on Environmental Quality.
- Luz Drada, MNR, advocate and Program Coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force.
WHEN: Thursday, May 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. EST
WHERE: Sky Lounge, 555 12th St. NW, Washington, DC 20004, or register for the livestream here
What’s available for coverage:
- High-impact visuals (signs, videos, and b-roll opportunities)
- Access to thought leaders and frontline voices
- A unique, solutions-focused angle on the intersection of race, health, and the climate crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Women of color and their babies face a range of troubling health disparities, including high rates of preterm birth, pregnancy complications, and infant mortality. Evidence increasingly shows that environmental factors like air pollution, extreme heat, and toxic chemicals found in plastic are intensifying these disparities.
Communities of color are exposed to disproportionately high levels of air pollution from numerous sources, from tailpipe pollution to pollution from the petrochemical industry. Research shows that living near petrochemical facilities, commonly sited in communities already burdened by multiple pollution sources, contributes to increased cancer risk and adverse birth outcomes. The plastics made from petrochemicals also contribute to an overwhelming burden of harmful chemicals in our everyday lives, exposing us to chemicals like phthalates that can disrupt our hormones and interfere with reproductive health. What pregnant mothers are exposed to, their babies are exposed to as well.
As these threats intensify, federal support for maternal health research has been weakened under the current administration, creating dangerous gaps in knowledge, policy, and accountability. On May 8, 2025, Moms Clean Air Force will host a Washington, D.C. forum to confront this escalating crisis. The event will convene policy experts, health care professionals, environmental advocates, and media voices to (1) establish the current state of maternal health outcomes for women of color; (2) discuss how multiplier threats like air pollution, extreme heat, and toxic chemicals in plastics further harm maternal and child health; and (3) learn from policy experts and lawmakers what actions we can take to mobilize community and change policy for better outcomes for maternal health in terms of protecting mothers and children from air pollution, extreme heat, and toxic chemicals in plastics.
Space at the event is limited; media members who want to attend in-person are encouraged to please RSVP as soon as possible. You may also register for the livestream here.