Two of our MCH Scholars attended this year’s CityMatCH Urban Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference, held in conjunction with the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference, in Philadelphia, September 14 – 16.
By Miranda Pollock, BS
The 2016 CityMatCH/MCH Epidemiology conference theme was Creating Change: Data, Programs and Policies for Healthy Mothers, Children and Families. The sessions were incredible, and definitely adhered to the theme by sparking plenty of positive change. It took place in Philadelphia, PA, which, as one speaker mentioned, is “The city of brotherly love…and sisterly affection.” The conference took off to a running start as Bryan Stevenson was the opening plenary speaker. He is a lawyer, social justice activist, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and a clinical professor at New York University School of Law. His TED Talk can be seen here.
Bryan called attention to the health disparities that exist in MCH populations due to race being an issue of power, and as those with access to power are disconnected from the poor.
He also talked about the importance of knowing your own identity in order to start difficult conversations which may ultimately lead to change. He stated, “I do what I do because I’m broken, too!” This was particularly inspiring and encouraging as he provided an example of vulnerability and authenticity – two qualities that foster great leadership. Bryan then called upon the audience for action, as he urged that certain zip codes in the United States should be considered to be in a state of emergency. This is due to terrible health and incarceration outcomes as compared to other neighboring zip codes. Bryan also alluded to the importance of self-care in a field that demands so much of people. He called on the room full of Maternal and Child Health professionals to protect ourselves from things that make us feel hopeless.
Aside from CityMatCH having a tear-jerking and motivating opening plenary, the breakout sessions, symposiums, and workshops were also fantastic. I was able to attend sessions related to my passions in equity, community health, reproductive justice, preconception health, and was even lucky enough to hear Belinda Pettiford (my practicum preceptor, and the North Carolina Women’s Health Branch Head) highlight her team’s powerful work on infant mortality reduction and the social determinants of health. All in all, the conference was a success and I look forward to attending in the future.
Miranda Pollock is a second year MPH student in Maternal and Child Health. She plans to graduate in May 2017. Her interests include reproductive and LGBTQ health, qualitative methods, and storytelling for social change. She also loves cycling, yoga, and the arts.
