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(ST. JOSEPH) - Corewell Health in Southwest Michigan will host the Community Grand Rounds: Black Maternal and Infant Health Summit on Thursday, Aug. 24, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center, Grand Upton Hall, 1100 Yore Ave., Benton Harbor, with a virtual attendance option also available.

The event will focus on the health inequities related to Black maternal and infant health, and the adverse impact these inequities have on Black birthing people, their children and their families. This year Corewell Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Sekeita Lewis-Johnson, board-certified family nurse practitioner, international board-certified lactation consultant and doula, as the event’s keynote speaker. 

Following the keynote presentation, four community leaders and advocates for justice in Black maternal and infant health will discuss ways to elevate strategies that address Black maternal and infant health inequities, including breastfeeding support in the Black community. The panelists will also share opportunities for supporting Black mothers and families in order to create healthier and more equitable communities throughout Southwest Michigan and Greater Michiana. 

“The efforts to improve and maintain a woman’s health before, during, and after pregnancy is essential to achieving the best outcomes for both a mother and baby, as well as the entire family unit,” said Nicki Britten, director, population health, Corewell Health in Southwest Michigan. “The data and lived experiences are proof that there continues to be a need for improvement on this front across our community, across our nation, and that some groups of women, particularly Black women and their babies, face much larger barriers to good health outcomes.”  

Community members can find more information about and register for this free event at spectrumhealthlakeland.org/2023-cgr-event