When Jamarah Amani was in labor at a Georgia hospital, she fought with medical staff over her delivery preferences — a harrowing experience during which she recalled a nurse saying her birthing choices would “kill the baby.” After delivering her second child and after enduring that conflict with the medical team, the mother of four […]
Health
Posted inMaternal Health, Reproductive Health
Georgia Case Spotlights Rising Risks for Black Women Navigating Pregnancy Care
In March, a Black Georgia woman who allegedly took abortion pills to terminate her pregnancy, was charged with murder, a legal move that advocates have been sounding the alarm about since Georgia enacted one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. Alexia Moore, 31, was charged with malice murder as well as possession […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Health, Politics & Policy
SW Atlanta Residents Block Alcohol Sales at Controversial Gas Station
When Faye Floyd opened her email just hours before a key zoning meeting for her southwest Atlanta community, she wasn’t expecting the message that followed. The developer behind a controversial gas station planned for 3397 Greenbriar Parkway SW had withdrawn an application for an alcohol license — a move Floyd and other southwest Atlanta residents […]
Posted inHBCUs, Health, LGBTQ
As HIV Knowledge Lags Among Gen Z, Morehouse Event Pushes Education
With plates of food in hand and laughter echoing throughout the building, Atlanta University Center students gathered at Morehouse College on Wednesday night for an important community dialogue about sexual health and HIV, a conversation many admitted they don’t have often enough. The evening, hosted by the LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD and biopharma company […]
Posted inMaternal Health
Police Escorted Doulas Out of Atlanta Hospital During Black Mother’s Labor
When a pregnant Georgia woman went into labor earlier this month, she planned for the two doulas she hired to stand beside her as she gave birth. Instead, those doulas say, security officers and county police escorted them out of the hospital while their client was in active labor, despite her repeated requests that they […]
Posted inMaternal Health, Politics & Policy, Reproductive Health
Oscar-Nominated Doc Brings to Light Families’ Loss Under Georgia Abortion Law
If Amber Nicole Thurman were alive today, the 28-year-old would most likely have become a nurse. “She would never know that she got accepted into nursing school because August the 19th was the end of her life, and August the 21st I got the call that she was accepted into nursing school,” said Thurman’s mother, […]
Posted inHealth, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Black LGBTQ Advocates Press Georgia Lawmakers on Civil Rights
Christian Benoit was one of dozens of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Georgians from across the state who traveled to the Capitol on Tuesday morning to take part in the Pride to the Capitol rally. “We have to stand in solidarity for those that won’t or can’t stand and represent themselves,” Benoit said. “We […]
Posted inHealth, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy
If PrEP Coverage to Combat HIV Disappears, Black Communities Could Be Hit Hard
Cullen Smith takes an HIV preventative medication every day for “added security” and “peace of mind” after he thought he may have contracted the disease from a partner last year. “Once that situation came up, if I wanted to keep my current health, I needed to take other actions,” said Smith, an Atlanta resident. “I […]
Posted inCapital B Atlanta, Health, Mental Health, Public Services
Staffing Cuts at Atlanta VA Raise Concerns for Black Veterans Who Rely on It Most
When Ed Anderson walks into the Atlanta VA Medical Center, he doesn’t just see a hospital. He sees the place that once saved his life. “I can say with no shame in my voice that the VA mental health care saved my life more than 20, 25 years ago,” said the 71-year-old Air Force veteran. […]
Posted inHealth, Mental Health
Former Falcon Rondale Moore’s Death Highlights Suicide Crisis Among Black Men
When news broke last week that Rondale Moore, a 25-year-old former Atlanta Falcons player, died by a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, it stunned fans and coaches while raising alarm with mental health professionals. Authorities in New Albany, Indiana, said Moore was found dead in the garage of a property in the area and that his […]
