According to the CDC, “Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put some members of racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting COVID-19 or experiencing severe illness, regardless of age” (CDC, 2020). This information aligns with the ongoing research conducted by the American Public Media (APM) Research Lab, which has found that Black Americans continue to experience the highest overall COVID-19 mortality rates – at a staggering 69.7 deaths per 100,000 as of July 13, 2020 (APM, 2020) followed by Indigenous Americans at 51.3 and Pacific Islanders at 40.5 (APM, 2020). The mortality rates continue to climb, as do the disparities. As of July 21, 2020, Black Americans are now dying at a rate of 73.7 deaths per 100,000, a stark contrast to the 32.4 per 100,000 mortality rate for White Americans.
These alarming rates for Black Americans can be attributed to multiple factors, including preexisting health conditions, limited access to resources, racism and implicit bias, stigma, and systemic inequities within the field of healthcare. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, President and Founder of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, and Dr. Shawana Moore, AWHONN Member, and Assistant Professor, Program Director, and Practitioner at Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Crear-Perry and Dr. Moore will share their insights on racism, implicit bias, stigma, and disrespectful care, and provide us with the tools necessary for moving forward.

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About the Speakers

Dr. Shawana Moore, DNP, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC

Dr. Shawana S. Moore earned a Bachelors’ of Science degree with a concentration in Biology from Wilberforce University. She earned a second Bachelors’ of Science in Nursing (BSN), Masters’ of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a specialty in women’s health, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees from Thomas Jefferson Universi-ty. She is an alum of the National League of Nursing LEAD Institute and Jefferson Lead-ership Academy. Dr. Moore is a board-certified women’s health nurse practitioner. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Women’s Health- Gen-der Related Nurse Practitioner Program at Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Col-lege of Nursing. As the Director of the Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program, Dr. Moore is responsible for educating the next generation of women’s health nurse practi-tioners entering into clinical practice. Additionally, she has a passion for providing women’s and reproductive health care to underserved populations. She actively main-tains clinical practice by serving as a women’s health nurse practitioner at health care organizations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Some of her research interests include women’s health, transgender care, adolescent empowerment, preconception counseling, contraception, maternal obesity, telehealth in the women’s health care setting, diversi-ty/inclusion and equity. She presents on these topics locally and nationally.

Dr. Moore serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Nurse Practi-tioners in Women’s Health, which is the nation’s leading voice for courageous conversa-tion about women’s health. She is an active member in the following organizations: In-ternational Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), National Black Nurses Association, National League of Nursing (NLN), National Organization of Nurse Practi-tioner Faculties (NONPF), Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated-Gamma Phi Chapter and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing-Delta Rho Chapter. She is a 2011 and 2013 recipient of the Independence Blue Cross Nurses for Tomorrow Scholar-ship. Other awards and grants include Stratton Foundation Grant, 2020; Thomas Jeffer-son University, Community Driven Research Grant, 2020, 2018; March of Dimes NJ Chapter Community Grant, 2015; USPHS Nurse Traineeship Grant Award, 2012; and Outstanding Capstone Award, Thomas Jefferson University, 2011.

Dr. Joia Adele Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG

Joia Adele Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG is a thought leader around racism as a root cause of health inequities, Speaker, Trainer, Advocate, Policy Expert, and fighter for justice – is the Founder and President of the National Birth Equity Collaborative.

She addressed the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to urge a human rights framework to improve maternal mortality. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Birthing Project, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Jefferson Community Healthcare Center and as the Director of Clinical Services for the City of New Orleans Health Department where she was responsible for four facilities that provided health care for the homeless, pediatric, WIC, and gynecologic services within the New Orleans clinical service area. Dr. Crear-Perry has been celebrated for her work to improve the availability and utilization of affordable health care for New Orleans’ citizens post the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005. Currently, her focus has expanded nationally and internationally as it relates to Maternal and Child Health.

Joia, a proud recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Healthcare Hero’s award and the Maternal Health Task Force at Harvard University Global Visionary Award for Commitment to Advancing Women’s Health, is most known for her work to remove Race as a risk factor for illness like premature birth and replacing it with Racism. She has been asked to train in Maternal and Child Health and is a sought-after speaker as a result of her articles in a number magazines including Essence, Ms. Magazine, as well as her publications around Structural Racism.

Dr. Crear-Perry testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee as the Democratic witness in support of the only Maternal Health Bill signed into law since the new Administration came into office. Dr. Crear-Perry has received funding from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to work with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) to develop a Standard for Respectful Maternity Care and serves on the National Quality Forum Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Committee and the Joint Commission Perinatal Safety Project Technical Advisory Panel. Dr. Crear-Perry currently serves as a Principal at Health Equity Cypher and on the Board of Trustees for Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Community Catalyst, National Clinical Training Center for Family Planning and the UCSF PTBi.

After receiving her bachelor’s trainings at Princeton University and Xavier University, Dr. Crear-Perry completed her medical degree at Louisiana State University and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. She was also recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

She is married to Dr. Andre Perry and has three children: Jade, Carlos, and Robeson. Her love is her family; health equity is her passion; maternal and child health are her callings.