Juried by Justyne Fischer

Historian and author Cynthia Greenlee said, “Black women’s maternal death rate has been shockingly high for decades, with few voices outside public health communities calling for action. What will it take to get people to recognize not just the racial disparity in death rates but the disparity in concern over U.S. Black women’s health and lives?” The United States has the highest mortality rates of any developed country. While the crisis of maternal mortality in this country plagues us all, an acute burden is experienced disproportionately by Black, Indigenous, and other women of color. Beloved members of our community are dying at rates greater than any other high-wealth nation. The neurological and physiological effects of historic and systemic patriarchy and racism have dire consequences. Education alone cannot change the stats. These painful truths demand artists’ immediate attention: women shouldn’t die giving life. As a call to action, the Women’s Caucus for Art of Greater Washington, DC (WCADC) invited artists based in DC, Maryland, or Virginia to showcase work focused on the theme of maternal health.