lystn

When tennis superstar Serena Williams opened up about the harrowing experience of giving birth to her daughter in 2017, it put a spotlight on an alarming disparity: Black women in the U.S. are three times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related cause than white women. Last year, the White House officially recognized April 11 to 17 as Black Maternal Health Week.

In the Capital Region, a coalition of midwives, doulas and healthcare advocates are working to improve outcomes for Black mothers by seeking birth justice. On this episode of “The Eagle,” we talk to doula Shia Overby about their work.

Also on this episode, Times Union Editor Casey Seiler discusses the resignation of New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin amid allegations of corruption, the fate of Albany’s Central Warehouse, and the dozens of cats and kittens dumped after hours at a local animal shelter.