Congresswoman Lee Marks Mother’s Day
Oakland, C.A. – Congresswoman Lee released the following statement to mark Mother’s Day:
“My mother, Mildred Parish Massey, fought for me from the day I was born. She needed a cesarean section to deliver me, but the hospital refused to admit her because she was black. When - after a long ordeal - she was finally admitted, it was too late for a C-section. My mother became unconscious and nearly died as a result of an emergency forceps delivery. I barely made it into this world.
“I know personally the tragedy of infant and maternal mortality rates that women of color disproportionally suffer. The United States is one of only 13 countries worldwide where maternal mortality rates are worse than they were 25 years ago. Hundreds of women in the United States die each year due to complications in pregnancy or childbirth, and women of color are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. This is a true crisis.
“In honor of my beloved mother, last week I announced my support for the Mothers and Offspring Maternal & Morbidity Awareness (MOMMA) Act. This groundbreaking piece of legislation will improve care for women during pregnancy, birth, emergencies, and post-partum - and begin to address unacceptable health care inequities.
“To all the mothers in America and across the world, happy Mother’s Day. And to my mother, my angel, Mildred Parish Massey – I love you and I miss you each day.”
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