Quote iconBlack women are three times more likely to die during childbirth. My vision is to be the safest place in the U.S for Black birthing families.
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“ At its heart, the Black Women’s Health and Livelihood Initiative is about more than health outcomes. By weaving together care, culture, education, leadership, community, and justice, we reclaim our right to wellness and forge a future where Black women and gender-expansive people lead their own liberation.” — Judy Young, MPH
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“We created the Black Wellness Clinic because our patients deserve more than basic care.They deserve care that recognizes their full story, honors their voices, and restores trust.” — Katherine “Katie” Brown, MD, MAS
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“For centuries, midwives were the cornerstone of care in Black communities. They did not just deliver babies —they also safeguarded mothers’ lives. We need to return to that model where Black women are surrounded by people who look like them, listen to them, and honor their voices. That is how we change outcomes today.” — Melinda Fowler, MSN, CNM
Patient-Care as Advocacy
We believe exemplary care is itself a form of advocacy. Our innovative approach centers Black-identifying women and birthing people, advancing a national movement to dismantle systemic inequities in health care. Explore our work and hear from our leaders about why patient centered care matters.
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Residency Program Director, Dr. Sara Whetstone is front center, surrounded by residents
Leadership in Education
Excerpt from "Reflections of a Black Program Director," by Sara Whetstone M.D.,
Read More...I will continue to celebrate when patients share their excitement in being cared for by physicians who look like them, who speak their language, and who understand them in ways no classroom can teach.
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“Research rooted in justice must begin with listening — to those who have always known what health, safety, and liberation require.”
-Areca Smit, Executive Director of the UCSF Center for Birth Justice
Redefining Research
Our programs are redefining how research is conducted and applied. At the new Center for Birth Justice, research is designed, conducted, and shared by centering the leadership, knowledge, and lived experience of Black women and birthing people.
Through collaborative studies, innovative pilot projects, and intentional mentorship, we translate evidence into action, advancing both science and justice.
Our Programs
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The Black Wellness Center is the epicenter for onsite activities for Black Womxn’s Health and lIvelihood initiatives The center and space is cultivated for the well-being of self-identified Black patients, community members, staff, trainees, and providers.
Our goal is to create a safe space for self-identified Black individuals to have respite, connect in community, be inspired and rejuvenated.
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The UCSF Black Wellness Clinic, founded in June 2022, is a specialty clinic dedicated to providing care to Black individuals within a reproductive justice framework. Staffed by race-concordant providers trained in culturally attuned practices, the clinic offers reproductive and gynecologic care, short-term mental health services, and patient advocacy.
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UCSF’s EMBRACE Program exists to provide Black families with
holistic, culturally affirming perinatal care, addressing disparities in
Black maternal and infant health and creating a more supportive
birth experience. Led by Melinda Fowler, MSN, CNM, professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Genetics, EMBRACEcenters race-concordant care and a midwifery-led model.
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The Black Patient Advocacy Program ensures that Black patients at UCSF receive culturally resonant support and have a meaningful voice in their care. Services include a patient navigator, who assists with care coordination, navigation, and peer support referrals from the first contact.
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We’re a group of San Francisco city agencies, healthcare organizations and community-based organizations committed to improving care access, experience and outcomes for Black pregnant families in San Francisco. Together we create community events to provide a reliable one-stop-shop of offerings, built around the community’s needs.
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Operating within UCSF’s National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health, the Black Women’s Health and Livelihood Initiative seeks to address health care inequities by prioritizing Black women’s voices and promoting their optimal health and well-being. Its work spans health care, research, wellness education, arts and culture, and community connection.
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The Center for Birth Justice is a permanent research center housed at UCSF, dedicated to eliminating racial inequities in birth outcomes. Born from the California Preterm Birth Initiative, CBJ builds on a decade of groundbreaking community-partnered research, policy advocacy, and systems change efforts that have transformed how the nation approaches maternal and infant health.
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The Black Midwifery Fellowship in California is a midwifery-led, one-year training and leadership program designed to support newly graduated and advanced Certified Nurse-Midwives committed to advancing reproductive justice. The program prepares midwives to provide culturally grounded, high-quality reproductive health care.
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Black families in the U.S. face significant health disparities in birth, postpartum, and infant outcomes. Midwifery- led, family doctor- led, and culturally affirming care have been shown to reduce these disparities. In collaboration with UCSF, San Francisco General Hospital, and community organizations, Black Centering integrates patient feedback to enhance care and outcomes.
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PTBi is a research-driven initiative with a mission to eliminate racial disparities in preterm birth and improve health outcomes for babies born too soon, through research, partnerships, and education grounded in community wisdom.
Department Leaders
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In The News
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UCSF Black Womxn's Health & Livelihood Initiative Marks 5-Year Anniversary
UCSF Black Womxn's Health & Livelihood Initiative's 5-year anniversary and the 1-year anniversary of opening the UCSF Black Wellness Center. This celebration coincided with programming that supported new diverse perspectives and opportunities to collaborate with community partners.
In The News
Partners & Collaborators
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The UCSF Black Womxn’s Patient Family Advisory Council defines respectful care for Black womxn & gender expansive Individuals as affirming to all parts of the individual.
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The biannual California Black Birth Equity Summit is one of the largest gatherings in California dedicated to advancing Black birth equity and justice.
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SisterWeb is a network of culturally congruent community doulas and birth workers.
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The Girlx Lab is a Black woman-led research group at the University of California San Francisco developing new ways to improve the health and well-being of Black adolescent girls of all gender identities.