Special to The Mississippi Link,
Mississippi State Representative Zakiya Summers (D) district, 68, presented a formal proclamation during a press conference held at the State Capitol in order to amplify efforts to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women in Mississippi on Monday, April 14th.
Joined by Representatives Timaka James-Jones and Dana McClean, the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, Mom.Me, Six Dimensions, and a host of advocates, the 11: a.m. press conference, which was held on the 2nd floor of the Rotunda, spotlighted community-led solutions, named the disparities facing Black birthing people, and issued a legislative call to action to save lives.
Summers highlighted legislative successes during the 2025 session as well as future proposals that will ensure sustainable improvements. With bi-partisan support, the Mississippi Legislature passed Parental Leave for State Employees, re-established presumptive eligibility in Medicaid for pregnant women, and certification and Medicaid Reimbursement for community health workers.
Summers will continue to push measures, such as cultural competency required training for physicians, opioid treatments for pregnant women suffering from substance abuse, the Right to Contraception Act, child tax credits and Medicaid Expansion.
“As a legislator and a mother, I am committed to fighting for a Mississippi where Black women, and all women, not only survive childbirth – but thrive in motherhood,” said Summers. “This is not just about health outcomes. It’s about the value of human life.”
Lauren Jones with Mom.Me, Cassandra Welchlin with MS Black Women’s Roundtable, and Dr. Nakeitra Burse with Six Dimensions each shared their personal stories of pregnancy related complications. Rep. James-Jones paced herself when providing a heart-wrenching testimony about her niece, Harmony, who succumbed due to pregnancy complications after awakening from a severe headache. The ambulance was not available where they lived in Belzoni, MS, so the husband put Harmony in the car. She suffered from preeclampsia and died on the side of the road along with her unborn baby, just three miles from the closest hospital in Yazoo City.
“These are not just stories. This is real life. Mississippi, we’ve got to do better,” said James-Jones.
Mississippi’s maternal mortality rate remains among the highest in the nation. Black women in the state are significantly more likely to experience pregnancy-related complications, often due to reproductive injustices, gaps in access to care and underinvestment in community-rooted services.
More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are deemed preventable.
“Mississippi has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country. We need comprehensive primary care before, during and after pregnancy. Yet many people live in areas where health care services are scarce,” said Cassandra Welchlin, Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable’s executive director.
Commemorating Black Maternal Health Week is a crucial reminder of the importance of policy reform that expands healthcare access, promotes cultural care and amplifies solutions.
For more information, visit www.zakiyasummers.com.
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