San Francisco’s Mayor London Breed, wants to extend assistance out to the pregnant women of her city, to help with the financial burden of carrying a baby through pregnancy to birth and infancy. However, there is a catch, and you’re probably not going to believe it.
Only certain pregnant women can apply for this assistance, and will be qualified upon verificaiton of their race. If you are not black or pacific islander, you will not qualify for the $1000.
This plan of Mayor London Breed’s was announced on Monday as the new Abundant Birth Project. It is a public-priavate partnership and will award $1000 per each month a qualifying woman is pregnant and through the first six months of the baby’s life.
Expecting Justice, another program that San Fransisco is launching in conjunction with the Abundant Birth Project, claims that black infants in San Fransisco are near twice as likely to be a preterm birth when compared to white infants. According to Expecting Justice the disparity is not about race and is about racism, racist policies and modern-day discrimination. They are claiming that it underscores the wealth gap throughout the Black and Pacific Islander communities.
Trending: Ted Cruz SLAMS Mark Cuban over politization of NBA
“Providing guaranteed income support to mothers during pregnancy is an innovative and equitable approach that will ease some of the financial stress that all too often keeps women from being able to put their health first,” said Mayor Breed in a prepared statement. “The Abundant Birth Project is rooted in racial justice and recognizes that Black and Pacific Islander mothers suffer disparate health impacts, in part because of the persistent wealth and income gap.”
“Structural racism, which has left Black and Pacific Islander communities particularly exposed to COVID-19, also threatens the lives of Black and PI mothers and babies,” said Dr. Zea Malawa in a prepared statement. “Providing direct, unconditional cash aid is a restorative step that not only demonstrates trust in women to make the right choices for themselves and their families, but could also decrease the underlying stress of financial insecurity that may be contributing to the high rates of premature birth in these communities. It is exciting to be in a city that not only calls out racism as a problem, but also takes steps to heal the wounds left by decades of injustice and anti-Black sentiment.”
Breed said:
“Providing guaranteed income support to mothers during pregnancy is an innovative and equitable approach that will ease some of the financial stress that all too often keeps women from being able to put their health first,”
The mayor has bigger plans for the future of this project and will continue to work towards extending the financial assistance six months post birth. Two years of financial assistance to mothers who are chosen by their race.
Breed stated:
“The Abundant Birth Project is rooted in racial justice and recognizes that Black and Pacific Islander mothers suffer disparate health impacts, in part because of the persistent wealth and income gap,”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comment section below!
Join the conversation!
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please hover over that comment, click the ∨ icon, and mark it as spam. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.