Members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., will convene in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 20 to advocate for the passage of a bill to address Black maternal health.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Sept. 20, members of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., will convene fpr the organization’s annual Zeta Day on the Hill initiative to advocate for policy changes that directly impact communities of color across the United States.
This year’s event will be the first time the organization brings together a delegation of more than 1,100 members, who will push for the passage of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act.
“Black women are dying because doctors do not take us seriously. As Black women, we must take our lives back, educate ourselves and instruct doctors on how to treat our symptoms and bodies,” said Dottery Butler Washington, international co-director of social action for the sorority. “The legacy our organization will leave behind on the steps of Washington this September will be one of action that pushes our leaders to stand up and fight for women to access the care they need and deserve.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this is the first time in five years that Zeta Phi Beta will gather in person for the annual event. Zeta Phi Beta’s focus on women’s reproductive rights and having its members there in support of the Momnibus Act is a key facet of Zeta Phi Beta’s current push for worldwide wellness.
“It’s unacceptable that the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country and, despite this being heavily discussed for years, the crisis continues to worsen,” said Zeta Phi Beta International President & CEO Dr. Stacie NC Grant. “Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is in full support of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which puts action behind, and investment in, addressing every driver of maternal mortality, morbidity and disparities in the United States.”
Zeta Day on the Hill also precedes what is expected to be one of the largest gatherings of the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, where Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., will host a panel titled “Politics, Policy and Reproductive Justice” on Sept. 21.