Join us for a free screening of “Aftershock” (2022) and discussion with nurses, midwives, and historians about the importance of racial justice in birth care.

This free event is the premier public showing of “Aftershock” in Iowa and is at 6:30pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at the Iowa City Public Library (Meeting Room ABC).

Iowa currently ranks 50th in the United States for access to obstetric and gynecological care, according to data from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. And, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die in childbirth than white women; and the US maternal mortality rate is only rising. The African American Museum of Iowa is proud to showcase “Aftershock” to bring awareness to the history and current state of Black maternal healthcare.

The documentary, directed and produced by Paula Eiselt and Tonya Lewis Lee, showcases two families becoming ardent activists in the maternal health space, seeking justice through legislation, medical accountability, community, and the power of art. Their work introduces us to a myriad of people including a growing brotherhood of surviving Black fathers, along with the work of midwives and physicians on the ground fighting for institutional reform. Through their collective journeys, we find ourselves on the front lines of the growing birth justice movement that is demanding systemic change within our medical system and government.

Following the screening, attendees are invited to remain for a panel discussion about maternal mortality and birth care in Iowa. Moderated by the University of Iowa College of Nursing’s director of DEI, Valerie Garr, panelists include historian of reproductive justice Dr. Lina-Marie Murillo, clinical assistant professor and certified nurse-midwife Lastascia Coleman, and representatives from the Iowa Black Doula Collective.