This study concerns racialized experiences of reproductive oppression among Black women and the efforts of one organization - Multnomah County’s Healthy Birth Initiatives (HBI) - to combat this oppression and move towards Reproductive Justice. This study explores how Black women experience and respond to racism-related stress and its impacts on their health during and after pregnancy and subsequent parenting. The project was informed by a pilot focus group conducted in 2016 by Drs. Jenna Ramaker and Roberta Hunte in partnership with HBI, which asked HBI clients about the role of toxic stress and racism-related stress in their lives. The current study - led by Drs. Roberta Hunte and Susanne Klawetter - expands that initial focus to include the perspectives of current and former clients, as well as HBI staff.

The following research questions guided the current study:

• How do Black women describe the experiences and impacts of racism-related stress as it relates to their pregnancy, health and parenting?
• How does HBI mitigate the impact of racism-related stress on clients’ pregnancy, health, and parenting, and how can program activities be enhanced?
• What is the shared impact of racism-related stress on Black women’s health between HBI staff and former HBI clients, as well as the lasting impact of HBI in building resiliency among Black women?