Professor Jacqueline D. Shannon served as a featured panelist at “Beyond Birth Justice: A Holistic Approach to Black Maternal Health,” an interdisciplinary workshop examining innovative strategies to improve Black maternal health outcomes before, during, and after birth. The conference, held during Caucus Weekend in Albany, New York, on February 13, convened leading practitioners across the fields of perinatal mental health, obstetrics, lactation support, and community health advocacy to explore comprehensive, equity-driven solutions to the ongoing maternal health crisis disproportionately impacting Black families. Caucus Weekend is a three-day legislative conference hosted by the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislators, bringing together thousands of New York political leaders. Now in its 55th year, the event celebrates the association’s legacy, honors members’ achievements, and reflects on its ongoing journey of advocacy and representation. Shannon addressed critical reforms needed in medical education and clinical training across professions to ensure that equity and empathy are embedded as core competencies for the next generation of health and mental health providers. She also spoke to the panel on her early research demonstrating the importance of father involvement during the prenatal period. Known as the “magic moment,” this early emotional engagement of fathers establishes them and partners as essential contributors to maternal and infant well-being. Shannon, the founding chair of the Early Childhood/Art Education Department, is a national leader in perinatal and infant mental health. With more than 30 years of clinical and research experience, her work centers on advancing equitable, relationship-based systems of care for parents and infants in under-resourced communities. She currently leads the Integrated Care Model for Perinatal Mental Health Initiative at Brooklyn College, an interdisciplinary workforce development and service expansion effort funded by the Brooklyn borough president and the U.S. departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Through this initiative, Shannon helped launch New York State’s first Integrated Care Model for Perinatal Mental Health Initiative, a comprehensive academic and community-based effort to address New York City’s maternal mental health crisis and expand access to culturally responsive care in under-resourced communities. Shannon also co-founded and organized the college’s inaugural Perinatal Mental Health Summit last summer. Joining Shannon on the panel were Amen Ayanru, program manager for the New York City Breastfeeding Warmline at Public Health Solutions; Cyrus O. McCalla, chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at One Brooklyn Health; and Robert T. Robinson, senior director of Intergovernmental Affairs at Community Health Center of Richmond.
