* This storytelling piece contains themes that some individuals may find triggering.

This ‘poetic-storytelling’ piece can also be viewed as a word document.

Maternal Care Inequality in Scotland: Black women’s voices for social action is a ‘poetic-storytelling’ about two Glasgow-based Black women’s lived experiences of maternal health care within the NHS. We have used this art form in an experimental way to curate and provide a human dimension to the troubling reality – why people of colour are four times more likely to die in childbirth than their White counterparts in the UK.  

Whilst one of the accounts is traumatic, the other offers a glimmer of optimism. Yet, both highlight a dreadful public health anomaly and offers a potential pathway for individual and collective social action towards improving maternal health care and health outcomes for Black women. Through their bravery to share their stories, the women demonstrate individual agency in the absence of collective social action against racialised practices and structures within maternal health care. 

These Black women believe that without taking into account the pervasive institutional and individual forms of racism and discrimination that Black mothers experience, discussions about health equity for Black women will be pointless. 

Social Media Posts

Here are some suggested posts to promote this story.

Instructions: Copy and paste the wording below and download the images attached below to add to the chosen social media post.

Post 1

Engage with the ‘poetic-storytelling’ piece, Maternal Care Inequality in Scotland: Black Women’s Voices for Social Action, which showcases what #HelpsAndHinders social action for Black mothers.

Storytelling by Innocent Jakisa and Amadu Khan. In partnership with Social Action Inquiry Scotland @social_action_scotland

https://socialaction.scot/Maternal-Care-Inequality-in-Scotland/

Post 2

Racist attitudes and behaviours hinders the social action of Black mothers.

Find out more about what #HelpsAndHinders social action Black mothers in the ‘poetic-storytelling’ piece Maternal Care Inequality in Scotland: Black Women’s Voices for Social Action.

Storytelling by Innocent Jakisa and Amadu Khan. In partnership with Social Action Inquiry Scotland @social_action_scotland

https://socialaction.scot/Maternal-Care-Inequality-in-Scotland/

Post 3

Lawyers of racial minorities being available on a pro bono basis, is one aspirational idea that was suggested to help the social action of Black mothers.

Find out more about what #HelpsAndHinders social action Black mothers in the ‘poetic-storytelling’ piece Maternal Care Inequality in Scotland: Black Women’s Voices for Social Action.

Storytelling by Innocent Jakisa and Amadu Khan. In partnership with Social Action Inquiry Scotland @social_action_scotland

https://socialaction.scot/Maternal-Care-Inequality-in-Scotland/

X (Twitter) Posts

Here are some suggested posts to promote this story.

Instructions: Copy and paste the wording below and download the images attached below to add to the chosen social media post.

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Image for Social Media Posts

1. Download the following image.
2. Add the following to the post, or Alt Text, [image description: A extract of a poem reads “Why do black women have to be – in excruciating pain and screaming, dismissed, ignored, and felt like a nuisance?  I put my foot down… I yelled! I stated that I am not leaving this time!” Below it reads ” what helps and hinders social action? socialaction.scot/stories”. Social Action Inquiry Scotland’s logo is in the bottom right corner, it is a sound wave that turns into a fist moving upwards.]