06/03/2026
💜👶🏾 PART 1: The Conversation Continues.
As we come off of May, a month that celebrated both Mother's Day and National Women's Health Month, the conversation surrounding maternal and infant health remains just as important as ever.
Mississippi continues to face significant challenges when it comes to infant mortality and maternal health outcomes, which is why awareness, education and action matter.
🎙️ In this special conversation with our own Chelle B, Mississippi Representative Zakiya Summers joins DrStacie NC Grant, International President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, to discuss the organization's "Extraordinary Power of S.H.E." and BLUEPRINT initiative—a movement designed to address critical social, health and economic issues impacting women, children and families.
As we now enter June and prepare to celebrate Father's Day, it's also important to remember that dads matter, too. Healthy families require support systems that include mothers, fathers, grandparents, communities and organizations working together to create better outcomes for our children.
During the conversation, Representative Summers highlighted the idea of "Mississippi Dads Matter," inspired by the Pennsylvania Dads Matter initiative and its commitment to engaging fathers as active partners in healthy families and healthy communities. The discussion also recognized organizations such as A Real Dad's Network, an established fatherhood initiative connected to Dr. Stacie NC Grant's broader advocacy efforts. These types of programs give fathers an opportunity to share their unique experiences, concerns and perspectives—including the desire to help more throughout pregnancy and parenthood, while sometimes feeling helpless because they are not physically carrying the child. Even so, fathers play a critical role, and their presence, support and involvement can have a lasting impact on both maternal and infant health outcomes.
▶️ Watch Part 1 and hear Representative Summers' perspective on why this conversation is so important.
📢 Stay tuned for Part 2 as we continue exploring solutions, advocacy and ways we can collectively move the needle in a better direction for Mississippi families.
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