(Washington, DC) – Mayor Muriel Bowser will kick off the District’s Third Annual National Maternal & Infant Health Summit – Rethinking Our Perspectives, Retooling Our Actions: A Life Course Approach to Improving Maternal and Infant Wellbeing – on Tuesday, September 15, at 2 pm Mayor Bowser will bring together health professionals, activists, parents, and public officials to take on the challenge of addressing disproportionally high rates of maternal mortality experienced by people of color – in both Washington, DC and across the nation.

Mayor Bowser will open the Summit with a panel discussion on What We’ve Learned from COVID-19: The Pandemic’s Impact on Perinatal Health and Our Next Steps. Mayor Bowser will be joined by:

• Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (IL-02)
• Dr. Aletha Maybank, Chief Health Equity Officer, American Medical Association
• Moderator: Errin Haines, Editor-at-Large, The 19th

“By bringing in medical experts like Dr. Fauci and policymakers like Congresswoman Kelly, we can use this unprecedented moment to learn how this pandemic has affected mothers and babies and how we can improve the systems impacting maternal and infant health,” said Mayor Bowser. “This year’s annual Summit is another opportunity for us to continue our work toward ensuring mothers and babies live safe and healthy lives before, during, and after childbirth.”

This year’s Summit will be entirely virtual, featuring panel discussions, community-led workshops, and a virtual resource expo dedicated to connecting District residents with local and national resources and supports needed to ensure babies, their families, and communities have what they need to thrive.

Two additional panel discussions will also happen as a part of the kickoff:

• Understanding the Root Causes: The Impact of Trauma on the Life Course
• In the Forefront: Moving the Needle on Perinatal Health through Youth Voice & Advocacy

The kickoff will be followed by a series of daily breakout discussions from Wednesday, September 16 through Friday, September 18.

Mayor Bowser’s National Maternal & Infant Health Summit is a keystone event, planned and executed by Thrive by Five DC in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs. The Summit offers the opportunity to build on the growing public awareness and interest in perinatal health with a focus on the District's investments in the health of women, babies, and families. DC residents, elected officials, health and education officials, and community-based partners can collaborate and explore strategies to improve perinatal health and address racial disparities in health outcomes.

To learn more about the Summit, and to RSVP, visit dcmaternalhealth.com.