About The Film.
The Crisis.
Our healthcare system is the most expensive in the industrialized world, yet the most deadly for new mothers. Within this broken system, Black mothers die at three times the rate of White and Hispanic mothers. In fact, a Black mother with a college education is at 60 percent greater risk of maternal death than a white or Hispanic woman with less than a high school education. >
Taking Action.
To shine a light on this crisis - and the solution - DELIVER US follows two pioneers who have taken the Black maternal crisis into their own hands. Midwives Kimberly Durdin and Allegra Hill have built the only Black-owned birthing center in Los Angeles, Kindred Space LA, in the midst of the pandemic, and as clients begin to filter out of the hospital system and through their doors, we started filming. >
The Journey.
Following their journey to raise money, educate the public, and support expectant moms of color, we hear horrifying stories of the systematized dismissal of Black women’s pain and agency, tracking the current crisis all the way back to the cruel and monstrous experiments of “The Father of Modern Gynecology,” J Marion Sims, who experimented on enslaved Black bodies without anesthesia. >
Nationwide.
As our story unfolds, we meet Black midwives in Detroit, Chicago, and Ferguson, on similar journeys to bring safe and culturally-centered maternal care to communities of color. We watch as they battle complex and racist birthing laws, zoning regulations, and investor drought, all while advocating for Black moms and catching new babies. >
Hope for the Future.
While this is an incredibly complex and deeply rooted problem within the United States, this film will present accessible Black midwifery care as a powerful and immediate vehicle for change; as well as a way for viewers to get involved and make a difference so that Black mothers will no longer have to fear death after creating life. >