# One Woman's Crusade To Bring Maternal Health Care To The South Side

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-block-club-chicago-podcast-3685203/one-woman-s-crusade-to-bring-maternal-health-care-to-the-south-side
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-block-club-chicago-podcast-3685203/one-woman-s-crusade-to-bring-maternal-health-care-to-the-south-side.md
Podcast: [The Block Club Chicago Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-block-club-chicago-podcast-3685203)
Published: 2026-04-09T17:11:04+00:00
Episode link: https://its-all-good-the-block-club-chicago-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/one-womans-crusade-to-bring-maternal-health-care-to-the-south-side-XAgWmtn3
Audio file: https://cdn.simplecast.com/media/audio/transcoded/4b67569c-9b51-4285-820f-a5244ab668ca/7295b7d5-e3da-4a44-8389-7abb62c35c0c/episodes/audio/group/70d7016b-4424-4a00-8a7f-14415c3c1708/group-item/f90538ee-deb1-4d3f-b2b3-4611038c683d/128_default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=qM5NtVST
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Duration seconds: 1249

## Resource

Janine Valerie Logan is transforming a former church into the Chicago Southside Birth Center to combat systemic racial disparities in maternal health. The project aims to provide comprehensive midwifery care and reproductive services to underserved South Side communities.

## Highlights
- Main idea: The center will provide full-spectrum midwifery care, including prenatal, postpartum, and gynecological services
- Failure mode: Systemic racism and racial bias in existing healthcare institutions contribute to significantly higher mortality rates for Black women
- Practical takeaway: The project required successful legislative advocacy to expand the legal scope of birth centers in Illinois
- Main idea: The center is designed as a social enterprise, prioritizing community input and self-determination
- Practical takeaway: Ongoing needs include fundraising, community partnerships, and securing additional physical space

## Topics

Maternal Health, Midwifery, Chicago South Side, Healthcare Equity, Community Development, Reproductive Justice, Public Health, Social Enterprise

## Chapters
- 1:00 — The Vision for Southside Birth Center: An introduction to the groundbreaking and the expected impact of the new midwifery-led clinic.
- 2:00 — Defining Comprehensive Midwifery Care: Janine explains the clinical scope of midwifery, from prenatal care to menopause and newborn health.
- 4:00 — Barriers to Healthcare Access: A discussion on the difficulty of finding consistent midwifery care and the limitations of current hospital systems.
- 8:00 — Addressing Racial Disparities: The necessity of creating new systems to address the disproportionate maternal health risks faced by Black women.
- 11:00 — The Path from Dream to Reality: The legislative and logistical hurdles overcome to bring the birth center to the groundbreaking stage.
- 13:00 — The Challenges of Infrastructure: The difficulties of fundraising and the complexities of securing real estate for community health.
- 17:00 — Community Engagement and Next Steps: How the public can participate through surveys, donations, and local partnerships.

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## Transcript

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