STATE SEN. NATALIE MURDOCK (D- CHATHAM, DURHAM)
SEN MURDOCK FILES
A FOURTH VERSION OF BILL
TO HELP BLACK MOTHERS
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Because Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die than their white counterparts while giving birth, state Sen. Natalie Murdock (D-Chatham, Durham) has, for the fourth time, filed a bill in the NC Senate to improve the maternal care of all new mothers across the state.
Called the “MOMnibus Act,” Senate Bill 571 combines with House Bill 725.
According to language from the measure, “…the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world, where about 700 women die each year from childbirth, and another 50,000 suffer from severe complications.”
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that ‘…the majority of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable…”
SB 571 also notes that “…implicit bias is a key driver of health disparities in communities of color…”
If passed, the measure would help give implicit bias training to maternal health professionals, give “maternal care access grants” to community-based groups who address the problem, fund training programs for lactation consultants at historically black colleges and universities, and provide care for mothers and their babies in areas of the state where maternal health care is lacking.
But proponents of the “MOMnibus” measure are quick to point out that it makes no difference what the educational or economic backgrounds of black mothers are, data shows that they are not treated with the same quality of care as white expecting mothers, resulting in a greater number of instances of death of either the mother or child.
One would think that with statistics proving that black mothers are at greater risk in North Carolina of death, there would be bipartisan support for Sen. Murdock’s bill, but this is the fourth time she’s introduced it since 2021, and thus far, she has no Republican co-sponsors for the latest version in either General Assembly chamber.
Indeed, none of the previous iterations of the “MOMnibus” measure ever made it out of committee in the Republican-controlled legislature.
SB 571 is presently in the Rules and Operations of the Senate Committee.
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NCCU FACING GROWING PAINS
AS STUDENTS RALLY FOR MORE
CAMPUS HOUSING
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Last year, North Carolina Central University in Durham touted the fact that for the first time in 15 years, it had record-breaking growth to the tune of 1,918 first year students.
The problem was, however, where were all of those students going to live.
On April 16th, hundreds of NCCU students rallied on campus, protesting that there simply wasn’t enough adequate housing for them to live in. And in many cases, what student housing there was, was not safe to inhabit.
During the course of the protest rally, NCCU police forcibly detained at least five people. They were charged with second-degree trespassing, failure to disperse, and resisting, delaying or constructing a public officer.
University officials say the demonstration was “unauthorized” and at least three of the protestors taken into custody were not students and had no connection to NCCU.
"Individuals and groups unaffiliated with the university may not independently use campus space. Such individuals and groups must be sponsored or invited by an official university or registered student organization," said an NCCU spokesperson.in a statement.
Student protestors carried signs and chanted “We need housing” and “No housing, no peace” during their midday demonstration.
When interviewed by local media, NCCU students complained of mold and mildew, along with infestation and poor air conditioning in the aging dormitories. They also complained of flooding in the residence halls.
Student protest leaders added that they were seeking “decent housing fit for the shelter of human beings for all NCCU students; this means housing with working amenities.”
An NCCU spokesperson, addressing allegations that campus housing was either inadequate or unclean, issued a statement saying. “"We are exploring off-campus housing partnerships, hosting off-campus housing fairs and helping students understand the responsibilities of living off campus.”
Reportedly, about 38% of NCCU students live on campus, and even though three new residence halls totaling 1,274 new beds were opened during the 2021-2022 academic school year, it apparently was not enough.
In a statement, NCCU said that “…a higher percentage of our students live on campus compared to the UNC System average.
“As with any large housing organization, we respond to maintenance concerns when work orders are submitted,” a university spokesperson continued. “We have been actively addressing housing maintenance issues. We have a pest control vendor that conducts regular treatment, and they respond to individual issues once reported. We are actively advocating for more state support to address deferred maintenance issues.”
The new chancellor of NCCU, Karrie G. Dixon, also responded to the demonstration two days later, saying in a statement, "During the protest, my administration and I traveled to Raleigh and held a strategic legislative event planned over the past few months and focused on securing a prospective $100 million-plus investment in our facilities through the legislature ... If approved, these funds are specifically tailored to improve conditions in both residence halls and academic buildings. We took this opportunity to ensure that student concerns were directly shared with legislators, reinforcing that housing and facility improvements are a top priority for this administration.”
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