Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez
Verified- Content Specialist, Freelance
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Articles by Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez
Romance in the Age of Diaper Duty
Photo: iStock While in many ways a baby is regarded as a bundle of joy, research shows that children are actually a risk factor for divorce. After having a baby, 67 percent of couples see their marital satisfaction plummet, according to research by relationship expert Dr. John Gottman. Is it any wonder? Children bring stress, distance and frustration to a marriage or partnership — not to mention lack of sleep and, often, pressures around finances and child care. It’s hard.
Henrietta Lacks Settlement Is Step Forward in Long Battle Against Medical Racism
Skip to content Skip to footer The medical industry has a long history of using Black bodies for research without consent or compensation. After a two-year legal battle against Biotech company Thermo Fisher Scientific, descendants of Henrietta Lacks won a settlement over the use of their relative’s DNA. Seventy years ago, Johns Hopkins Hospital removed tissue from Lacks’s cervix without her consent as she was dying of cervical cancer.
Teaching Empathy: How To Raise Kids Who Stand Up For Others & Advocate For Change
I’ve always been “a feeler.” Empathy comes easy to me, and I’m passionate about calling out injustice. As such, and even more so because I’m a Black mother rewriting expectations on motherhood and parenting, instilling empathy in my kids is a nonnegotiable. But, like many caregivers, I’ve learned that living empathetically and teaching empathy aren’t necessarily the same thing. It’s both empowering and terrifying to know the influence we hold as parents.
Is Squirting Just Peeing? & Other Pelvic Floor Facts You Should Probably Know
Raise your hand if the main aspect of pelvic floor health you’re familiar with is the Kegel exercise. You many not spend much that time thinking about our pelvic health and the pelvic floor, but you really should, since it’s a key aspect of recovery from pregnancy, birth, or menopause. You probably have questions you didn’t even realize you had, or were afraid to ask your. How common is pelvic pain? Is it normal to have pain during or after sex?
Discrimination Against Moms Is Still Rampant in Most Workplaces
Tori Needels had been back from parental leave for two hours before she was laid off. The conversation was practical: It was a mass reduction, more than 40 people. It wasn’t performance related. From an operations standpoint, it was what needed to be done. She nodded at the Zoom screen, thanking them for the opportunity to work there. Then she logged off and hugged her 3-month-old. Some part of her had expected this.
Federal Study Calls US Stillbirth Rate “Unacceptably High” and Recommends Action
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Federal officials have released a bleak assessment of the country’s progress in understanding and preventing stillbirths, calling the rate “unacceptably high” and issuing a series of recommendations to reduce it through research and prevention.
By Duaa Eldeib Verified, Chris Walker Verified, Sofia Quaglia Verified, Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez Verified
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Truthout
Verified
Study: Racism, Not Economics, Plays Bigger Role in Producing Black-White Infant Mortality Gap
A Black infant is many times more likely to die within one year of birth than a white infant is, even if that Black infant comes from a wealthy home, a new study shows. The study, which was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research last month, demonstrates that disparities in Black infant mortality rates cannot be explained by economics alone. Rather, racism within the health care industry — both overt and institutional — appears to play a significant role in such outcomes.
How To Advocate for School Accommodations for Black Children
For those of us parenting children who require accommodations to thrive in school, it's important to be prepared. Supporting children who are neurodivergent or have disabilities, especially Black children, requires quite a bit of parent advocacy. Black children who need accommodations in school are often misdiagnosed with conduct and behavior disorders or otherwise not diagnosed at all.
This Pregnant Mom Is Making Healthy WIC Meals on TikTok, Solving a Problem We Rarely Even Talk About
Pregnant people who have limited access to healthy foods face a variety of health consequences. Receiving assistance via WIC both mitigates and contributes to this problem. By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez December 21, 2021 When people find out they're pregnant, in the midst of all of the nervousness of those first doctors' visits, one of the first things they receive is a list of restricted foods.
She Hired a Postpartum Doula-Now She's Defending Why New Moms Need Them
Close-up image of a doula feeding baby girl with the bottle Getty Images The first few months of parenthood can feel like an uphill battle. During this time, new parents are learning things like the nuance between a "tired cry" and a "hungry cry," while discovering the limitations of bodies that have recently given birth.
Dove and Matthew A. Cherry Are Teaming Up To Give Black Kids Some 'Hair Love'
Still from Hair love Sony Pictures Animation Black hair is as beautiful as it is diverse. But Black people, especially Black children, rarely get to see their hair as portrayed this way. With few quality haircare resources and so much school and workplace hair discrimination, its easy for children to feel ostracized and carry that feeling with them into adulthood. Dove is teaming up with filmmaker Matthew A.
'Insecure' Inspired Podcast 'We Stay Looking' Uses Humor to Address Racism in Maternal Health Care
Inspired by the fictional show within a show on Issa Rae's hit HBO series Insecure, the We Stay Looking podcast tackles some of the most pressing racial disparities, most recently the Black maternal health crisis. By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez December 16, 2021 Acclaimed actor and producer Issa Rae has catapulted to the front of the list of creators who can seamlessly use humor to illuminate racial disparities after her widely successful comedy-drama, Insecure premiered on HBO in 2016.
bell hooks Wasn't a Parent, but She Taught Us How To Love Children
The beloved writer, activist, and feminist scholar died Wednesday, December 15. As we celebrate her life, we remember the lessons she taught us that we'll pass on to the next generation of children. By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez December 16, 2021 It's rare to encounter someone who doesn't mind speaking the truth, even when others prefer they remain silent. It's even more rare to find someone who uses that voice to advocate for the freedom of all groups—including those they don't belong to.
This Doula's Postpartum Tips for Black Moms Went Viral—and are Helping Us Demystify the Fourth Trimester
Mom and certified doula Korrine Sky is using Twitter to teach new and expectant parents about all of the challenges they may face. By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez December 15, 2021 So much of pregnancy is planning—pregnancy announcements, baby names, baby showers, and birth plans. It's easy to forget that the planning doesn't stop once the baby arrives, it's just beginning. The fourth trimester isn't something new parents are often taught about upfront, but they should be.
Med School Student's Illustration Shows a Black Fetus in Utero-Here's Why It Went Viral
Black woman holding her pregnant belly Getty Images As a Black woman who had two pregnancies in the Mountain West, there were many moments I felt invisible. During prenatal appointments, I never interacted with Black care providers—or even desk attendants—and I rarely saw a Black family on an in-office brochure. Each appointment I felt a familiar discomfort. I didn't realize it then, but the lack of Black images on medical materials is one of many examples of how whiteness is presented as standard.
Cats helped build the internet. Now, the web is giving back.
Culture “Mouse for Cats” gaming apps, ASMR, and YouTube videos of birds are looking for an audience that may or may not care. By Eoin O'Carroll If you’ve ever been on the internet, you may have noticed that it seems to be made out of cats. Some are famous for their exceptional abilities, like Tara the Hero Cat, who fought off a dog that was attacking a six-year old boy, and The OMG Cat, who is exceptionally good at looking surprised.
Online, Black gardeners are celebrating the act of working their own land
Culture These Instagram feeds are about joy -- and an oft-forgotten legacy. By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez Late in the summer of 2020, I started gardening. At first, my main goal was having sides to go with dinner. But growing vegetables also presented an opportunity to improve my virtual space. Working the soil distracted me from endless social media posts about the pandemic and the nation’s racial reckoning. My own Instagram page filled with greens, browns, and yellows.
Mom Who Works Three Jobs Is Braiding Kids' Hair For Free to Help Other Single Moms
An image of Brittany Starks and her daughter's hair that she has braided. Courtesy of Brittany Starks. Black parents know that starting the school year with their kids' hair in a braided style goes well beyond cutting down the time it takes to get ready for school in the morning. Brittany Starks, a single mom of two in Antioch, Tennessee, wanted “what will I do with the children’s hair” to be one less question and cost on the list of back-to-school worries for her fellow single moms.
Perspective | What I’ve learned about raising children who are young, gifted and Black
Fifty-seven years ago, nearly three decades before I was born, Lorraine Hansberry, a talented author, playwright and activist, said, “I, for one, can think of no more dynamic combination that a person might be” than young, gifted and Black. The words inspired many long before they would reach and resonate with me.
Black Women, Breast Cancer, and Clinical Trials. What You Need To Know.
by A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez Health Writer There are well-documented factors that shape Black women’s breast cancer risks. Yet, the reason that African American women are less likely to develop the disease but more likely to die from it, continues to baffle researchers. The answer to that question might be discovered in clinical trials—but Black women are repeatedly underrepresented in these studies.
How My Son’s Gifted And Talented Test Helped Me Face And Heal An Old Shame
Although it’s almost been 20 years, I can still visualize the day I walked into my elementary school cafeteria for gifted and talented testing. My mom believed I was as gifted as any other child at my school — and my grandparents regularly affirmed this loudly and proudly. None of this outweighed the lack of belonging (and possibly shame) I secretly felt knowing that my testing recommendation came from my own family members.
We Can’t All Be On The Frontlines. But That Doesn’t Mean We Aren’t Fighting For Our Lives.
***written last year but unfortunately equally true today**** The world is on fire — literally and metaphorically. But the flames that the world sees swallowing buildings can’t compare to the scorching firestorm in our hearts. The uprisings across the US have given nonblack folks a free trial’s worth of insight into the ways that racism and white supremacy have weathered the health and sense of safety experienced by Black Americans.
The Experience Playlist: Winter
Culture A Spotify playlist of songs about the snowy season — from Fleet Foxes, Jason Isbell, Ray Charles & Betty Carter, Taylor Swift, and more. By Erick Trickey To evoke winter, a playlist of songs needs to get it just right: meditative but not too soft, pretty but not too sweet, occasionally sad but mostly uplifting. We think we got the mix right — listen for yourself.
Can ambient music make you more productive? This company thinks so.
Big Idea At Brain.fm, human composers and AI collaborate on instrumental music. By Jim Sullivan Music can stimulate or soothe, create a refuge for shared sorrow, erect a palace for communal joy, and express the inexpressible. But what if none of these fits your needs? The Problem Most music is intended to engage. But in the mid-1970s, Brian Eno, former synthesist for the English art-rock group Roxy Music, fashioned a style of music that was the exact opposite of that.
Rewire News Group
Culture & Conversation Abortion Feb 5, 2021, 9:06am A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez In Letters to My Abortion, Rewire News Group elevates the voices that matter most: people who've had abortions. The births I’d have later would teach me more about the unwinnable scenario of Black motherhood than my abortion ever could. Shutterstock/RNG illustration Check out our other letters to abortion here. I’ve spent most of the last 11 years searching for the words to justify the abortion I had at 17.
What Anti-Racist Child Care Looks Like And How To Find It
I’ve worried about preparing my children for a world that normalizes their mistreatment based on their skin color since before they were born. And now that I have one — and soon to be two — preschool-aged children, my quest to find programs and child care that go beyond tolerating and toward affirming them has intensified.
This Instagram account is fighting to make dermatology less white
Big Idea The crowdsourced images in @brownskinmatters aim to combat bias and misdiagnosis. By Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez Institutional racism in medicine is well documented and pervasive. According to several studies, Black patients face increased risk for misdiagnosis, mismanagement of their pain, and death, particularly in maternal health care. Nonwhite populations are underrepresented within vital medical data that’s used to standardize care across all medical fields.
How to Find an Anti-Racist Doctor
The unspoken racism in the medical system goes beyond my experiences alone. This is Race and Medicine, a series dedicated to unearthing the uncomfortable and sometimes life threatening truth about racism in healthcare. By highlighting the experiences of Black people and honoring their health journeys, we look to a future where medical racism is a thing of the past.
These platforms are helping Black Americans overcome the trauma of racism
By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez8 minute Read Trina Greene Brown has dedicated the entire month of August to resting. Like many other Black Americans, the last few months of continuous bad news has weighed heavily on her, from the disproportionate numbers of Black Americans dying from the coronavirus to the devastating shootings that continue to rock the country.
There is nowhere to hide from trauma when you’re a Black person on the internet
By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez9 minute Read There were no words to describe how much I hurt the night I read of Elijah McClain for the first time. I unwillingly came across the story of this 23-year-old autistic Black man on my Instagram timeline. He died last year following a chokehold and a ketamine injection administered by police. Once I was made aware of what happened to him, I saw his story everywhere, including in the fears that I held for my family.
Pregnancy Is Now a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19. Here’s How One Black Woman Is Handling It All.
Since COVID-19 is an infection that can also impact one’s cardiovascular system, there’s a concern for heart attacks and blood clots—and particularly so for Black women who are pregnant. Renee Davis didn’t enter 2020 with any assumptions. But like many Americans, Davis—who asked to use a pseudonym so she could speak candidly about her medical experiences—wishes that someone could have told her that this year would be emotionally taxing on all fronts, especially while pregnant.
The Unbearable Grief Of Black Mothers
www.vox.com By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez Between Covid-19 and police brutality, the burden of grief is yet another risk to Black mothers’ health. When one of us loses a child, all of us feel that hurt; vicarious trauma is an integral aspect of Black motherhood. My grandmother raised children in the legacy of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was kidnapped, beaten, mutilated, and dumped in the Tallahatchie River in 1955.
What to Read this Week —#BlackLivesMatter
Photograph by Alex Wong / Getty Every week, another week goes by, but this week, marked by peaceful protests against unabated and unabashed police murder of black lives, was a particularly tough one because it punctuated the many deep flaws and chasms in our American system.
14 Organizations and People Working to Support BIPOC Mental Health During the Coronavirus Crisis
Recent reporting shows that the racial health disparities that have long existed are now being exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on people who are Black, indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC). The United States has only recently started to look at racial disparities with respect to COVID-19 outcomes.
14 Organizations and People Working to Support BIPOC Mental Health During the Coronavirus Crisis
Recent reporting shows that the racial health disparities that have long existed are now being exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on people who are Black, indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC). The United States has only recently started to look at racial disparities with respect to COVID-19 outcomes.
The unbearable grief of Black mothers
When one of us loses a child, all of us feel that hurt; vicarious trauma is an integral aspect of Black motherhood. My grandmother raised children in the legacy of Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till, who was kidnapped, beaten, mutilated, and dumped in the Tallahatchie River in 1955.
Activist spaces should make room for parents and kids. Help people of all ages engage in civic duty
As these photos attest, my children and I have marched, provided testimony at city hall, and have been to a ton of meetings about the small ways we can make our community better for marginalized people. Motherhood is as much a part of my activist journey as my passion for racial, gender, and sexual equality. But there are times that the annoyed glances and frustrated sighs by others make me want to stay home. I inquire about the “child-friendliness” of a space before almost every event I attend.
Black pregnant women face a mortality crisis—and now a pandemic. Can tech help?
By A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez9 minute Read “I had a small breakdown the first time my midwife texted to let me know our next session would be virtual,” says Leslie Lissaint, who is 22 weeks pregnant. She and her husband are expecting their first child, but like many, COVID-19 has drastically shifted their plans. She still intends to deliver at home—a growing trend among Black women—hoping to avoid racial discrimination and the heightened risk of illness that accompanies COVID-19.
‘Behind Her Faith’ is the Documentary We All Need Amid This Difficult Time
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The world is relying on the power of faith to maneuver through these difficult times. Now more than ever, especially with the uncertainty and upheaval in today’s society due to the coronavirus outbreak. The ups and downs of life’s daily challenges and stressors can frequently lead to our faith being tested in several ways. But the role of faith in both spiritual and emotional growth along with our overall well-being is essential.
By Dontaira Terrell Verified, Keisha Credit, Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez Verified, Leslie Quander Wooldridge
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Black Love
Harnessing Your Power While Pregnant During COVID-19
Courtesy of Dr. Jessica Shepherd Jessica Shepherd, an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) and women’s health expert located in Texas, points out that for Black mothers, especially those experiencing high-risk pregnancies coupled with chronic illnesses the visitation limits reduce risks by decreasing virus exposure. This includes diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
Home Buying 101: Purchasing Real Estate During an Economic Collapse
Courtesy of Jullien Gordon A house is not a home — and a home isn’t necessarily an asset. That last point is just one that came up in the fourth episode of the My Fab Finance’s webinar series. In this edition, Tonya Rapley, the millennial entrepreneur who organized the five-day webinar, held a conversation with Jullien Gordon, a real estate investor, author, and speaker. A few of the topics they covered included buying real estate — specifically multi-family properties.
I Know Why Black Women Are Wary of Reproductive Activism
It’s hard to explain what it feels like to know that, just a few generations ago, my great-great-grandmother was a slave woman whose body was controlled by a slave master. The knowledge becomes harder to stomach as I reflect on the past and realize what little has changed. When I gave birth to my child, my experience recalled that legacy and confirmed my own lack of bodily autonomy, as perceived by the physicians who assisted me and determined the quality of care I received.
The Surprising Mental-Health Consequences of General Anesthesia During Birth
Share on: Becoming a new mother is a transformative experience, and for women who experience postpartum depression (PPD), it can be one of the darkest, most crippling times. Even the smallest tasks—likeswaddling the baby or making a bottle—can be overwhelming when experiencing symtpoms of PPD, which can include feelings of disconnection, severe sadness or even thoughts of suicide and self-harm.
Black History Month and the Celebration of Black Joy
I can’t pinpoint the exact moment the world first informed me that Black women were supposed to move through life with suffering and pain. Growing up, most of the depictions of Blackness I saw around me were in the context of struggle. On the rare occasion I saw Black people who weren’t struggling, there was an underlying suggestion that my family— my mom, my brother, and I—shared responsibility for the barriers that limited us.
This Black History Month’s Lesson: Joy
Personal Stories I’m careful not to erase the pain in our story, but there are plenty of beautiful moments to share with my children, too. Image Long before I held either of my children in my arms for the first time, I fantasized about the ways I’d help them love their blackness. My Pinterest boards were an assortment of kente-print cloth diapers and infant headwraps.
Starting school at the right height and “adultification.”
Slate’s parenting podcast discusses how “adultification” harms black girls’ childhood. For questions about subscriptions or your Slate Plus feed, check our FAQ. Episode Notes On this week’s episode: Dan and Jamilah are joined by poet, performer, and activist Staceyann Chin to field a question from a mom who’s worried she should give her son a year to grow before he starts kindergarten. Scott Brown, author of the YA novel XL and short guy, calls in to help.
10+ Books to Celebrate Black History All Year
This book tells the story of Willye B. White, a Black sprinter and long-jumper. She was born in 1939 in Money, Mississippi where she worked along side her grandparents in the cotton fields. Willye had big dreams, and when her cousins noticed she ran faster than all the other children, Willye jumped at the chance to use her talents, running for Tennessee State and then for the 1956 and 1964 US Olympic teams.
Why Won’t Society Let Black Girls Be Children?
Image Punishment was a hallmark of my educational experience. It started when my preschool teacher labeled me as manipulative and intentionally disruptive. She even tried to film me to prove to my mother I was a problem — she never got that footage, and accused me of pretending to behave at the sight of the camera. Although I was only 3 years old, she was convinced that my insistent hand raising and refusal to sit still were signs that I was malicious instead of simply understimulated.
10 Picture Books That Promote Diversity
The earlier we start working with our children to understand diversity, the better. There are a ton of books showcasing diversity that are intended for older children but what about the babies? As the mother of a young kid, I look for books that introduce heavy topics while still being digestible by toddlers. Knowing there are other other parents, who, like me, didn’t know where to start, I’ve composed a list of 10 inclusive books aimed at kids ages 2–6.
Wintertime is a source of joy and fear
Of course, I’m not suggesting that kids shouldn’t wear their coats in order to save their lives. I’m also not saying that had Tamir Rice been coatless, he would still be here now. Yet for some reason, likely involving my fears of my son being profiled someday, I can’t separate the cold weather from his murder. For young black children, cold has consequences. I can’t help but think about the chill in the February air that led Trayvon Martin to put on the hoodie that he wore when he lost his life.
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