Dear Colleagues,

I am reaching out to you today as we collectively move forward following our national elections on November 8th. As we know, this year's election, and politics in general, can be divisive. For some it has felt threatening to their sense of well-being and to those they love. For others, the outcome of the election aligns with their feelings about different directions the country should move in.

As midwives, we don't have to be divisive. We share a common goal of advancing the profession of midwifery regardless of political affiliation or living in a red or blue state. While the political landscape has changed, our advocacy goals at ACNM remain focused on increasing access to midwifery care to achieve optimal health for women through their lifespan.

ACNM's policies and position statements guide our strong advocacy voice in several ways, including calling attention to the need to fix our fractured maternity care system, addressing racial disparities in health outcomes, providing health plan coverage for contraceptive options and accessing sexual and reproductive health care as well as care for women throughout the lifespan. As midwives, we work across diverse settings to reach all those who desire and deserve our care, and to promote equity and respect in the care we provide.

I appreciate that the path forward is not clear and filled with unknowns. What I do know with certainty is that ACNM as an organization embraces all of its members and seeks to hold a safe and open space for dialogue and exchange of ideas. You will hear more about online Town Hall Forums we will host with members of the Board of Directors, volunteer leaders in the Government Affairs and Political Action Committees and Advocacy and Government Affairs staff to encourage respectful engagement in conversation within ACNM around our advocacy work and in support of open communication among all of our members. Together, we can make a difference.

As midwives, we will stand together, across political beliefs, race, religion, gender, age, ability, national origin, sexual orientation, and all of our identities to advance our profession on behalf of those we serve. We look forward to working together to further ACNM's strategic initiatives and advocate for women during the challenges and opportunities of the new political environment.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or other members of the Board of Directors with any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Sincerely,

Lisa Kane Low, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN

President, American College of Nurse-Midwives