A Message from President Lisa Kane Low
As we head into our 63rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Savannah today, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some activities as we move forward in our theme of "Giving Voice to the Soul of Midwifery," where we will be honoring the Grand Midwives of the South.
The response to this year's meeting has been incredible, with attendance surpassing the last three years. The Program Committee has a packed agenda planned, including plenary speakers who are likely to inspire a range of emotions as we listen to their messages and hear their truths. The wide range of educational sessions includes many within the new Racism and Health Disparities track, which was requested at last year's Annual Meeting. We are also releasing some new position statements approved at the last Board of Directors' meeting, which include an inaugural ACNM Position Statement on Racism and Racial Bias.
This document is a concrete step forward in our commitment to create an inclusive organization and continue our efforts to eliminate racism and racial bias in the midwifery profession and race-based disparities in health care. The rich content includes an action plan with measurable outcomes that we will use to move our efforts forward, including regular updates to the membership on our progress in advancing the steps it outlines. We can and must do better in working together to address institutionalized racism, health disparities, and workforce diversity, including our contribution as an organization to these challenges. We are continuing this journey as we move into our Annual Meeting and then beyond.
We will miss those who are unable to attend the meeting this year. We will be live tweeting and sharing information in a variety of venues throughout the week, including the events of this morning's Board of Directors' Meeting and the Tuesday and Wednesday Business Meetings, which conclude with the transition to a new President, Susan Stone.
I look forward to honoring our Annual Meeting theme and to seeing many of you here in Savannah.
Respectfully,
Lisa Kane Low, CNM, PhD, FACNM, FAAN
President, ACNM Board,
On Behalf of the ACNM Board of Directors
American College of Nurse-Midwives
409 12th St SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024-2188
Phone: 240.485.1800
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