top of page
Gloria Cunningham

STSI - Recipient of the 2023 Keep Westchester Thriving Organizational Award by NPW

Updated: Jun 30

Presented by: Nonprofit Westchester


On November 29, 2023 NPW hosts its Annual Meeting & Emerging Leaders Program Graduation and Awards

Westchester’s celebration of the nonprofit sector — The only event of its kind in Westchester honoring a Nonprofit Individual Changemaker and Organization Changemaker. This event is not a fundraiser.


November 29, 2023 | 5:30 – 8:00 PM Sonesta Hotel, White Plains

Sister to Sister International founder, Cheryl Brannan, stated "STSI is pleased to be selected as the 2023 Nonprofit Changemaker Award recipient for our work, with various community partners in support of elevating and promoting Black maternal health as a key public health issue in Westchester County."

STSI's own Development Associate, Tsahai Amazan is a graduate of this year's Emerging Leaders Program and will be walking the stage shoulder to shoulder with 35 other Westchester based Graduates. NPW's Emerging Leaders Program is an 11-month professional development program that supports “emerging leaders” to grow their nonprofit knowledge, leadership skills, and expand their reach through networking.


Sister to Sister International, is a Yonkers-based nonprofit which is dedicated to the empowerment of Black women and girls in Westchester and beyond.


Nationally, maternal mortality is 3 to 4 times higher for Black women than for White women. STSI is being honored for successfully elevating and promoting Black maternal health as a key public health issue in Westchester, New York State and nationally. Through partnerships with Black and Brown birthing people, healthcare, academia, government and the general public, and their Seminole research report, Still I Rise: The Status of Black Women and Girls in Westchester County (2019), STSI is leading the way on solutions to this and other problems resulting from the social determinants of health and systemic racism.

STSI & Community Partners Westchester Black Maternal & Child Center of Excellence, Ribbon Cutting (Nov. 2022)


Maternal Health Stats:

  • From 2017 – 2021 42.9% of Black women had a cesarean section compared to 37.5% of White women in Westchester

  • The infant mortality rate for Black infants was 2.3 per 1,000 live births compared to 0.9 per 1,000 live births for White women in Westchester

  • Black women had 12.9% of low-birth-weight babies compared to 6.1% of White women in Westchester

Long Term Goals & Outcomes:

The goal is to improve Black maternal health outcomes through increased public awareness, outreach to pregnant women and their support systems and educating health care providers regarding the social determinants of health and the bias that negatively impacts black maternal health outcomes.

Some Accomplishments to Date:

Partnered with various community partners to create the Westchester Black Maternal & Child Center of Excellence (WBMCCE) with 4 pillars designed to educate and train all targeted populations noted above;

If you are interested in becoming a community partner, please email blkmatchild@gmail.com or call 914-207-0368.

For services and support please log onto s2si.org




72 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page