Dear Friends,

Today marks the beginning of an important journey, and I’m thrilled to invite you to be part of it. At Body and Soul Sovereignty United (BASS United), we are committed to advancing women’s and maternal health—not only for women of color and those living in underserved areas, but for all women. Our mission is rooted in the belief that every woman deserves dignity, respect, and a safe space throughout her pregnancy, her life, and beyond.

This campaign represents a critical step forward in addressing the disparities that persist in women’s health. With your support, we aim to expand our programs, empower women, and educate clinicians to deliver trauma-responsive, culturally sensitive care. Together, we can build a future where no woman’s or mother’s health is left to chance because of her circumstances or the color of her skin.

Your involvement is vital. Every contribution—large or small—directly supports initiatives like the Two-Eyed Seeing curriculum, which equips healthcare providers with the tools to deliver trauma-informed, culturally respectful care. Your generosity helps us establish programs and partnerships that bring hope and healing to families who need it most.

This is more than a fundraiser; it’s a movement to safeguard women’s health. It is a movement to ensure that mothers in maternity care deserts have access to the resources and support they deserve. It is a movement to empower women to navigate healthcare systems with confidence and knowledge. It is a movement to educate and inspire clinicians to make systemic change a reality.

I invite you to join us on this journey. By contributing to this campaign, sharing our mission with your networks, or standing with us in solidarity, you will help transform lives and build healthier, more equitable communities. Together, we can create a legacy of hope and healing for generations to come.

Keep reading to discover more about our purpose and why we're here.

Thank you for believing in this mission and the power of change. Your support is the heartbeat of our work, and I am endlessly grateful to have you by our side.

With hope and determination,
Dr. Luana Rodriguez
Founder, Body and Soul Sovereignty United (BASS United)

Restorative Justice in Women's Health – A Shared Journey Toward Health, Civility, and Compassion

Imagine a nation where the health of women—across all stages of life—is valued, respected, and supported. Yet today, many women face barriers that jeopardize their well-being—not only because of their gender and ethno-racial background but also because of the systems that continue to fail them. The intersection of women's and maternal health exposes a deeply entrenched crisis driven by clinician bias, systemic racism, and the enduring legacy of colonization—realities often misunderstood or overlooked by those outside the affected communities.

Common Threads Between Women’s Health and Maternal Health

Women of color face significant challenges in accessing healthcare that meets their unique needs, often beginning long before pregnancy and continuing into motherhood. Here’s why:

Clinician Bias and Racism: Research shows that Black and Indigenous women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women because their concerns are often ignored, minimized, and dismissed. These biases extend to women’s health more broadly, from inadequate reproductive care to dismissing pain complaints, perpetuating a cycle of mistrust and poor health outcomes.
Systemic Inequities: Women of color are disproportionately impacted by poverty, lack of healthcare access, and fewer safe spaces to receive care. Women living in maternity care deserts—where no obstetric providers are available—face compounded risks, further exacerbating disparities in maternal and reproductive health.
Trauma and ACEs (Adverse Childhood and Adult Experiences): ACEs, such as exposure to violence and neglect, can lead to mental health challenges and substance use—responses often regarded as normal reactions to trauma. However, these challenges can have profound and lasting effects on overall health, including reproductive and maternal health outcomes. Women who experience trauma often face higher risks of complications during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.
Cultural Humility and Sensitivity: Many women report feeling unsafe or unheard in clinical or social service settings, especially when providers lack training in cultural humility, empathy, and trauma-responsive care. This disconnect leaves patients vulnerable and diminishes trust in healthcare systems.
Resilience and Safety: For women to thrive, healthcare systems must prioritize safety, empowerment, and resilience—not perpetuate harm or reinforce fear and marginalization.

Economic Burden of Inequities in Women’s and Maternal Health

The cost of inaction is staggering. In 2021, the U.S. faced an economic burden of $32 billion due to maternal morbidity and mortality. This figure includes healthcare costs, lost productivity, and the ripple effects of poor outcomes on families. Women, especially those of color, are at higher risk for exposure to obstetric violence, lack of abortion access, and traumatic experiences when navigating immigration, deportation, and war.

Chronic health conditions linked to untreated reproductive health disparities—such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and depression—add an estimated $80 billion annually to the nation’s healthcare expenses. These costs underscore the urgent need for systemic change. Addressing these disparities is not just a moral imperative—it’s an economic necessity.

How We Can Change the Trajectory

By addressing clinician bias, dismantling systemic inequities, and fostering trauma-responsive, culturally sensitive care, we can create a healthcare system that uplifts all women. Here’s how:

Invest in Training: Equip clinicians with tools to recognize and counteract implicit bias, understand the impact of historical and contemporary colonization, and embrace cultural humility.
Address ACEs and Trauma: Embed trauma-responsive care into all healthcare and social service interactions to support women and prevent lifelong adverse health outcomes.
Enhance Accessibility: Expand access to care through telehealth, mobile clinics, and community health hubs in underserved areas, ensuring all women can access the care they need when they need it.
Promote Community-Led Solutions: Support programs led by and for women, such as the Two-Eyed Seeing framework, which integrates Indigenous and Western approaches for holistic healing and care.
Shift the Narrative: Reframe women’s and maternal health as national priorities, emphasizing the profound impact of healthier women on society’s overall health, resilience, and productivity.

A Call to Action

Every woman’s health story is tied to the health of her community and nation. By donating, you help rewrite these stories—stories of women silenced by bias and violence, mothers lost to preventable complications, and families burdened by unnecessary fear and suffering.

These harmful actions were never intended to define our role as clinicians. Our sacred oath has always been to "first, do no harm."

Your contribution can help transform our healthcare system into one that:

Empowers women to advocate for themselves and to understand how to navigate healthcare systems.
Trains clinicians and students to provide culturally humble, trauma-responsive, and safe care.
Reduces the economic burden of inequities on families and the nation. Redirecting funding and resources from ineffective solutions and unresolved health disparities to innovative initiatives like ours can save lives, empower communities, and foster sustainable prosperity for future generations. Eliminating racial health disparities could yield $135 billion annually in economic gains, benefiting families and communities nationwide.

Your support will transform lives!
Together, we can create a future where reproductive justice is no longer a distant ideal but a lived reality.

Join us in this vital mission—because when women thrive, we all thrive!

Safeguard Women’s Health Through Restorative Justice: Build a Thriving, Safe and Secure Future for All

By Body and Soul Sovereignty United

Safeguard Women’s Health Through Restorative Justice: Build a Thriving, Safe and Secure Future for All

A GIVING TUESDAY Call to Action: Empowering Women, Fortifying Communities, and Advancing National Well-Being