Whose maternal mortality rate is three times higher than that of white americans. three times. and it is actually getting worse, not better from 2018 through 2020, the first year of the pandemic, maternal mortality rose for all group, but for black people, it shot up by 25 whole percent. the biden administration has named maternal health a top priority, and this week, which is black maternal health week, vice president kamala harris, who convened a cabinet meeting on this specific issue where she said this. this is an issue that is not just about health care, it is about treating a woman as a whole human being. understanding that if we are to expect and actually influence positive outcomes on this issue, we must see her then as a whole human being. which is why we have gathered the leaders that are here today so that we can address issues such as the issue of housing. we can address issues such as