The EveryOne Reach One Maternal and Infant Vitality Task Force (E1R1) brought the national Queens Village Model to Dayton with the launch of “Queens Village Dayton” in its efforts to increase maternal and infant vitality in Montgomery County.

Queens Village is an initiative of Cradle Cincinnati, a collective impact organization that fights high rates of infant mortality that disproportionately affect Black women in Cincinnati and beyond. Queens Village center Black women’s voices on changing not just racial disparities in birth outcomes but also the conditions that drive inequity in maternal and infant health. The initiative provides a safe space for Black mothers to support and be supported by their peers, to connect, to relieve stress, to process trauma and to build a better world together for ourselves and our children.

While QV Dayton centers the voice of Black Women, we recognize the importance of allyship in the process and welcome the support of all communities and individuals to reduce the disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates and in turn increase maternal and infant vitality for Black women and babies in Montgomery County.

Queens Village is centered on five pillars:

1. Relax, Rest, Repower. Reduce Black women’s stress by creating space for them to rest, relax and re-power.
2. Change the narrative. Create spaces and content for and by Black women that celebrate and amplify their voices.
3. Invest in Leadership. Invest in Black women’s leadership, social capital, and power through community advisory boards.
4. Create Opportunities. Create economic and professional pathways for Black women to succeed and flourish.
5. Engage Communities. Engage with social, political, and medical communities to support equity initiatives and reduce implicit bias that affects Black Women.