SisterSong's Statement on Adriana Smith

“It is deadly to be Black and pregnant in a state where reproductive care is limited and criminalized. Nearly half of Georgia’s counties are reproductive care deserts, all while looming Medicaid cuts threaten to worsen access to care. Adriana Smith is a mother, daughter, and nurse who deserves a healthy pregnancy. Like so many Black women, Adriana spoke up for herself. She expressed what she felt in her body, and as a health care provider, she knew how to navigate the medical system. She was declared brain dead after doctors found multiple blood clots, but by then, it was already too late. Because of Adriana’s pregnancy and Georgia’s abortion ban, her family was told that doctors must keep Adriana on life support until the fetus is viable outside of the womb. First, Adriana deserves to be trusted by her healthcare professionals. Second, her family deserves the right to have decision-making power about her medical decisions. Instead, they have endured 90 days of retraumatization, expensive medical costs, and the cruelty of being unable to resolve and move toward healing.  

Black women must be trusted when it comes to our health care decisions. Our safety and our lives are sacrificed when essential care is out of reach, criminalized, and our bodies are left in the hands of extremist legislators. We’ve sounded the alarm for years. Yet, after the devastating and preventable deaths of multiple Black women, the message still rings clear: our lives are on the line, and our human right to bodily autonomy has been violated. Our bodies are not battlegrounds for political power plays. At SisterSong, we remain resolved in our fight for Reproductive Justice so no family has to go through this pain. Our hearts are with Adriana Smith’s family as they grieve this unimaginable loss.”