Our Moderator
Danielle Belton
Editor in Chief, The Root
Prior to joining The Root, Danielle served as the founder and editor of the award-winning pop culture-meets-politics blog The Black Snob. Under her leadership BlackSnob.com grew to over two million readers in less than two years. Danielle has written for The Daily Beast, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, The American Prospect, The Grio, Jezebel, NPR, and The Huffington Post among many others. Her work has garnered praise from across the media spectrum — “A rare voice in punditry. She’s a black feminist, but never strident or professional victim; she’s personal, but not self-indulgent; she’s educated, but not a snob… She’s smart, funny and often delivers the last word in a world full of people trying to define issues,” said film and TV producer Reginald Hudlin. Cintra Wilson, author “Colors Insulting to Nature,” called Belton “a cultural Rosetta Stone for a racially bewildered country.”
The Panel
Chanel Porchia
Executive Director at Ancient Song Doula Services
Chanel l. Porchia-Albert,CD, CLC, CHHC is the Founder and Executive Director of Ancient Song Doula Services (ASDS) in Brooklyn, NY. Porchia founded ASDS in 2008 after she experienced the birth of her first child at home.
Apart from being a mother of five children, she is an activist, speaker, certified labor & postpartum doula, certified lactation counselor, midwifery assistant, and a certified holistic health counselor specializing in high risk mothers, multiples, survivors of sexual trauma, VBAC's and DV. She is also the co-trainer for ASDS trainings. She has spoken at numerous colleges, conferences and continually rallied for women's issues.
Most recently she served on the advisory board at Arden Labs of Harvard School for Public Health and worked with various researchers on the impact of racism within infant and maternal health.
Apart from being a mother of five children, she is an activist, speaker, certified labor & postpartum doula, certified lactation counselor, midwifery assistant, and a certified holistic health counselor specializing in high risk mothers, multiples, survivors of sexual trauma, VBAC's and DV. She is also the co-trainer for ASDS trainings. She has spoken at numerous colleges, conferences and continually rallied for women's issues.
Most recently she served on the advisory board at Arden Labs of Harvard School for Public Health and worked with various researchers on the impact of racism within infant and maternal health.
Dr. Veronica Ades
Director of Global Women's Health at NYU
Veronica Ades, MD, MPH is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist. Dr. Ades has worked with Doctors Without Borders on assignments in Aweil, South Sudan in 2012 and 2016, and in Irbid, Jordan in 2013.
Dr. Ades is currently an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Global Women’s Health at the New York University School of Medicine (NYUMC). Her clinical work is at the New York Harbor VA and at Gouverneur Health. At NYUMC, Dr. Ades has created an educational and research partnership with Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. She is also the Director of the EMPOWER Clinic for Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Sexual Violence at Gouverneur Health on the Lower East Side. Dr. Ades’ main research focus is on post-sexual trauma gynecologic care. She runs the Empower Lab at the College of Global Public Health at NYU, where she has active research projects on sexual and gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, military sexual trauma, and global women’s health.
Dr. Ades is currently an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Director of Global Women’s Health at the New York University School of Medicine (NYUMC). Her clinical work is at the New York Harbor VA and at Gouverneur Health. At NYUMC, Dr. Ades has created an educational and research partnership with Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. She is also the Director of the EMPOWER Clinic for Survivors of Sex Trafficking and Sexual Violence at Gouverneur Health on the Lower East Side. Dr. Ades’ main research focus is on post-sexual trauma gynecologic care. She runs the Empower Lab at the College of Global Public Health at NYU, where she has active research projects on sexual and gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, military sexual trauma, and global women’s health.
Pilar Herrero
Human Rights Counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights
Pilar Herrero joined the Center of Reproductive Rights in 2015 and uses international human rights law to strengthen domestic legal advocacy. Pilar Herrero is a human rights lawyer working at the intersections of law and health. As Human Rights Counsel for the U.S. program at the Center for Reproductive Rights, Pilar works collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to advance reproductive rights as human rights at the state, national and international level. Her work on maternal health focuses on racial disparities and the structural inequalities that produce them. Pilar’s approach to law and policy is rooted in two decades of community building for social, racial, and reproductive justice.
Pilar earned her LL.M. in international legal studies from NYU School of Law. She received her J.D. from the University of Washington, along with a UW Law Merit Award for her academic and civic achievements during law school. Pilar holds a B.S. in biology, also from the University of Washington.
Pilar earned her LL.M. in international legal studies from NYU School of Law. She received her J.D. from the University of Washington, along with a UW Law Merit Award for her academic and civic achievements during law school. Pilar holds a B.S. in biology, also from the University of Washington.
Joia Adele Crear-Perry
MD, FACOG
Dr. Crear-Perry is the Founder and President of the National Birth Equity Collaborative. Most recently, she addressed the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to urge a human rights framework to improve maternal mortality. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Birthing Project, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Jefferson Community Healthcare Center and as the Director of Clinical Services for the City of New Orleans Health Department where she was responsible for four facilities that provided health care for the homeless, pediatric, WIC, and gynecologic services within the New Orleans clinical service area. Dr. Crear-Perry continues to work to improve access and availability of affordable health care to New Orleans’ citizens post the Hurricane Katrina disaster of 2005.
After receiving her bachelor’s trainings at Princeton University and Xavier University, Dr. Crear-Perry completed her medical degree at Louisiana State University and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. She was also recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
A proud recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Healthcare Hero’s award, Dr. Crear-Perry currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Community Catalyst, National Medical Association, and the New Orleans African American Museum.
After receiving her bachelor’s trainings at Princeton University and Xavier University, Dr. Crear-Perry completed her medical degree at Louisiana State University and her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. She was also recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
A proud recipient of the Congressional Black Caucus Healthcare Hero’s award, Dr. Crear-Perry currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Community Catalyst, National Medical Association, and the New Orleans African American Museum.