“For seven years, the California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi) had the honor of partnering with more than 30 advocates, including parents, doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, and birth justice leaders from San Francisco, Oakland, and Fresno. This collaboration sits at the core of our success. While we no longer have a Community Advisory Board (CAB), many former members are now community consultants, continuing to support our efforts as we transition PTBi to being a center (which will again have a CAB). The community consultants also work on many other projects at UCSF and beyond, lending their creativity, passion, and deep knowledge of the birth justice space.

From this series of videos, you can expect to learn of triumphs and moments of great joy, both personal and organizational, and hear hard truths. The CAB has been on a learning journey with us, and us with them. This journey is complete with growing pains along with many lessons and discoveries. Through it all, we have been bound by a shared commitment to Black birth justice — specifically safety for all Black women and birthing people — and also bound by love for each other.”

– Shanell Williams, PTBi Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships

On Joining A Community Advisory Board

A video for individuals wanting to join a community advisory board (CAB). Former community advisory board members and staff from the California Preterm Birth Initiative share the most important considerations about sharing your experience and expertise as a community advisor.

On Working With Community

A video for individuals and organizations wanting to partner with community members and/or start a community advisory board. Former community advisory board members from the California Preterm Birth Initiative share the most important considerations when seeking organizational support.

This project was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), through UCSF-CTSI Grant Number UL1 TR001872. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.