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Benson Pledges to Address Black Maternal Health Crisis as Michigan Governor
Gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson vows to prioritize improving maternal health outcomes for Black women in the state.
Published on Feb. 9, 2026
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Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson used an event in Flint, Michigan on Monday to promote her health care platform, with a focus on addressing the Black maternal health crisis. Joined by maternal health care leaders, Benson emphasized that in Michigan, Black women are three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, and health disparities are often worse in both rural areas and cities like Flint. Benson pledged that as governor, she would treat and prioritize addressing this public health crisis with the urgency it demands.
Why it matters
Black maternal mortality rates in Michigan are alarmingly high, with Black women three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white women. This crisis disproportionately impacts communities of color and highlights deep-seated inequities in the state's healthcare system. Benson's focus on this issue as a key part of her gubernatorial platform signals a commitment to prioritizing maternal health and tackling racial disparities.
The details
At the Flint event, Benson was joined by Danielle Atkinson, executive director of the Detroit-based nonprofit Mothering Justice, and Janet Poole-Little, a registered nurse at the Greater Flint Health Coalition Mid-Michigan CHAP. Both women praised Benson's comprehensive health care agenda and her plans to address the Black maternal health crisis, including creating an independent prescription drug affordability board and requiring hospitals to show costs upfront. Benson emphasized that her focus is on prioritizing the problems at hand rather than just the cost, drawing parallels to her work streamlining motor vehicle office services as Secretary of State.
- Benson held the event in Flint, Michigan on Monday, February 9, 2026.
The players
Jocelyn Benson
The current Secretary of State of Michigan and a candidate for governor, Benson has made addressing the Black maternal health crisis a key part of her healthcare platform.
Danielle Atkinson
The executive director of the Detroit-based nonprofit Mothering Justice, Atkinson praised Benson's comprehensive health care agenda and her plans to address the Black maternal health crisis.
Janet Poole-Little
A registered nurse at the Greater Flint Health Coalition Mid-Michigan CHAP, Poole-Little also expressed support for Benson's health care plans, including her proposals to create an independent prescription drug affordability board and require hospitals to show costs upfront.
What they’re saying
“As leaders in Michigan, we have a moral responsibility to fix this. As your next governor, I will treat and prioritize and address the Black maternal health care crisis with the urgency and it demands.”
— Jocelyn Benson, Gubernatorial Candidate (michiganadvance.com)
“I believe birthing people should be at every table where policy is being made, because policy should be shaped by the people that are affected by it the most. The experiences of mothers and birthing people, especially those of color, must be front and center when we're tackling this public health crisis, and that's why I'm so proud to be here in Flint and stand with Jocelyn Benson, the only candidate for governor with a comprehensive health care agenda.”
— Danielle Atkinson, Executive Director, Mothering Justice (michiganadvance.com)
“Our health care system has failed to invest in care for and delivery for Black women up and down this state, and while outcomes for my community stay the same or get worse, our bills never stop getting higher.”
— Janet Poole-Little, Registered Nurse, Greater Flint Health Coalition Mid-Michigan CHAP (michiganadvance.com)
What’s next
Benson's specific policy proposals to address the Black maternal health crisis, including creating an independent prescription drug affordability board and requiring hospitals to show costs upfront, will likely be further detailed and debated as part of her gubernatorial campaign.
The takeaway
Benson's focus on the Black maternal health crisis as a key part of her healthcare platform underscores the urgent need to address this public health disparity in Michigan. Her pledge to prioritize and treat this issue with the seriousness it demands, if elected governor, signals a commitment to tackling racial inequities in the state's healthcare system.
