The Silent Maternal Mortality Problem in Gary, Indiana

Known for being the hometown of Michael Jackson, and its namesake steel mill Gary Works, Gary, Indiana, has made its mark on history. Yet lesser known to locals and the nation is the city's maternal mortality problem.

Gary, a majority-Black city, grapples with an intersecting crisis of environmental, social, and economic issues. Home to the largest integrated steel mill in North America, the city’s industrial legacy pollutes the air, soil, and water. This, alongside inadequate health care infrastructure and widespread food insecurity, has created a perfect storm for Black mothers, who face some of the most severe health disparities in the nation— and among the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

As Capital B’s first health and environment reporter in Gary, Indiana, Jenae Barnes will investigate the intersectional causes at the heart of this critical, yet underreported problem.