Recognition Where it is Deserved
By: Anne E. Mahady
Today we recognize Black women legislators whose work addresses the root causes of disparities in healthcare, education, and the criminal legal systems in Indiana: Robin Shackleford, Vanessa Summers, and Ragen Hatcher. Though by no means a comprehensive list of those working collaboratively with their communities to advocate for equitable and accessible care, these three legislators have been instrumental to the success of bills that will significantly improve the lives of Hoosier women and their families during this legislative session.
Representatives Shackleford, Summers, and Hatcher joined together with their colleagues’ Reps. Cherrish Pryor and Carolyn Jackson, and Sen. Jean Breaux to endorse House Bill 1140, which expands Medicaid coverage for pregnant women- including a coverage extension for postpartum care from 6 months to a full year. This represents a significant move in the right direction for Indiana and a true achievement for the Black and Brown women legislators who have fought for years to ensure its passage.
Representative Shackleford continues her work as a staunch advocate for women and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence through her work on House Bills 1079 and 1137, which define consent in Indiana sexual assault laws and strengthen laws about protective orders. But Shackleford’s tenure as Chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is also notable for her continued commitment to amend racial and economic disparities in the medical field- penning legislation that alleviates economic hardships for and empowers Black and Brown healthcare students, creates lead testing standards for children and infants, and allows nurses to create individualized healthcare plans based on families’ needs. While some of these proposed bills are currently inactive, they represent critical policy changes that would significantly improve the lives of all Hoosier women.
Representative Summers remains a champion of womens’ maternal care in Indiana. Summers’ policymaking work is animated by a deep care for the wellbeing of Black and Brown mothers and a knowledge of the systemic racial disparities that jeopardize their lives within the healthcare system. In a 2021 interview with Michael Jefferson, she stated, “We are losing mothers, and mothers are not being able to raise their children, and children are not getting the benefit of having their mother’s love.” Since that interview, Summers authored House Bills 1416 and 1178, which would have required the state department of health to give an annual report on maternal morbidity rates in Indiana and create evidence-based bias mitigation training for healthcare professionals (her colleague Rep. Shackleford has also advocated for these reforms in House Bill 1065). Although these bills are now inactive, Summers’ work continues in her co-authorship of House Bill 1294 which restricts the use of shackles and other restraints on pregnant inmates.
Representative Hatcher is a resolute defender of all those who interact with Indiana’s criminal legal system. This session, Hatcher authored crucial legislation through House Bills 1366, 1370, and 1413 which would have significantly strengthened protections for domestic violence survivors and created a domestic violence registry. In addition to these, she proposed legislation on bail reform that would have combated the economic hardships created by excessive bail requirements in many communities across Indiana. While these bills are now inactive, it’s clear that Hatcher remains committed to the struggle for equality in the long run, whether through her support of expanded Medicaid coverage for pregnant people or in community conversations about the prison system’s impact on Hoosiers.
Taken together, Shackleford, Summers, and Hatcher are leading the way in the fight for womens’ medical, social and economic equality in the state of Indiana. Their persistence, engagement with Hoosier communities, and acumen as policymakers are a model of what it means to champion equity and inclusion in our state. And they remind us that Black women have always been at the forefront of women’s political leadership.