Author Description

Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of maternal mortality in the United States, accounting for over one-third of maternal deaths, with Black women having among the highest maternal mortality rates. Why is childbirth such a risky condition for U.S. women's health, especially for Black women-and what can be done about it? Sonata for a Damaged Heart is one Black woman's story of a near-death experience following her second pregnancy and the racial disparities in the healthcare industry that contributed to it. Wakisha (Kisha) Stewart's memoir is both a moving, lyrically told story of a decade-long struggle to survive a near-fatal heart attack with dignity and a clarion call for community-wide mobilization to guarantee health care equity.