The NMSU Art Museum will host a panel discussion titled “Pregnancy and Loss” at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 on Zoom. Clockwise from top left are panelists Shannon Gibney and Kao Kalia Yang, co-editors of “What God Is Honored Here: Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss by and for Native Women and Women of Color;” Kimberly York, interim director of NMSU’s Black Programs and j wallace skelton, educator, activist and author. (Courtesy Photo)The New Mexico State University Art Museum will host a live panel discussion, “Pregnancy and Loss,” to provide an opportunity for community parents who have experienced loss. The discussion will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 on the Zoom video conferencing platform.

According to the Mayo Clinic, 43 percent of mothers have experienced one or more first-trimester miscarriages. Many women who have suffered miscarriages, stillbirths and other vulnerabilities in pregnancy and childbirth face these challenges alone.

Lisa and Janelle Iglesias will be among the panelists for "Pregnancy and Loss" a live discussion hosted by the University Art Museum at NMSU. Las Hermanas Iglesias is the collaboration between the artist sisters whose work is featured in the museum’s premier exhibition “Labor: Motherhood & Art in 2020." (Courtesy photo)The panel will include: Shannon Gibney and Kao Kalia Yang, co-editors of “What God Is Honored Here: Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss by and for Native Women and Women of Color;” j wallace skelton, educator, activist and author and Las Hermanas Iglesias, the collaboration between artist sisters Lisa and Janelle Iglesias, whose work is featured in the museum’s premier exhibition “Labor: Motherhood & Art in 2020.” Kimberly York, interim director of NMSU’s Black Programs will serve as moderator.

“The discussion is intended to help individuals delve deeply into aspects of pregnancy loss, miscarriage and stillbirth within a reproductive justice framework,” said Marisa Sage, director of the University Art Museum at NMSU. “We hope to stimulate meaningful conversations for any persons who have felt disconnected and overwhelmed through these experiences.”

Writers’ and artists’ responses to these heart-wrenching experiences will present a critical aspect of the discussion along with the full spectrum of reproductive justice for the community including Black, Indigenous, people of color and LGBTQ communities. There will be a question and answer session following the discussion and all members of the event are invited to participate.

This event is co-sponsored by the NMSU departments of art, gender and sexuality studies and English.

Please register for the event prior to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug 22, https://nmsu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uG6T90-dT0SxCWzI-bP_9Q. For more information about other upcoming events, please visit https://uam.nmsu.edu/upcoming-exhibitions-events/.