Sheena Wright, the city’s first Black woman first deputy mayor, celebrated Black History Month and discussed why the accomplishment is so important to her.

Born and raised in the South Bronx, Wright is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. She discussed her family’s journey and being raised by all women, including her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Last week, Wright and Mayor Eric Adams announced the city’s first office dedicated solely to early childhood care and education. The office will ensure working families have access to equitable, high-quality and affordable early education.

She also talked about what she’s doing to address maternal mortality and the importance of doulas in maternal care.

In New York state, Black women are nine times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related complication than white women. The rate of infant mortality is also three times higher for Black women than white women in the state.