ACLU Advocates for Smart Justice

Serving as an OB hospitalist independent contractor at Pomona Valley Medical Center, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, takes care of a high volume of obstetrics patients. She also serves as the supervising physician at Northeast Valley Health Corporation in San Fernando. As a social justice advocate, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, has been actively involved in some of the programs of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) since 2017.

ACLU’s Smart Justice campaign focuses on reducing the population in US prisons by half, with special emphasis on racial disparities. Hundreds of thousands of incarcerated Americans are serving sentences that far outweigh their crimes, the ACLU noted.

Smart Justice fights “extreme sentencing laws” and “mandatory minimum laws” that make judges unable to promulgate sentences that fit the crimes. The fight reaches the US Congress, where the ACLU pushes for the passing of the Smarter Sentencing Act.

Smart Justice works with all 50 states to introduce smarter justice. To end mass incarceration, Smart Justice pushes for bills that address sentencing reform, bail reform, prosecutorial reform, parole, and re-entry.

NAACP’s 2020 Census Suit Will Proceed

Based in Santa Clarita, California, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is a physician with several years of experience, having worked with a variety of medical facilities. In addition, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is a member of several professional organizations, such as the NAACP, which she joined in 2017.

The NAACP made headlines for filing suit against the federal government in 2018 for what it believes to be inadequate census 2020 preparations, though this was eventually dismissed. However, the NAACP has won an appeal reinstating the lawsuit, which looks to ensure that all people are counted in the 2020 Census.

The suit came about due to the belief that a variety of communities have been historically undercounted, with many of these being comprised of people of color. The NAACP notes that this has resulted in communities of color being underrepresented in a variety of areas, such as transportation, health care, and more.

With the suit having been reinstated, the NAACP believes that some of the decisions that undercount these communities may be addressed before the 2020 Census.

Regular Breast Cancer Screenings Boost Survival Rates

Voted a top OB/GYN in 2012 by Consumers’ Research Council of America, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, works as a supervising physician at Northeast Valley Health Corporation in San Fernando, California. In addition to providing outpatient obstetric and gynecologic care to underserved residents of the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, counsels patients on breast cancer prevention.

Screening tests for breast cancer have become more advanced and are able to identify cancerous breast cells before other warning signs or symptoms appear. Keeping up with regular screenings and identifying cancer early leads to better survival rates. After age 40, typically breast cancer screenings include a clinical breast exam and mammography. Women with histories of breast cancer in their families or other heightened risk factors may undergo breast MRIs to look for cancerous changes in the breast.

If you have an abnormal finding on your screening test, it’s critical to follow up with your doctor right away to get early treatment for the best chance of survival. If you don’t have insurance, the Komen Breast Care Helpline may be able to assist you with finding a low-cost mammography service in your area. Call the helpline at 1-877-GO-KOMEN to find out more about breast cancer screening resources in your area.