May 19, 2025 • 24 mins
In this episode of The Paid Leave Podcast we focus on mental health and speak with a local politician who started a caucus dealing with black family health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month it is also Maternal Mental Health Month and National Adolescent Health Month, and it’s Children’s Mental Health Awareness week from May 5-11th. CT Paid Leave gives up to 12 weeks of income Replacement for your own serious health conditions ot that of a loved one that includes maternity and bonding leave and mental health issues if your health care professional deems it a serious health condition.
Guest Kai Belton, a state representative and advocate for children's mental health and victim services, shares her journey into politics, inspired by the late Rep. Q Williams. Belton emphasizes the importance of the Black Maternal and Infant Health Caucus in addressing racial disparities in maternal health. She recounts her personal experiences with healthcare and advocates for the critical role of paid leave in supporting families and caregivers, particularly during crises. Belton also discusses the need for diverse healthcare workers and the impact of maternal mental health on community health.
To get in touch with Representative Kai Belton: Belton | Connecticut House Democrats or call 1-800-842-8267, 860-240-8585.
For information or to apply for benefits please go to: CT Paid Leave.
https://ctpaidleave.org/s/?language=en_US
https://www.facebook.com/CTPaidLeave
https://www.instagram.com/ctpaidleave/
https://twitter.com/CTPaidLeave
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ct+paid+leave
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Nancy Barrow (00:01):
Hello Connecticut, and welcome to The Paid Leave
Podcast. The title basicallysays it all. I'm Nancy Barrow,
and I will be delving into thisnew state program and how it can
help you and your family. Thispodcast will give you
information you should knowabout Connecticut Paid Leave and
maybe just a little bit more.
Connecticut Paid Leave bringspeace of mind to your home,
(00:22):
family and workplace. Welcome toThe Paid Leave Podcast.
busy month. Connecticut paidleave gives up to 12 weeks of
(00:45):
income replacement for your ownserious health conditions or
that of a loved one, thatincludes maternity and bonding
leave and mental health issuesif your health care professional
deems it a serious healthcondition. My guest today is
State Representative Kai Belton.
She was elected in a 2023special election to the
Connecticut General Assembly forthe 100th district that includes
Middletown with almost twodecades of service as a Licensed
(01:09):
Master social worker inMiddletown representative Belton
is known for her dynamicleadership and strong advocacy,
particularly in victim servicesand children's mental health,
and she serves on three crucialcommittees, Appropriations
Committee, the Committee onchildren and the vice chair of
the Public Health Committee. Herpassion lies in creating a
better Connecticut by advocatingfor quality health care for all
(01:31):
and equity and justice.
Representative Belton works forthe well being of all
Connecticut residents andoutside of the legislature.
She's currently employed by theConnecticut Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, known as CCAdv, and is the vice president of
programs there. And she's also amobile crisis clinician at
Middlesex health. Welcome to ThePaid Leave Podcast
(01:53):
Representative Belton.
Rep. Kai Belton (01:54):
Thank you, Nancy. I am so happy to be here.
Nancy Barrow (01:58):
Tell me about your journey into politics, if you
can give me that, and iseverything it? Is it everything
that you expected it to be?
Rep. Kai Belton (02:06):
Well, I have to say, I was talking with
Representative Q Williams, who,you know, was like, well, you
know, you should join theDemocratic Town Committee. So I
was like, Okay, I'll, you know,check that out, see what it's
about. So I joined, and I endedup taking this class, this
(02:30):
training program EmergeConnecticut, that trains
Democratic women to campaign andrun for office. And during that
time, what I was thinking is oneday I might, you know, run for
Board of Ed, or, you know,something like that. I never
(02:53):
thought about being a StateRepresentative. You know,
Senate, nothing on the statelevel. It's just not my one
thing that I always think aboutis that, you know, there's a lot
of, you know, publicinteraction, right, right? That
is just not who I am. And Q wasthat person, right? So it was,
(03:17):
like, perfect for him. I justwanted to be more informed and a
little more active. And then,you know, then we had the the
tragic death of RepresentativeWilliams, and that is really
when things changed. You know,very short, shortly after he
passed, I was asked to run forhis seat, and I was like, kind
(03:42):
of upset about that, because I'mlike, why are we talking about
running for his seat, like hejust passed away. But, you know,
the Republicans in our town hadalready had somebody ready, and
we were like, you know, we haveto do something. And I still
said, No. I said no, like, twoor three times, and then, you
(04:04):
know, I started to think aboutyou and how he was always
championing women's voices, and,you know, how we should be more
involved and more active ingovernment. And I was like,
Okay, well, I'm going to justtry it, right? I'm gonna put my
name in the hat if it doesn'twork, it doesn't work. Really
(04:25):
didn't want to do it anyway, butat least I could say I tried
right, and I had no idea thatthis was gonna happen, and put
my name in the hat. Did thecandidate interview, and I I was
the chosen candidate, and I waslike, What in the world, so.
Nancy Barrow (04:42):
It must have been meant to be, though you have to
kind of think of things in thatnature.
Rep. Kai Belton (04:48):
Absolutely.
And, you know, I find it funnythat people would say to me,
Well, you know, Q would, youknow, speak about you, you know,
in rooms in, you know, he wouldsay. You know, things about,
like, how you would be great atthis or that. And I'm like,
well, he never told me that. Henever, you know, he lifted me
up, but he never talked about,well, if I wasn't in this seat,
(05:11):
like you would be one of thepeople that you know, I would,
would want, you know, to run.
And you know, just hearing thatreally gave me some courage and
confidence to to do it, and soI'm here.
Nancy Barrow (05:29):
And how does it feel to be Middletown's first
black female StateRepresentative?
Rep. Kai Belton (05:34):
I am the first, but I am not the last. I look at
it like she opened that door forme as the first black man, and I
am the first black woman, but Iam not the last. I'm leaving
that door open for many, manymore. And it's, it's an honor,
and it comes along with a lot ofpressure, obviously, because you
(05:56):
don't want to screw that up,right? Because everyone is
looking at you to, you know,because they have their own
expectations of, you know whatblack people should be doing,
and you know, and how theybehave, and you know all of the
things. So, you know, there,there are plenty eyes, you know,
(06:17):
on me, just like there wereplenty eyes on onto so it's a
lot of pressure, but, you know,I'm up for the job. I'm up for
the task.
Nancy Barrow (06:25):
And how does it feel being a role model now for
younger black girls who look atyou and say, hey, if, if
Representative Belton, can dothis, I can do this.
Rep. Kai Belton (06:35):
Yeah, I look, I think about that all the time.
I'm like, you know, and I have adaughter too, who is a is a
social worker who never thoughtabout politics before. Now she's
like, mom, like, this is soamazing. Like, you know, I can I
see her exploring things nowthat I didn't before. But also,
(06:59):
you know, the young people in mycommunity, they stated, and I
used to work in the schoolsystem, so you know, when I see
young people my I used to dothis girl talk summer program,
and when I see some of thosestudents, the interest now that
they have in politics, becauseI'm here, it just makes me So
(07:20):
happy they want to know more,because it doesn't always look
like a space for us, right? Itdoesn't always look like a space
for women. It doesn't alwayslook like a space for black
women. And I think just havingme here really gives people the
opportunity to explore, youknow, the possibilities. And
(07:41):
this summer, I'm actually doinga Miss President us summer
program for young women who arein middle school, and it's
really teaching them aboutgovernment, is teaching them how
to run for a campaign, how to doa campaign, and they actually
(08:02):
have an election. So it's reallygreat, and this is going to be
the first time it's ever beendone in Middletown. And I'm
really excited about it. Ireally feel like this is another
way to, you know, to lift thevoices of young women and get
them exposed early.
Nancy Barrow (08:19):
And that's so important, I'm going to shift
gears a little bit and ask youto tell me a little bit about
being the Chair of the BlackMaternal and Infant Health
Caucus. How did this come about?
Rep. Kai Belton (08:31):
Okay, so I was very new to the legislature, and
at that time, we had six blackwomen in the entire legislature.
Now we have four. And there, youknow, was a lot of talk about
the maternal health crisis. Andyou know, I really felt strongly
(08:58):
about the fact that we needed tobe at the center of these
conversations, because this issomething that we live every
single day. All of us hadstories, right? So, and we have
family members who have stories.
So I went to all the blackmembers, all the black women
(09:18):
members, and I told them what Iwanted to do, that I wanted to
form this black maternal andinfant health caucus, and Robin
Porter was very supportive. Itwas something that she had been
thinking about doing. So shehelps me. You know, we came up
with the name the mission, and Iwent to to all the the black
(09:43):
women legislators, and I was,you know, telling them, You know
what, what I wanted to do, andasking them, you know, if they
would sign on to this letterwith me to form the caucus. And
they all agreed. So. And we putthe call out there to other
legislators. And you know, wehave a bipartisan group. We have
over 30 something members, andwhat we really do is focus on
(10:10):
changing outcomes for blackmothers and babies, and we do
that in many different ways, butwe have a very supportive group.
Everyone is very engaged, and weare really the center of the
conversations that arehappening, the center of the
(10:34):
policy.
Nancy Barrow (10:37):
I know black maternal deaths in our country
are three times higher thanwhite women, pregnancy
complications two times aslikely in black women. Let's,
let's talk about the issue ofracism in health care. You work
as a mobile crisis clinician atMiddlesex Health. What have you
seen? And what are your thoughtsabout combating it? Is it with
(10:58):
this caucus?
Rep. Kai Belton (11:01):
So you know, it's a
Nancy Barrow (11:03):
It's a big question. I'm sorry, it's a huge
question.
Rep. Kai Belton (11:07):
So you know, I think good policy can come out
of this, this caucus. But youknow, this is a historical
issue, right? Like this isracism that has been happening
for so many years. I mean, blackpeople historically, you know,
(11:28):
were used as specimens and nothumans. So that trauma lives in
our DNA, right? So when it comesto the healthcare system, it's
not our it's not our favoriteplace, yeah? So it's really,
really important for us to havehealthcare workers who look like
(11:51):
us, yeah? Because that's wherethe trust comes in, right? And
you think about like, you know,preventive care and things like
that, like, you know, we if wehad more people in the workforce
that looked like us, we wouldlive longer. We would live, you
know. And when it comes tomaternal health, I think that
(12:15):
having someone by your side whounderstands your experiences
culturally and can advocate foryou and empower you. It's
extremely important. And youknow, one of I value doulas so
much because I think they areinvaluable to mothers and
(12:37):
birthing people during theirbirthing journeys. My daughter
is actually studying to be adoula right now. Oh my goodness.
How great is that? Yeah, it'samazing. And it's even more
amazing that my daughter in lawis having her my son and my
daughter in law, they're havingtheir second baby, and my
(12:57):
daughter is going to be a doula.
So I'm really excited aboutthat.
Nancy Barrow (13:01):
That's wonderful.
And I hope that they useConnecticut Paid Leave, and they
use the bonding that they needto. What was your experience as
a mom and having your child?
Were you listened to by themedical community, or did you
have great medical care?
Rep. Kai Belton (13:18):
Actually, my first child I had when I was
very young, and I was havingpreterm labor. I was
hospitalized for it. I was stillhaving contractions, and they
were trying to send me home, andI was telling them, you know,
I'm still contracting like I'mstill feeling a lot of pain.
(13:40):
They told me I was fine, youknow, maybe like, six hours
later I came back to thehospital because I was in so
much pain. And I remember thedoctor, a white male doctor,
saying to me, you're back. And Iwas like, Yes, I'm in a lot of
pain. And I remember him sayingto me, Well, you're not in
(14:05):
labor. You just left right. Andat that time, you know, I had
state medical insurance. So, youknow, looking back on it, I
could see so many things, youknow, I was young, you know, I
had, you know, Medicaid, and,you know, so he didn't believe
me. And, you know, they hadsomeone, you know, check to see
(14:28):
how much I was dilated. And Ijust hear people like yelling
and rushing. And my child wascoming out, and I had him in my
T shirt. And, you know, I hadjust turned seven months. He was
two pounds, nine ounces, wow. Sothat was, you know, that was a
(14:49):
very, you know, difficult time,because if I was listened to
and, had my needs met, My babycould have been in there a lot
longer, and we could haveavoided so, so much, so many
medical issues over the years,so much stress, so in in a lot
(15:11):
of like trauma, honestly, forhim and for me. So it definitely
impacted me. And this is anotherreason why you know this is so
real to me and I'm I'm sopassionate about it, because I
feel like when you go to ahospital to get help, you should
(15:33):
be listened to, no matter youknow how you look or your income
level, you should be supportedand you should have quality,
quality care.
Nancy Barrow (15:43):
Well we appreciate that you shouted out Connecticut
Paid Leave during yourannouncement of the Black
Maternal and Infant HealthCaucus. We thank you for that.
But can you tell me how you seeConnecticut Paid Leave helping
your constituents in inMiddletown, or the people that
you talk to or the people yourun into?
Rep. Kai Belton (15:59):
Yeah, yeah. So, when I think about Connecticut
Paid Leave, I think about howimportant it is, you know, it's
a huge support for workingfamilies, for caregivers and and
those who are managing serioushealth conditions. You know, you
(16:21):
think about, like we just said,about bonding with a new baby or
caring for a sick family member.
You know, these scenarios couldleave some people homeless, and
in these, you know, really badsituations if, if they don't
have the support likeConnecticut Paid Leave provides.
So, you know, working peoplecan, can have that time to to
(16:42):
deal with these, you know,serious illnesses or domestic
violence, or, you know, mentalhealth needs without the loss of
income. And I think that that isextremely important. When
someone is experiencing domesticviolence like they're they're in
crisis right there. It's thetraumatic time. They're in
crisis, and this can look like,you know, severe anxiety and
(17:04):
depression, and you still haveto take care of your children,
right? You have to make surethat they're in school, or they
have childcare, or they're thatthey're, you know, cared for in
some kind of way. You might havephysical injuries that you're
trying to tend to. You'refleeing a situation, so it could
(17:27):
be a shelter or some placethat's unfamiliar to you. So
you're you're having to adjustyourself in your family. So
these are all things that taketime. Time is so valuable and it
is needed to start this longhailing journey, right? Because
(17:50):
it's only the beginning. Sothose 12 days you know, of of
you know, time and incomereplacement. That is a lifeline
for folks. It really is.
Nancy Barrow (18:05):
Yeah, I think it's amazing that you're doing the
work that you do in thelegislature, and then you're
doing this really importantwork. You know, working for
CCADV, you're, how does that notburn you out?
Rep. Kai Belton (18:22):
So people ask me this all the time. So first I
want to say this. I don't, Idon't think a lot of people know
this, but legislators make nomoney.
Nancy Barrow (18:33):
You're a really active politician. You're you're
active on your socials and andthe state website. Why is that
important to you?
Rep. Kai Belton (18:40):
When you said something about this earlier, I
I laughed a little because thattook time, because at first I
was like, why is this important?
Like, I just want to do thework, right? Yeah, I'm not a
social media person. I don'tlike to typically do interviews
or anything like that. I'm like,I just want to do the work. But
you know, someone said to me,and it really clicked, people
(19:03):
elect you, and they expect thatyou are up there doing the work.
But how are they going to know?
How are they going to know whatyou're doing? Like you need to
keep them informed. You need tokeep talking to them. You need
to keep telling them what'sgoing on. They need to see you,
(19:26):
and that is important to me,that is important that my
constituents know that I am uphere working for them, that
that's why you know. That's whyI do try to be active on social
media now.
Nancy Barrow (19:41):
I'm not trolling you, but I did go to your social
media and I saw that you had apicture with US Senator Cory
Booker, and of course, he's soamazing anyway, but the
filibuster was just ridiculous,right? Did he offer you any
advice, or was it just a quickmeeting for you with Cory?
Rep. Kai Belton (19:58):
He did. He's amazing. Like he listened to my
whole story about how I becausewhen I met him, I was probably a
legislator for like, three orfour weeks, right? So, you know,
we talked about Q and, you know,and I told him, You know, I'm
completely out of my comfortzone here. And he was like, but
(20:18):
you're here. And he was like,and I know you feel like those
are big shoes to fill. And hewas like, but don't worry about
that. You'll find your own path,you know? And I remember him
asking me, so what are youpassionate about? And I was
like, everything. It's like,yeah, you're going to be around
for a while. So I actually havethat picture up in my office,
(20:41):
because, you know, we I feellike the talk we had was very
inspiring, but it also justhearing his story and how he got
into politics was justinspirational, and he's someone
that I really, really look upto. So yeah, I have that picture
here. I have cues picture herein my office, and, you know,
(21:03):
sometimes I yell at the picture,sometimes, and I'm smiling at
the picture, and I'm saying, Ihope you're proud you know.
Nancy Barrow (21:11):
What are you really proud of that you've
accomplished so farRepresentative Belton?
Rep. Kai Belton (21:16):
So I'm proud of myself for showing up. It's
hard sometimes it really is hardwhen this has not been your
life, like I have lived a quiet,you know, behind the scenes
life, and I show up for theState of Connecticut every
single day, and I'm reallyproud. I'm really proud of that.
Nancy Barrow (21:39):
What would you like people to take away from
this podcast, during maternalmental health month ?
Rep. Kai Belton (21:44):
Mental health complications and conditions are
leading cause of death orbirthing individuals, and you
know, anyone that's giving birthdeserves a healthy pregnancy, a
healthy birthing experience. SoI just encourage people to use
your your voice, you know, inyour family and in your
(22:05):
community, on the state level,just advocating for this issue
and anything else that you'repassionate about, just, you
know, use your voice. But Ithink a lot of times, people
don't understand, you know, howserious the mental health
conditions can really impactpeople who are pregnant and who
(22:27):
have already given birth,because we know most of the time
it's after that mom or birthingperson has has given birth that
you know these things occurred.
Nancy Barrow (22:37):
Yeah, and that's why bonding leave is so
important, right? So they cantake, they can take that time
away and really just focus onthemselves getting better and
healing and and that littlebaby, that new addition to their
family.
Rep. Kai Belton (22:49):
Yes, yes, start that healing journey and bonding
with that baby. You know, I lookat it like this, you know, we
have healthy mom. We have ahealthy baby who grows to be a
healthy young adult and then ahealthy adult. We have healthier
community. We have a healthystate, healthier state, and it
(23:09):
all starts with that mom beforeshe even get before she's even
pregnant, right? You know? Sowe, we have to look at it like
that. Like, this is not just,you know, this is not just one,
you know, incident or situationthis. This is like, throughout
(23:29):
the lifespan, we're creatinghealthier, healthier
communities.
Nancy Barrow (23:34):
Time flies, Representative Belton, but are
you thinking about running againin 2027?
Rep. Kai Belton (23:38):
Absolutely.
Nancy Barrow (23:39):
Oh, that's awesome. That's fantastic. We
need more women like you. Youare just really amazing. And I
really want to thank you, StateRepresentative Kai Belton of the
100th district in Middletown forbeing on The Paid Leave Podcast.
I know your time is reallyprecious, and I'm so thankful
that you came in and and talkedto me.
Rep. Kai Belton (23:59):
Thank you for all of the work you do. And you
know, Connecticut Paid Leave,this is an invaluable resource
to our state, so thank you.
Nancy Barrow (24:08):
This has been another edition of The Paid
Leave Podcast. Please like andsubscribe so you'll be notified
about new podcasts that becomeavailable. Connecticut Paid
Leave is a public act with apersonal purpose. I'm Nancy
Barrow, and thanks forlistening.
Hello Connecticut, and welcome to The Paid Leave
Podcast. The title basicallysays it all. I'm Nancy Barrow,
and I will be delving into thisnew state program and how it can
help you and your family. Thispodcast will give you
information you should knowabout Connecticut Paid Leave and
maybe just a little bit more.
Connecticut Paid Leave bringspeace of mind to your home,
(00:22):
family and workplace. Welcome toThe Paid Leave Podcast.
busy month. Connecticut paidleave gives up to 12 weeks of
(00:45):
income replacement for your ownserious health conditions or
that of a loved one, thatincludes maternity and bonding
leave and mental health issuesif your health care professional
deems it a serious healthcondition. My guest today is
State Representative Kai Belton.
She was elected in a 2023special election to the
Connecticut General Assembly forthe 100th district that includes
Middletown with almost twodecades of service as a Licensed
(01:09):
Master social worker inMiddletown representative Belton
is known for her dynamicleadership and strong advocacy,
particularly in victim servicesand children's mental health,
and she serves on three crucialcommittees, Appropriations
Committee, the Committee onchildren and the vice chair of
the Public Health Committee. Herpassion lies in creating a
better Connecticut by advocatingfor quality health care for all
(01:31):
and equity and justice.
Representative Belton works forthe well being of all
Connecticut residents andoutside of the legislature.
She's currently employed by theConnecticut Coalition Against
Domestic Violence, known as CCAdv, and is the vice president of
programs there. And she's also amobile crisis clinician at
Middlesex health. Welcome to ThePaid Leave Podcast
(01:53):
Representative Belton.
Rep. Kai Belton (01:54):
Thank you, Nancy. I am so happy to be here.
Nancy Barrow (01:58):
Tell me about your journey into politics, if you
can give me that, and iseverything it? Is it everything
that you expected it to be?
Rep. Kai Belton (02:06):
Well, I have to say, I was talking with
Representative Q Williams, who,you know, was like, well, you
know, you should join theDemocratic Town Committee. So I
was like, Okay, I'll, you know,check that out, see what it's
about. So I joined, and I endedup taking this class, this
(02:30):
training program EmergeConnecticut, that trains
Democratic women to campaign andrun for office. And during that
time, what I was thinking is oneday I might, you know, run for
Board of Ed, or, you know,something like that. I never
(02:53):
thought about being a StateRepresentative. You know,
Senate, nothing on the statelevel. It's just not my one
thing that I always think aboutis that, you know, there's a lot
of, you know, publicinteraction, right, right? That
is just not who I am. And Q wasthat person, right? So it was,
(03:17):
like, perfect for him. I justwanted to be more informed and a
little more active. And then,you know, then we had the the
tragic death of RepresentativeWilliams, and that is really
when things changed. You know,very short, shortly after he
passed, I was asked to run forhis seat, and I was like, kind
(03:42):
of upset about that, because I'mlike, why are we talking about
running for his seat, like hejust passed away. But, you know,
the Republicans in our town hadalready had somebody ready, and
we were like, you know, we haveto do something. And I still
said, No. I said no, like, twoor three times, and then, you
(04:04):
know, I started to think aboutyou and how he was always
championing women's voices, and,you know, how we should be more
involved and more active ingovernment. And I was like,
Okay, well, I'm going to justtry it, right? I'm gonna put my
name in the hat if it doesn'twork, it doesn't work. Really
(04:25):
didn't want to do it anyway, butat least I could say I tried
right, and I had no idea thatthis was gonna happen, and put
my name in the hat. Did thecandidate interview, and I I was
the chosen candidate, and I waslike, What in the world, so.
Nancy Barrow (04:42):
It must have been meant to be, though you have to
kind of think of things in thatnature.
Rep. Kai Belton (04:48):
Absolutely.
And, you know, I find it funnythat people would say to me,
Well, you know, Q would, youknow, speak about you, you know,
in rooms in, you know, he wouldsay. You know, things about,
like, how you would be great atthis or that. And I'm like,
well, he never told me that. Henever, you know, he lifted me
up, but he never talked about,well, if I wasn't in this seat,
(05:11):
like you would be one of thepeople that you know, I would,
would want, you know, to run.
And you know, just hearing thatreally gave me some courage and
confidence to to do it, and soI'm here.
Nancy Barrow (05:29):
And how does it feel to be Middletown's first
black female StateRepresentative?
Rep. Kai Belton (05:34):
I am the first, but I am not the last. I look at
it like she opened that door forme as the first black man, and I
am the first black woman, but Iam not the last. I'm leaving
that door open for many, manymore. And it's, it's an honor,
and it comes along with a lot ofpressure, obviously, because you
(05:56):
don't want to screw that up,right? Because everyone is
looking at you to, you know,because they have their own
expectations of, you know whatblack people should be doing,
and you know, and how theybehave, and you know all of the
things. So, you know, there,there are plenty eyes, you know,
(06:17):
on me, just like there wereplenty eyes on onto so it's a
lot of pressure, but, you know,I'm up for the job. I'm up for
the task.
Nancy Barrow (06:25):
And how does it feel being a role model now for
younger black girls who look atyou and say, hey, if, if
Representative Belton, can dothis, I can do this.
Rep. Kai Belton (06:35):
Yeah, I look, I think about that all the time.
I'm like, you know, and I have adaughter too, who is a is a
social worker who never thoughtabout politics before. Now she's
like, mom, like, this is soamazing. Like, you know, I can I
see her exploring things nowthat I didn't before. But also,
(06:59):
you know, the young people in mycommunity, they stated, and I
used to work in the schoolsystem, so you know, when I see
young people my I used to dothis girl talk summer program,
and when I see some of thosestudents, the interest now that
they have in politics, becauseI'm here, it just makes me So
(07:20):
happy they want to know more,because it doesn't always look
like a space for us, right? Itdoesn't always look like a space
for women. It doesn't alwayslook like a space for black
women. And I think just havingme here really gives people the
opportunity to explore, youknow, the possibilities. And
(07:41):
this summer, I'm actually doinga Miss President us summer
program for young women who arein middle school, and it's
really teaching them aboutgovernment, is teaching them how
to run for a campaign, how to doa campaign, and they actually
(08:02):
have an election. So it's reallygreat, and this is going to be
the first time it's ever beendone in Middletown. And I'm
really excited about it. Ireally feel like this is another
way to, you know, to lift thevoices of young women and get
them exposed early.
Nancy Barrow (08:19):
And that's so important, I'm going to shift
gears a little bit and ask youto tell me a little bit about
being the Chair of the BlackMaternal and Infant Health
Caucus. How did this come about?
Rep. Kai Belton (08:31):
Okay, so I was very new to the legislature, and
at that time, we had six blackwomen in the entire legislature.
Now we have four. And there, youknow, was a lot of talk about
the maternal health crisis. Andyou know, I really felt strongly
(08:58):
about the fact that we needed tobe at the center of these
conversations, because this issomething that we live every
single day. All of us hadstories, right? So, and we have
family members who have stories.
So I went to all the blackmembers, all the black women
(09:18):
members, and I told them what Iwanted to do, that I wanted to
form this black maternal andinfant health caucus, and Robin
Porter was very supportive. Itwas something that she had been
thinking about doing. So shehelps me. You know, we came up
with the name the mission, and Iwent to to all the the black
(09:43):
women legislators, and I was,you know, telling them, You know
what, what I wanted to do, andasking them, you know, if they
would sign on to this letterwith me to form the caucus. And
they all agreed. So. And we putthe call out there to other
legislators. And you know, wehave a bipartisan group. We have
over 30 something members, andwhat we really do is focus on
(10:10):
changing outcomes for blackmothers and babies, and we do
that in many different ways, butwe have a very supportive group.
Everyone is very engaged, and weare really the center of the
conversations that arehappening, the center of the
(10:34):
policy.
Nancy Barrow (10:37):
I know black maternal deaths in our country
are three times higher thanwhite women, pregnancy
complications two times aslikely in black women. Let's,
let's talk about the issue ofracism in health care. You work
as a mobile crisis clinician atMiddlesex Health. What have you
seen? And what are your thoughtsabout combating it? Is it with
(10:58):
this caucus?
Rep. Kai Belton (11:01):
So you know, it's a
Nancy Barrow (11:03):
It's a big question. I'm sorry, it's a huge
question.
Rep. Kai Belton (11:07):
So you know, I think good policy can come out
of this, this caucus. But youknow, this is a historical
issue, right? Like this isracism that has been happening
for so many years. I mean, blackpeople historically, you know,
(11:28):
were used as specimens and nothumans. So that trauma lives in
our DNA, right? So when it comesto the healthcare system, it's
not our it's not our favoriteplace, yeah? So it's really,
really important for us to havehealthcare workers who look like
(11:51):
us, yeah? Because that's wherethe trust comes in, right? And
you think about like, you know,preventive care and things like
that, like, you know, we if wehad more people in the workforce
that looked like us, we wouldlive longer. We would live, you
know. And when it comes tomaternal health, I think that
(12:15):
having someone by your side whounderstands your experiences
culturally and can advocate foryou and empower you. It's
extremely important. And youknow, one of I value doulas so
much because I think they areinvaluable to mothers and
(12:37):
birthing people during theirbirthing journeys. My daughter
is actually studying to be adoula right now. Oh my goodness.
How great is that? Yeah, it'samazing. And it's even more
amazing that my daughter in lawis having her my son and my
daughter in law, they're havingtheir second baby, and my
(12:57):
daughter is going to be a doula.
So I'm really excited aboutthat.
Nancy Barrow (13:01):
That's wonderful.
And I hope that they useConnecticut Paid Leave, and they
use the bonding that they needto. What was your experience as
a mom and having your child?
Were you listened to by themedical community, or did you
have great medical care?
Rep. Kai Belton (13:18):
Actually, my first child I had when I was
very young, and I was havingpreterm labor. I was
hospitalized for it. I was stillhaving contractions, and they
were trying to send me home, andI was telling them, you know,
I'm still contracting like I'mstill feeling a lot of pain.
(13:40):
They told me I was fine, youknow, maybe like, six hours
later I came back to thehospital because I was in so
much pain. And I remember thedoctor, a white male doctor,
saying to me, you're back. And Iwas like, Yes, I'm in a lot of
pain. And I remember him sayingto me, Well, you're not in
(14:05):
labor. You just left right. Andat that time, you know, I had
state medical insurance. So, youknow, looking back on it, I
could see so many things, youknow, I was young, you know, I
had, you know, Medicaid, and,you know, so he didn't believe
me. And, you know, they hadsomeone, you know, check to see
(14:28):
how much I was dilated. And Ijust hear people like yelling
and rushing. And my child wascoming out, and I had him in my
T shirt. And, you know, I hadjust turned seven months. He was
two pounds, nine ounces, wow. Sothat was, you know, that was a
(14:49):
very, you know, difficult time,because if I was listened to
and, had my needs met, My babycould have been in there a lot
longer, and we could haveavoided so, so much, so many
medical issues over the years,so much stress, so in in a lot
(15:11):
of like trauma, honestly, forhim and for me. So it definitely
impacted me. And this is anotherreason why you know this is so
real to me and I'm I'm sopassionate about it, because I
feel like when you go to ahospital to get help, you should
(15:33):
be listened to, no matter youknow how you look or your income
level, you should be supportedand you should have quality,
quality care.
Nancy Barrow (15:43):
Well we appreciate that you shouted out Connecticut
Paid Leave during yourannouncement of the Black
Maternal and Infant HealthCaucus. We thank you for that.
But can you tell me how you seeConnecticut Paid Leave helping
your constituents in inMiddletown, or the people that
you talk to or the people yourun into?
Rep. Kai Belton (15:59):
Yeah, yeah. So, when I think about Connecticut
Paid Leave, I think about howimportant it is, you know, it's
a huge support for workingfamilies, for caregivers and and
those who are managing serioushealth conditions. You know, you
(16:21):
think about, like we just said,about bonding with a new baby or
caring for a sick family member.
You know, these scenarios couldleave some people homeless, and
in these, you know, really badsituations if, if they don't
have the support likeConnecticut Paid Leave provides.
So, you know, working peoplecan, can have that time to to
(16:42):
deal with these, you know,serious illnesses or domestic
violence, or, you know, mentalhealth needs without the loss of
income. And I think that that isextremely important. When
someone is experiencing domesticviolence like they're they're in
crisis right there. It's thetraumatic time. They're in
crisis, and this can look like,you know, severe anxiety and
(17:04):
depression, and you still haveto take care of your children,
right? You have to make surethat they're in school, or they
have childcare, or they're thatthey're, you know, cared for in
some kind of way. You might havephysical injuries that you're
trying to tend to. You'refleeing a situation, so it could
(17:27):
be a shelter or some placethat's unfamiliar to you. So
you're you're having to adjustyourself in your family. So
these are all things that taketime. Time is so valuable and it
is needed to start this longhailing journey, right? Because
(17:50):
it's only the beginning. Sothose 12 days you know, of of
you know, time and incomereplacement. That is a lifeline
for folks. It really is.
Nancy Barrow (18:05):
Yeah, I think it's amazing that you're doing the
work that you do in thelegislature, and then you're
doing this really importantwork. You know, working for
CCADV, you're, how does that notburn you out?
Rep. Kai Belton (18:22):
So people ask me this all the time. So first I
want to say this. I don't, Idon't think a lot of people know
this, but legislators make nomoney.
Nancy Barrow (18:33):
You're a really active politician. You're you're
active on your socials and andthe state website. Why is that
important to you?
Rep. Kai Belton (18:40):
When you said something about this earlier, I
I laughed a little because thattook time, because at first I
was like, why is this important?
Like, I just want to do thework, right? Yeah, I'm not a
social media person. I don'tlike to typically do interviews
or anything like that. I'm like,I just want to do the work. But
you know, someone said to me,and it really clicked, people
(19:03):
elect you, and they expect thatyou are up there doing the work.
But how are they going to know?
How are they going to know whatyou're doing? Like you need to
keep them informed. You need tokeep talking to them. You need
to keep telling them what'sgoing on. They need to see you,
(19:26):
and that is important to me,that is important that my
constituents know that I am uphere working for them, that
that's why you know. That's whyI do try to be active on social
media now.
Nancy Barrow (19:41):
I'm not trolling you, but I did go to your social
media and I saw that you had apicture with US Senator Cory
Booker, and of course, he's soamazing anyway, but the
filibuster was just ridiculous,right? Did he offer you any
advice, or was it just a quickmeeting for you with Cory?
Rep. Kai Belton (19:58):
He did. He's amazing. Like he listened to my
whole story about how I becausewhen I met him, I was probably a
legislator for like, three orfour weeks, right? So, you know,
we talked about Q and, you know,and I told him, You know, I'm
completely out of my comfortzone here. And he was like, but
(20:18):
you're here. And he was like,and I know you feel like those
are big shoes to fill. And hewas like, but don't worry about
that. You'll find your own path,you know? And I remember him
asking me, so what are youpassionate about? And I was
like, everything. It's like,yeah, you're going to be around
for a while. So I actually havethat picture up in my office,
(20:41):
because, you know, we I feellike the talk we had was very
inspiring, but it also justhearing his story and how he got
into politics was justinspirational, and he's someone
that I really, really look upto. So yeah, I have that picture
here. I have cues picture herein my office, and, you know,
(21:03):
sometimes I yell at the picture,sometimes, and I'm smiling at
the picture, and I'm saying, Ihope you're proud you know.
Nancy Barrow (21:11):
What are you really proud of that you've
accomplished so farRepresentative Belton?
Rep. Kai Belton (21:16):
So I'm proud of myself for showing up. It's
hard sometimes it really is hardwhen this has not been your
life, like I have lived a quiet,you know, behind the scenes
life, and I show up for theState of Connecticut every
single day, and I'm reallyproud. I'm really proud of that.
Nancy Barrow (21:39):
What would you like people to take away from
this podcast, during maternalmental health month ?
Rep. Kai Belton (21:44):
Mental health complications and conditions are
leading cause of death orbirthing individuals, and you
know, anyone that's giving birthdeserves a healthy pregnancy, a
healthy birthing experience. SoI just encourage people to use
your your voice, you know, inyour family and in your
(22:05):
community, on the state level,just advocating for this issue
and anything else that you'repassionate about, just, you
know, use your voice. But Ithink a lot of times, people
don't understand, you know, howserious the mental health
conditions can really impactpeople who are pregnant and who
(22:27):
have already given birth,because we know most of the time
it's after that mom or birthingperson has has given birth that
you know these things occurred.
Nancy Barrow (22:37):
Yeah, and that's why bonding leave is so
important, right? So they cantake, they can take that time
away and really just focus onthemselves getting better and
healing and and that littlebaby, that new addition to their
family.
Rep. Kai Belton (22:49):
Yes, yes, start that healing journey and bonding
with that baby. You know, I lookat it like this, you know, we
have healthy mom. We have ahealthy baby who grows to be a
healthy young adult and then ahealthy adult. We have healthier
community. We have a healthystate, healthier state, and it
(23:09):
all starts with that mom beforeshe even get before she's even
pregnant, right? You know? Sowe, we have to look at it like
that. Like, this is not just,you know, this is not just one,
you know, incident or situationthis. This is like, throughout
(23:29):
the lifespan, we're creatinghealthier, healthier
communities.
Nancy Barrow (23:34):
Time flies, Representative Belton, but are
you thinking about running againin 2027?
Rep. Kai Belton (23:38):
Absolutely.
Nancy Barrow (23:39):
Oh, that's awesome. That's fantastic. We
need more women like you. Youare just really amazing. And I
really want to thank you, StateRepresentative Kai Belton of the
100th district in Middletown forbeing on The Paid Leave Podcast.
I know your time is reallyprecious, and I'm so thankful
that you came in and and talkedto me.
Rep. Kai Belton (23:59):
Thank you for all of the work you do. And you
know, Connecticut Paid Leave,this is an invaluable resource
to our state, so thank you.
Nancy Barrow (24:08):
This has been another edition of The Paid
Leave Podcast. Please like andsubscribe so you'll be notified
about new podcasts that becomeavailable. Connecticut Paid
Leave is a public act with apersonal purpose. I'm Nancy
Barrow, and thanks forlistening.
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