The story of the Center for Birth Justice (CBJ) begins with the California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi), founded at UCSF in 2013 with support from the Benioff family.
Over the next decade, PTBi combined cutting-edge research with deep community partnerships, challenging traditional approaches to maternal and infant health. The initiative became a national model for how universities and communities can work together to reduce disparities and reimagine what equitable, respectful care looks like.
PTBi’s community-partnered approach brought together researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience to co-create studies, interpret findings, and drive solutions that mattered locally.
From the Benioff Community Innovators program to the Voices for Birth Justice campaign, PTBi elevated community leadership and storytelling as central to systems change. Its influence reached beyond the Bay Area, shaping state policy, inspiring national conversations about obstetric racism, and redefining what academic collaboration can look like.
CBJ builds on the initiative’s foundation to expand its focus from preterm birth to the broader landscape of birth justice—bridging research, policy, workforce development, and community engagement.
As CBJ, this work continues to be guided by the principles that defined PTBi’s success: anti-racism, accountability, and authentic community partnership.
Learn more about PTBi’s ongoing legacy and explore their projects and publications on the California Preterm Birth Initiative website →