On May 10, a special Conversations with KD Hall documentary, “1978: The State of Maternal Health,” will air on KING 5.
SEATTLE — Although nearly 50 years removed from the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, a new documentary shines a light on how a long list of challenges linked to discrimination still stand today.
The KD Hall Foundation is launching “1978: The State of Maternal Health,” a statewide initiative focused on advancing women’s health across Washington.
The foundation’s founder, KD Hall, said this is the organization’s moment to “put a comprehensive lens on maternal health, pregnancy, postpartum care, and long-term wellness for women and families.”
Recently, Hall, 44, publicly announced her own pregnancy as she and her husband prepare to welcome their third child this fall.
“There is still a lot discrimination [toward mothers or expecting mothers],” Hall said. “I started a case study and grew more and more…We have these notions that we have to hide our pregnancies.”
Hall has long advocated for women’s health throughout Washington state communities. Now, she is using her voice too and show “Conversations with KD Hall” to amplify more voices.
“This is not just a healthcare issue. This is a workforce issue, a family issue and a community issue,” Hall said. “We are building a platform that listens, documents, and moves solutions forward with the people most impacted at the center.”
A one-hour documentary will air at 10 a.m. on May 10, Mother’s Day, on KING 5, the KING 5+ streaming app, and the Conversations with KD Hall YouTube Channel.
Several local leaders in public, private, and government positions have joined the KD Hall Foundation’s initiative.
Hall said that after the documentary airs there are three more phases in the plan. Next, community engagement will begin with statewide screenings and facilitated conversations designed to gather lived experiences from women, mothers, families and caregivers.
The third phase is to continue research and case study development with the goal for it to be completed by November 2026.
In culmination, policy activation is the fourth phase. Hall said there will be a presentation of findings to the Washington state Legislature in January 2027 to inform actionable policy recommendations.
To learn how to get involved with the KD Hall Foundation and the initiative, click here.
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