Nicole Gates, 38-year-old mother of four, is finally in “the place God destined for her”. It is her “ministry and call to wage holy war” on the high infant mortality rate in Shelby County.

Nicole Gates, Shelby County’s new Infant Mortality Campaign Coordinator, is planning Memphis’ first infant mortality conference in September. (Photo by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell)

“This is my passion, and I am determined to make a difference in how we value the lives of our babies,” said Gates, Shelby County’s new Infant Mortality Campaign Coordinator. “A friend in Ohio said they have the same problem, and it’s too big for any one person to impact. But I beg to differ.”

For much of the 21st century, Memphis has suffered the highest infant mortality rate among America’s 60 largest cities. Infant mortality refers to the number of deaths among babies who die before their first birthday.

“Our rate is still the highest in the country,” Gates said. “We are running about three times the national average, and our rates are consistently higher than some third world countries. That is unacceptable. Each life is precious. Every baby deserves a chance at life.”

For every 1,000 babies born in Memphis and Shelby County, 14 don’t live through their first year. Many die within the first month, according to Dr. Sheldon Korones, founder of the Sheldon B. Korones Newborn Center at the Regional Medical Center (The MED). His 2006 interview with “Religion & Ethics News” online named premature birth as the culprit. Gates concurs.

“Many preemies are born under four pounds and some even under three. This is our greatest challenge,” Gates said. “I can’t stress enough how crucial prenatal care is. Medical attention must be sought as soon as a woman suspects she might be pregnant. When we lick that high preemie rate, we will have licked the high infant mortality in Memphis and Shelby County.”



A rocky road to success



Gates brings optimism, determination, and a wealth of ideas to her new post, but her present success didn’t come easy. “There was lots of heartbreak and a river of tears,” she said.

“I got pregnant with twins when I was 17, and I stayed in my room and cried the whole time. Having twins was so overwhelming for me. I was not only going to be a teen mother but a teen mother of twins. I didn’t know what I was doing.”

But when Gates was five and a half months along, she miscarried one of her infants. “I felt it was God intervening in my situation. I didn’t know any better, and frankly, I was just relieved that I only had one child to worry about.” That loss would later impact her views about why “every life should be cherished and celebrated.”

Gates turned 18 during the pregnancy and carried a daughter, Yolanda, full term. One year later, she married a native Memphian who was living in Illinois. He embraced Yolanda as his own.

Three more daughters were born to the household. Gates attended a local junior college and landed a teaching position at the Job Corps facility in southern Illinois.

“I loved what I did,” she said. “I taught new students the basics of job preparation, office etiquette, creating an effective resume, and how to develop a strong work ethic.”

In 2005, the couple marked their 10-year anniversary. Yolanda was 17 and in her last year of high school. Savannah was five, and twins Brooklyn and Bheanna were six-month-old preemies who had beaten the odds.

“Brooklyn was born weighing three pounds and one ounce. Bheanna was slightly larger at three pounds, twelve ounces. We were so blessed because both our daughters came home after two weeks. The doctors wanted them to weigh at least five pounds before releasing them. Although I had the best prenatal care available, my babies were born eight weeks early.”

The two new additions prompted Gates’ husband to move the family back to his native home. He wanted his wife to give up working and stay home with their children. The move back to Memphis put a greater strain on their already fragile relationship, and within eight months, the couple filed for divorce.

“I was here without my family, and I had no support system,” Gates said. “I didn’t know many people, but I had to get out and start working again. As a matter of fact, working was a major point of contention for us. We were civil during the divorce, and we came up with a parenting agreement together – signed and notarized.”     

Gates’ history with Jobs Corps in Illinois easily won her a similar job at the Benjamin L. Hooks Job Corps Center here in Memphis. In 2008, she attended a class for entrepreneurs offered by the Memphis Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) to help women get the training they need to start their own businesses.

“I completed the course and decided to get out there and start my own event planning business,” said Gates. “I did a little bit of that when we lived up north, and I absolutely loved the work. I had met enough people to make a go of it, and I decided to just do it. I was afraid, but I wanted something better for my children. That’s what propelled me.”

The year was 2008. Shortly after starting her event planning enterprise, Gates took another class about infant mortality that really opened her eyes. She had delivered premature twins and realized “how easily she could have lost them.”  Gates set up an organization of volunteers who would equip Memphis and Shelby County women to successfully battle infant mortality.

“There are so many resources for women to take advantage of here in Shelby County,” said Gates. “We have sponsored two ‘Celebrate Life Birthday Parties’ – the first one in Frayser, and the second one at the Gaston Community Center.  Frayser leads infant mortality statistics, and South Memphis – zip codes 32808 and 32809 – runs a close second. Visibility in communities most affected is crucial.

“Particularly in the African-American community, we must place a high value on the lives of our babies. A birthday is an event to be celebrated by us all. Not just celebrate the birthdays of our own children, but a birthday is an important milestone in the life of each child. Our responsibility extends to every young life. Only then will things really change.”

Statistics show that only five percent of teen births account for local infant mortality numbers. But the problem crosses social and economic lines, said Gates. “Some professional women who are otherwise highly educated assume that they don’t actually need prenatal care if they are healthy. Others are so career-oriented that they don’t want to take off for doctor’s visits.     

“These women feel that their pregnancy is being perceived as weakness and that male colleagues may deem them less competent when they take time off for prenatal care,” said Gates. “I interviewed a woman making six-figures who expressed these very feelings.”

Gates works under the program, All Babies Count (ABC), in the Office of Early Childhood and Youth under the direction of Julie Coffey.