ATLANTA — Charles Johnson is a father, a cook, and a soccer coach. To his little ones, Charles and Langston, he is the coolest dad ever. For the last seven years, Johnson has been raising his boys on his own with his late wife, Kira, watching over them. In 2016, Kira Johnson died in the hospital just hours after having their youngest son Langston. Her death came following an hours-long wait for help after Charles noticed blood in Kira’s catheter. Once doctors finally came, Charles said he was told Kira would be back in 15 minutes. That was the last time he saw her alive. “We walked in for what we expected to be the happiest day of our life. And we walked straight into a nightmare,” said Johnson. “Every single way that she could have been failed…she was failed.” Two years after Kira’s death, Charles shared his story with lawmakers in Congress. It was an emotional and detailed testimony, shedding light on the reality they faced that day at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. “It really makes me emotional thinking about that moment because it was something that I had literally envisioned in my mind. Sitting before Congress telling my story, telling them how amazing Kira was and explaining to them how deeply she was failed by the system,” said Johnson.  Kira Johnson gave birth to her second child, Langston, and died hours later from a hemorrhage.(Photo: Courtesy of Family) 4Kira4Moms Since that moment in front of Congress, Johnson has been very vocal and active in the fight for the maternal health of Black women, who are three times more likely to die from childbirth than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He joined other activists and lawmakers to push for the passage of laws to protect Black mothers. Among those measures passed, was The Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2018, a federal initiative funding maternal mortality review committees. The purpose of the committees is to collect data on maternal mortality and develop solutions to support maternal health. Another measure included in the American Rescue Plan expanded Medicaid postpartum health coverage from six months to one year for mothers. He’s continued the push to protect mothers with his own movement 4Kira4Moms, an organization fighting for Black maternal health through advocacy, education, and service. While the mission was ignited by maternal health, Johnson is fighting for dads too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxTVC81MEZ8&list=PLUA2Sbvn5J2jvS0xxf6xrWN3KW1TkbAmj