04/18/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BUcaV3nsA/
Here my mother is feeding my sister Yolanda as a baby. My mother nurtured us with love, care, and intention. Black mothers have long nurtured their children, families, and communities with extraordinary strength.
During Black Maternal Health Week, I am reflecting on both the beauty of mothering and the urgency of protecting Black maternal health. Black women are still more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy related causes, and more than 80% of those deaths are preventable.
We must do more than acknowledge these disparities. We must support Black maternal health advocates, listen to Black women, and demand systems of care that protect Black mothers before, during, and after pregnancy.