Black Maternal Health Week 2025: Honoring the Past, Protecting the Future
As Black Maternal Health Week (April 11–17) wraps up, we pause to reflect on a powerful week of truth-telling, advocacy, and celebration. Initiated by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, this national observance is more than a hashtag or campaign—it’s a movement to dismantle systemic inequities and honor the lives of Black mothers and birthing people.
The statistics remain alarming: Black women in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. These disparities are driven not by biology, but by systemic racism, inequitable access to care, and implicit bias within healthcare systems.
But Black Maternal Health Week is also a time of empowerment, education, and healing. Across the country, communities gathered virtually and in person to spotlight solutions, share stories, and build momentum around birth equity.
Spotlight on Change-Makers
Here in the South, we’re proud to uplift a few powerful voices and organizations that are leading the charge toward maternal justice:
- Labor and Love New Orleans
- Founded by Shanika Valcour-LeDuff, a maternal-child nurse with over 15 years of experience, this grassroots initiative offers education, advocacy, and holistic support to Black birthing families in the New Orleans area. Labor and Love’s work is deeply rooted in community, honoring the sacredness of birth and demanding dignity, safety, and respect for all.
- The Liam Lives Foundation – Jacksonville, FL
- Established by Dr. Tiffanie L. Williams in memory of her stillborn son, Liam Elijah Wesley Boatwright, this faith-based nonprofit provides resources for families grieving pregnancy or infant loss. From counseling and memory boxes to funeral assistance and global outreach, Liam Lives is helping families heal while raising awareness about the mental and emotional toll of infant loss.
- Heather Rollinson – Author, Advocate & Educator
- Jacksonville’s own Heather Rollinson is the author of The War on the Black Womb: Battling to Dismantle Systemic Oppression in Maternal Health. Through her organization In My Mother’s Womb LLC and her work as Director of Policy and Research at the Liam Lives Foundation, Heather is confronting maternal injustice with bold truth and powerful purpose. Her work also includes mentoring doulas, supporting youth education, and developing culturally competent care models across Florida and South Carolina.
Moving Forward, Together
While the week may have ended, the mission has not. Black maternal health is a 365-day commitment—and there is room for all of us in this fight.
Let’s continue to:
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Listen to Black women.
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Support community-led solutions.
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Advocate for equitable healthcare policies.
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Celebrate and protect the sacredness of Black motherhood.
We invite you to follow and support these leaders and organizations doing transformative work—and to keep the conversation going all year long.
Together, we can turn awareness into action and build a world where every Black mother is seen, heard, and safely held.