Pregnancy and childbirth should be a safe, joyful experience, but for far too many mothers, complications related to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum can lead to tragic outcomes.
Worse, the maternal mortality crisis, like so many public health concerns, is particularly devastating for Black women, who are more than three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as their white counterparts.
To help build awareness and activism around this issue, Black Maternal Health Week kicks off on April 11th to join dozens of global organizations in marking this day as an International Day for Maternal Health and Rights — an opportunity to advocate for the elimination of maternal mortality globally.
And because so many of the wise women who’ve guided us through our pregnancy and parenthood journeys are a part of the Black community, we wanted to amplify their voices and help spread their powerful messages.
After all, it takes a village … even if the modern-day village is our Instagram and TikTok feeds.
Midwife Elizabeth of Mama Dinya
Long after you’ve given birth, you’ll still watch every video created by the midwife and nurse behind MamaDinya. Beyond her practical advice, like ideal labor positions, she also shares with authority and empathy what midwifery is really like — and the sometimes-ugly truths she’s discovered about maternal health along the way.
Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka
Wish you had a pediatrician in your pocket 24/7? Dr. Nkeiru Orajiaka works in the ER of a children’s hospital, and she’s seen it all. From general first-aid tips to specific questions about fever meds, she’s got a Highlights reel that covers everything.
Dr. Jazmine McCoy of The Mom Psychologist
Dr. Jazmine McCoy is a clinical psychologist, but she’s also a “badass mom” of two who has been burnt out by the burdens of motherhood herself. At once candid and playful, she distills the psychobabble in order to offer up practical parenting advice.
Domari Dickinson
A certified parenting coach with four kids of her own, Domari is the first to admit she used a lot of negative, fear-based tactics—like yelling and spanking—in her early years of motherhood. But she now guides others looking to break similar generational cycles toward a “conscious parenting” approach.
Charnaie Gordon of Here Wee Read
One of the simplest ways to promote diversity in your home starts on your child’s bookshelf. An author herself, Charnaie—who wrote A Planet Like Ours and A Kids Book About Diversity—has a Here Wee Read blog, podcast, and social presence all devoted to the joys of reading and the importance of inclusive books.
A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez of Free Black Motherhood
Free Black Motherhood’s founder, A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez, focuses on the vital work that must be done before quality parenting—in which mothers must invest in themselves first if they are to raise anyone effectively. Come for the self-love reminders, stay for the deeply relatable Reels.
Janille Hill
A self-described “therafriend,” connection coach Janille provides safe spaces for people to be their most authentic selves. But don’t be surprised if, in connecting with her, you end up following her tap-dancing husband, her account dedicated to her adorable children, or her self-curated Street Connect feed, which captures meaningful conversations between strangers in New York City.
Dr. Tracy Bexley of Social Justice Parenting
It’s not enough these days to simply raise “good” children. Dr. Tracy Bexley, a professor and author of Social Justice Parenting, has made it her mission to teach parents how to raise anti-racist, pro-justice kids. If you’re ready to take intentional action, she can help pave your path forward.
Devon Charise
Following her own traumatic birth experience, Devon Charise discovered her calling as a reproductive health advocate—and as a practicing doula.
She specializes in servicing Black birthing people in order to combat the community’s high rate of maternal mortality, and she uses her platform to share insights and activism surrounding the vulnerable-yet-transformative birthing process.
Kelly Glass of Kindred
Journalist Kelly Glass writes about the intersection of parenting, race, and policy for such publications as The New York Times and Washington Post. As the founding editorial director of Kindred by Parents, she oversees coverage that matters to the people raising the next generation of Black children.
Vera Ahiyya of The Tutu Teacher
When kindergarten teacher Vera Ahiyya read the children’s book, Let’s Talk About Race, to her 5-year-old students during remote learning back in 2020, she had no idea that when she posted her read-aloud online, it’d go viral. Now, the early childhood education expert is a go-to resource for representation in books for all ages.
