Commentary: Honoring Black motherhood: A call for care, courage and collective responsibility
BY KEYAH LEVY, GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Excitement. New vision. New life. Every birth story begins with hope. It begins with anticipation, and a love for someone who hasn’t been held yet.
It assumes that bringing a new life into the world will be safe, supported and celebrated. Yet, for too many Black mothers in the United States, pregnancy and childbirth carry many risks; risks that are not shared equally across communities.
Every April, Black Maternal Health Week invites us into a conversation that is both urgent and deeply human, causing radical empathy and understanding. This conversation is about the health, dignity and well-being of Black mothers.
The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world; however, the maternal mortality rate far exceeds rates of high-income peers, in part due to profound disparities that persist despite income or education level. Black women in the U.S. face maternal death rates more than three times higher than those of white women — about 50 deaths per 100,000 live births compared with roughly 14.5 for white women in 2023.
These statistics are not abstractions; they are birthright violations. They reveal a system where risk is not distributed by circumstance alone, but by race, where “standard care” can quietly become risk amplification, where voices are minimized and vigilance becomes survival.
Imagine a world where every pregnant person is met with respect, culturally responsive care and comprehensive support. In this world, doulas and midwives are integrated into mainstream health care, mental health services are accessible and normalized, and hospitals are accountable for equitable outcomes. Black-led organizations like the Birthwork Foundation are pioneering community-based care models that improve outcomes and restore trust.
The Birthwork Foundation is a doula-to-client organization that provides culturally conscious education and support to underserved populations with the aim of decreasing adverse maternal health outcomes. The Birthwork Foundation believes that a good birth experience is a fundamental human right; the foundation strives to dismantle systemic barriers that aid in the disparities in birthing outcomes for Black and brown families.
Black motherhood has always been an act of courage. It carries generations of resilience, love, faith and perseverance. However, Black maternal health is not solely a Black issue. It is a societal issue that reveals how systems treat those most vulnerable. When health care systems become safer for Black mothers, they become safer for all mothers. When bias is addressed, everyone benefits. When communities are strengthened, the ripple effects extend across generations.
Black Maternal Health Week is not only about naming injustice, it is about affirming life, celebrating strength and building a future where every mother is seen, heard and protected. For readers of Fearless — leaders, professionals and changemakers — this moment presents an opportunity to move beyond awareness toward impact. Supporting Black maternal health is not about charity; it is about justice, innovation and the kind of future we choose to build.
A call to action: From awareness to allyship
During Black Maternal Health Week, we are invited to do more than reflect. We are invited to act.
Learn and listen. Seek out the voices of Black mothers, clinicians and advocates. Read their stories, share their work and challenge assumptions about who is at risk and why. Share credible data, lived experiences and advocacy narratives.
Support community-based solutions. Invest in organizations led by Black women that provide doula services, mental health care, midwifery, maternal support and community care programs. Your financial support, partnerships and platforms can amplify models that work.
Advocate for policy change. Encourage policymakers to expand maternal health coverage, fund equity initiatives and hold health care institutions accountable for outcomes. Vote, write and speak up for policies that protect mothers and babies.
Transform your institutions. If you lead or influence organizations — whether in health care, business, philanthropy or education — ask how your systems can better support maternal health equity. Champion systemic accountability; commit resources, measure outcomes and prioritize inclusive care.
Normalize care and compassion. Finally, extend empathy in everyday spaces. Celebrate motherhood not as a private struggle but as a collective responsibility.
Black maternal health is not only about survival; it is about thriving. It is about ensuring that every mother enters motherhood with safety, dignity and joy. As we honor Black Maternal Health Week, let us move beyond statistics and slogans toward sustained action.
The measure of a society is not found in its wealth or innovation alone, but in how it protects those who give life. When we commit to Black maternal health, we affirm a simple yet powerful truth: Every mother deserves to be seen, heard and held with care.
And in building that future together, we become fearless — not just in name, but in purpose.
Keyah Levy is a native of Waterloo and a nationally trained birth doula, educator and advocate for health equity. She holds a doctorate in education. She serves as director of global health at Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences and is a board member of the Iowa Black Doula Collective, now the Birthwork Foundation. With more than 12 years of health care experience and a leadership background in diversity, equity and inclusion, Levy’s work centers on expanding access, advancing inclusive practices and supporting healthier outcomes for Black and brown families and communities.
