7 Black Maternal Health Advocates To Support This Week & Beyond
April 11-17 is Black Maternal Health week, which is a week where Black mothers are celebrated and the awareness of disparities between Black women and others is brought to light. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showed that Black women are “three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause” than white women. Factors that contribute to Black women dying at a higher rate have to do with racial disparities and biases, quality of healthcare, and chronic conditions.
In a proclamation for Black Maternal Health week, President Joe Biden wrote, “I call upon all Americans to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States by understanding the consequences of systemic discrimination, recognizing the scope of this problem, and the need for urgent solutions, amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women, families, and communities, and committing to building a world in which Black women do not have to fear for their safety, their well-being, their dignity, or their lives before, during, and after pregnancy.”
While Black maternal health is now getting national attention, there are some Black women warriors who have been advocating for the health of our sistas from day one. Here are four women who are working to improve Black maternal health.
Shanicia Boswell
Shanicia Boswell is the founder of the Black Moms blog, the Self Care Retreat, and the author of Oh Sis! You’re Pregnant. The mother of one has been open about her experiences becoming a first-time mom and she uses her blog to highlight other mothers as well as share tips and advice on topics such as how Black women can advocate for themselves at the doctor’s office.
Brandi Sellerz
Brandi Sellerz is a doula, author, and co-founder of Moms in Color, which, according to their Instagram page is a “collective created for Black moms to celebrate diversity and motherhood.” Moms in Color’s Instagram shows positive images of Black women immersed in motherhood and also provides virtual breastfeeding classes, baby showers, and more for those who need it.
U.S. Rep Cori Bush
U.S. Rep Cori Bush has been advocating for Black women to have quality healthcare after nearly losing two children after her doctor ignored her concerns. The Missouri representative shared the emotional story during a May 2021 hearing about how racism affects Black expectant mothers. “Every day, Black women are subjected to harsh and racist treatment during pregnancy and childbirth,” she said. “Every day, Black women die because the system denies our humanity.”
Latham Thomas
Latham Thomas is a doula and the creator of Mama Glow, which offers doula training and education about maternity health. She also founded Mama Glow foundation where she has partnered with other brands such as Carol’s Daughter to provide grants for anyone interested in becoming a doula. Through her platform, the mother of one has spoken with major key players such as Vice President Kamala Harris’ inaugural White House Maternal Health Day of Action Summit where she shed light on the Black maternal health crisis.
Congresswoman Alma Adams
As North Carolina’s 12th congressional district representative, Congresswoman Alma Adams has fought to bring awareness to the Black maternal health crisis. She is the co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus along with Rep. Lauren Underwood, which launched in 2019 to address maternity mortality rates plaguing the Black community.
Dominique Giselle
Dominique Giselle is a certified holistic doula with her doula service center Flourished.Co, which is located in Miami, FL. Through her doula center, Dominique offers prenatal, labor birth, and postpartum services and she also hosts many events such as yoga classes dedicated to Black moms. She also has a spa and wellness center as well as an online store where she sells baby products.
Sabia Wade
Sabia Wade calls herself “The Black Doula” and has a podcast with the same name. She founded For the Village Doula Services in the San Diego area specifically for marginalized groups such as Black and brown people, low-income families, and LGBTQIA. Also, as the CEO of Birthing Advocacy Doulas, Sabia provides training for full spectrum doulas and reproductive care workers.
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Featured image by Mustafa Omar on Unsplash
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Why We'll Probably Never Hear Lupita Nyong'o Share Her Relationship With The World
Lupita Nyong'o is sharing a transparent look into her life after a recent breakup.
In a cover story for NET-A-PORTER, the A Quiet Place: Day One star shed light on the significant heartbreak she experienced following the end of her relationship with ex-boyfriend and TV host, Selema Masekela.
As a public figure, Nyong'o, 39, sought to divulge the news of the breakup in hopes of presenting a more authentic perspective on the pain that follows a separation.
"I was living in a lot of pain and heartbreak," she told the publication. "I looked at the environment of my social media and thought I don’t want to be a part of this illusion that everything is always coming up roses. Surely there is a lesson for me to learn in this, and I just want to be real about it."
The Black Panther star went on to explain that her choice to be transparent with her fans about her breakup came from the certainty she felt after ending the relationship. “In my mind, when I shared my relationship status with the world, it was because I felt sure about it,” she said.
While she didn’t know how the news would land with her fans, she found relief in knowing she wasn’t alone in her experience.
“I knew how it could be interpreted; I knew it would have a life of its own,” she reflects. “But then I started to see the comments and people were being so loving and supportive. The ones that moved me the most were other people sharing their pain and their heartbreak.”
Nyong'o and Masekela went Instagram official in December 2022, publicly announcing their relationship in a couple's video. In October 2023, Nyong'o took to her personal Instagram account to share the news of her breakup in her caption, writing, "At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust.”
She continued the vulnerable note, "I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, 'Whatever, my life is better this way.' But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love."
These days, Nyong'o tells NET-A-PORTER that she is prioritizing profound self-discovery that extends beyond her career. She notes having a deliberate and unhurried approach to understanding herself.
She also alludes to keeping her relationships private moving forward after noting it was "very, very sage" of her not to talk about her private life professionally in the days before her last relationship. "I'm going back to those days by the way," Nyong'o shares of her reinstated boundaries around her personal life.
Earlier this month, Nyong'o made headlines alongside her new boyfriend actor Joshua Jackson. Nyong'o and Jackson went through public splits from their respective SOs in October 2023, with the latter splitting from his long-time partner Jodie Turner-Smith following her divorce filing from the Dawson's Creek alum.
The pair have been spotted together as early as December 2023, but nothing screamed "couple" quite as loudly as their recent getaway to Mexico for Nyong'o's 41st birthday featuring passionate displays of affection.
"Our purpose in life is to love. And so you have to get back in it," she tells the outlet, seemingly alluding to her budding new romance.
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Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images