Black Maternal Health Week: A Time for Action and Hope

April 11, 2025

By Aisha Jones, Partnership and Engagement Associate, WREN

Columbia Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17) is a time to celebrate, uplift, and support Black mothers and birthing people. It’s also a time to come together as a community to push for change. In South Carolina, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. This is unacceptable, and we must do something about it.

At the Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN), we believe every Black mother and birthing person deserves safe, respectful, quality care. Advocacy means making sure families have what they need—access to good healthcare, paid leave, and the right to make their own choices. Driven by my own passion for advocating for Black mothers, I recognize that we cannot do this work alone. Being advocates for change in this space also means working with amazing community groups that are leading the way.

One of those groups is the South Carolina Black Maternal Health Collective, which supports Black, Brown, and Indigenous women with culturally respectful care, advocacy, and education. Another powerful group is The BEE Collective in Charleston, which works to reduce maternal and infant deaths by training and supporting birth workers who carry on the wisdom and traditions of Black midwives. 

WREN recently had the honor of attending The BEE Collective’s Black Maternal Health Symposium in North Charleston, SC. The event was filled with powerful stories, learning, and a deep sense of community. Listening to those stories and gaining more insight from medical professionals reminded me not only of why I am an advocate for Black Maternal Health, but also that when we come together, we can instill change and make a real difference.

Black Maternal Health Week is not just about learning—it’s about taking action. Here are a few ways you can help:

1. Support Black-led organizations. Groups like the South Carolina Black Maternal Health Collective and The BEE Collective are doing incredible work. You can support them by donating, volunteering, or spreading the word about their work.
2. Speak up for better policies. We need laws that protect Black mothers, like expanding Medicaid, making lactation consultants and doulas more accessible, and ensuring parents have paid family leave. Contact your lawmakers and tell them these issues matter.
3. Share your story. Personal experiences can change hearts and minds. Whether you are a parent, provider, or advocate, your voice matters. By sharing your journey, you help others see why these issues are so important.
4. Hold healthcare providers accountable. Ask hospitals and doctors to provide respectful and culturally competent care. We must ensure that every mother and birthing person is treated with the dignity and care they so rightfully deserve.

There is so much hope and power in this movement. Black Maternal Health Week reminds us that we are not alone, but rather in community — and can therefore create collective power and instill lasting change. By working together, we can create a future where every Black mother and baby is safe, healthy, and supported.

Now, how will you take action today?