MELANIN AND MATERNAL WELLNESS
... because it takes a village.
EDUCATION / ADVOCACY / CARE
OUR
Core Values
Eban
VILLAGE
Nkonsonkonson
FAMILY
Asase Ye Duru
BIRTH JUSTICE
Mpatapo
HEALING
Sankofa
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
MISSION
Our mission is to improve birth outcomes and decrease health disparities in Black maternal and infant health, by providing culturally congruent perinatal doula services, lactation support services, childbirth education, advocacy and linkage to community-aligned resources that support maternal wellness.
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Africa to America
Somewhere in the African past,
before the guns, before the shackles,
before the kidnappings of story-tellers and sky-readers, musicians, dancers, doctors, sculptors, teachers, planters, hunters, historians, mothers, fathers and children, before all that, there were women who caught the babies and guided them into the world, with gentle, loving hands.
THE WOMAN WHO CAUGHT THE BABIES
BY: ELOISE GREENFIELD
Ubuntu and Birth Justice 2026:
Deep gratitude and appreciation to all who joined us for our Ubuntu and Birth Justice 2026: The Blueprint is Black — Resourcing Leadership in Birth Justice event during Black Maternal Health week!
What unfolded in that room was not just conversation — it was clarity. Clarity about leadership. Clarity about responsibility. Clarity about what it truly takes to sustain Black-led and community-aligned maternal health solutions. At the center of that moment was a powerful charge from our keynote speaker, Sona Smith, whose words continue to echo beyond the room:
“Philanthropy, take a learning posture. Trust Black women. Listen to them. Follow their lead.”
— Sona Smith
That message landed in a room filled with leaders, advocates, and funders — individuals with the power to influence how resources move and how communities are sustained. And as we reflect on that day, one question continues to rise — a question we asked in the room, and one we hope continues to travel beyond it: Are we funding those with proximity to power — or those with proximity to community Because proximity to community is where trust is built. It is where solutions are tested. It is where lives are changed.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our sponsors and partners who made this convening possible:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation RWJF
Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey
NAACP New Jersey State Conference
Thank you for helping create space where Black-led and community-aligned leadership was not only present — but centered. We are deeply grateful to our phenomenal keynote speaker, Sona S. Smith, whose leadership and clarity challenged us all to think differently about trust, accountability, and the role of philanthropy in advancing justice. We also honor our powerful panelists — leaders whose work reflects daily commitment to families, communities, and maternal health equity:
Dr. Michelle Gabriel-Caldwell
Dr. Nastassia Harris, DNP, MSN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC
Toshira Maldonado, M.Ed., CPE, CD
Felicia Patten
Callie Crowder, MDiv/MACEF, CPA
Your leadership is the blueprint in motion.
Ubuntu reminds us: I am because we are. And together, we continue building pathways toward equity, sustainability, and justice in Black maternal health.
The blueprint is already here...now it’s time to resource it.
Our Sister's Keeper
Deep gratitude to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. - Theta Kappa Omega Chapterfor the distinctive honor of partnering with M&MW and Beautiful Womb facilitate “Our Sister’s Keeper!” We thank you for your continued leadership, and exemplary service to mankind. We are especially grateful for you dedicating your MLK Day of Service to the life saving efforts of advocacy for Black Maternal Health… “We” are OUR SISTER’S KEEPER!! 💞✊🏾
#bwb
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TAYLOR A.
"Having Crystal as a doula in one word would be refreshing. Crystal was my shoulder to cry on, my textbook for all of my questions, and most importantly my comfort zone. Having a doula is your personal birth partner, your doula supports you and makes you feel safe, they help you succeed in your birth experience without judgment, they give you guidance and reassurance. Crystal was everything you expect your doula to be and more. More than anything Crystal has become a friend and a mentor. Crystal was there for my pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum care. I could not be more grateful for her genuine love."
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