The Way We Work

We believe those most impacted by health inequities must lead the solutions. Because of this, we hold ourselves accountable first and foremost to Black mothers and birthing people navigating systems that have historically failed them. Their voices guide every stage of our work—from shaping program design through listening sessions and surveys, to informing advocacy priorities through storytelling, focus groups, and community advisory councils. We don’t just serve Black mothers and birthing people—we work and stand in solidarity with them.

Core Pillars & Goals

The four pillars and goals outlined below reflect our commitment to transforming the Black birthing experience. Together, they guide our strategies, shape our programs, and ground us in community-led solutions.

  • Goal - Ensure access to culturally grounded maternal health care for Black families, enabling them to confidently navigate their perinatal journey.

  • Goal - Equip Black perinatal health professionals with culturally relevant training and business support to enhance the quality of care they provide to families and to build thriving, sustainable practices.

  • Goal - Advance and support policies that actively address Black maternal health inequities and lead to meaningful improvements in outcomes for Black mothers.

  • Goal - Elevate Black voices through community-based participatory research, ensuring that data reflects lived realities and drives systems-level change in maternal health.

Current Initiatives

  • In collaboration with 4th Trimester Arizona, Arizona State University Maternal and Child Health Translation Research Team’s Policy Core, and the Indigenous Lactation Counselor Program, we are working to expand AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid) policies to provide coverage for breastfeeding support and lactation consultations for low-income families. In addition, we aim to increase access to board-certified lactation consultants in Indigenous and Black communities.

  • In collaboration with ASU and 4th Trimester Arizona, we launched Listen to the Villages. This IMPROVE-CIP research project works with doulas and community stakeholders to promote maternal-infant health equity in Indigenous, Black, and Latinx communities in Arizona. IMPROVE-CIP is a program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that focuses on issues contributing to maternal death and severe illness.