How Collaboration Strengthens Black Maternal Health

Improving Black maternal health requires more than passion; it requires partnership. No single person, program, or organization can create lasting change alone. Real progress happens when doulas, midwives, community advocates, and healthcare institutions work together with one mission in mind: ensuring every mother and baby receives the care they deserve.

Collaboration creates space for shared wisdom, resources, and accountability. When birthworkers and healthcare providers communicate openly, families experience more seamless and culturally grounded care. Doulas can advocate more effectively during hospital births. Midwives can coordinate with doctors to ensure continuity of care. And families can trust that their voices will be heard at every stage of pregnancy and postpartum.

DeAnna Tharpe at Planned Parenthood 90th Anniversary

Partnerships with organizations like March of Dimes, Planned Parenthood, and state maternal health programs also strengthen this network of care. These collaborations provide access to funding, training, and data that help community-based doulas and advocates do their work more effectively. By aligning goals and sharing resources, we can close the gap between community and clinical care.

Collaboration also ensures that the lived experiences of Black women remain central to the conversation. Too often, systems are designed around data but not around the people behind it. When advocates, families, and policymakers work side by side, policies reflect real community needs. That’s how we begin to reduce maternal mortality rates and promote birth equity—not through isolated efforts, but through collective action.

At the heart of it all, collaboration is about trust and shared purpose. It’s about seeing each other as allies in a movement that’s bigger than any one person or program. The work continues every day—in clinics, classrooms, community centers, and homes across the country. Together, we can build a system where Black maternal health isn’t a crisis—it’s a standard.