Join SLASB AAIMM CA T for "Empowered Fathers, Safe Families" : a community conversation dedicated to men’s mental health, fatherhood engagement, and domestic violence prevention. Let’s build healthier families across Los Angeles and the South Bay together .

In-Person: https://tinyurl.com/SLASBCATINPERSON

Online:  https://tinyurl.com/SLASBCATVRTUAL

For questions contact us at: [email protected] or Adjoa Jones : [email protected]/(213) 541-3938

Join us for an intentional space designed to support and empower our community, hosted by Alyssa Bedard, MPH. Our first session, "What Happens After Birth," offers a supportive environment to discuss the overlooked realities of the fourth trimester.  She will dive into the physical and emotional changes that occur after delivery, addressing those rarely talked-about topics to ensure our mamas feel seen and supported in their journey. This session is designed to normalize their experiences, reduce isolation, and gently introduce the idea that their healing and well-being matter just as much as their baby’s.

- Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
- Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM PST
- Registration Link: [Link to RSVP]

“Life After Birth: Coming Home to Myself” is a three-part wellness training series designed to support participants of the California Abundant Birth Project in reconnecting with themselves after birth, physically, emotionally, and communally. This training series centers healing, rest, identity reclamation, and community care through a culturally grounded, trauma-informed, and interactive approach.

I’ve found purpose in creating the conditions where doulas can thrive because when they’re supported, they’re better able to show up for families in deeply impactful ways. That ripple effect is what makes this work so meaningful to me.

– Nakeisha Robinson, AAIMM Doula Programs Manager

Join us for an empowering community event focused on the importance of oral health during pregnancy and for your baby's future.

DATE: Saturday, June 27th, 2026

TIME: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

LOCATION:

Oakwood Recreation Center

767 California Ave. Venice, CA 90291

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• How pregnancy affects your oral health
• The link between oral health and a healthy pregnancy
• Tips for managing common dental concerns during pregnancy
• Caring for your baby's oral health
• Nutrition tips for strong teeth and healthy gums

Los Angeles County’s African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative Leads Black Maternal Health Week Events Across the County to Advance Safe and Joyous Black Births

Los Angeles, CA – The Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative joins communities across the country in recognizing Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), observed April 10 through April 16, 2026. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Justice & Joy,” underscores the urgent need to address the ongoing Black maternal health crisis while honoring the leadership, strength, and resilience of Black mothers, birthing people, and families.

Black/African American babies in LA County are two to three times more likely to die before their first birthday than babies of other races. Black/African American women in LA County are four times more likely to die as a result of pregnancy and delivery/postpartum complications than women of other races.    

Founded and led nationally by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), BMHW is an annual campaign to raise awareness, mobilize community action, and advance policies and practices that improve maternal health outcomes for Black families. In Los Angeles County, this work is led through the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM), a Black-led, Black-centered coalition committed to advancing birth equity and ensuring safe, respectful, and joyous births. 

Black Maternal Health Week 2026: Rooted in Justice and Joy

Join us in observing Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW) from April 11-17, a time dedicated to raising awareness, promoting advocacy, and amplifying the voices of Black birthing persons and families. This year’s theme, “Rooted in Justice and Joy,” centers justice and joy as inseparable forces to honor the labor, leadership, and resilience of Black-led organizations while advancing systemic change through community-driven care, policy advocacy, and cultural healing.

Black Maternal Health Week was founded and is led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), an organization at the forefront of advocating for Black maternal health. Through their leadership, Black Maternal Health Week provides a powerful platform to raise awareness, spark conversations, and advocate for the elimination of maternal health disparities affecting Black birthing persons.

Black birthing persons in the United States continue to experience disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. Black Maternal Health Week  is a critical opportunity to reflect on the legacies of these inequities, challenge the systems that perpetuate them, and build a collective vision of change. Through advocacy, solidarity, and education, we can work together to create a future where Black families not only survive but thrive.

At the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM), we are committed to advocating for policies that ensure equitable access to high-quality healthcare for Black birthing persons. We elevate the voices and lived experiences of the Black community, and partner with Black-led organizations—like BMMA—that are leading the charge for change.

• Black Maternal Health Week is not just a time to raise awareness—it is an opportunity to come together and make meaningful change. You’re invited to participate in this critical week in numerous ways:  events hosted by AAIMM and our network of partners. These events will center the voices of Black birthing persons, highlight key policy demands, and provide platforms for education and empowerment.

• Advocate for Change: BMHW is the perfect opportunity to advocate for policy changes that ensure access to maternal healthcare for all. Learn how you can support policies that address the inequities in Black maternal health and advocate for reforms at local, state, and national levels.
• Spread Awareness: Amplify the voices and stories of Black birthing persons on your social media platforms. Share key messages, tag @blackinfantsandfamiliesla on Instagram, and use the hashtags #BMHW26 and #BlackMaternalHealthWeek to help raise awareness.

Check back for event updates, resources, and more during Black Maternal Health Week. Share this page with your community and help spread the word. Let’s work together to dismantle the barriers to Black maternal health and ensure a future where everyone thrives.. Follow us on Instagram @blackinfantsandfamiliesla for updates.

2026 BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK AAIMM CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SEE BELOW FOR EVENT DETAILS:

🗓️ APRIL 10 

*National Public Health Week, April 6th – 12th

The Suckle Center - Pilates and Prosecco
TIME ⏰: 11am - 12:30pm
LOCATION 📍: The Loft Long Beach - 3290 Cherry Ave,
Long Beach, CA
Hosted By: The Suckle Center
RSVP HERE

Empowering, Engaging, & Acknowledging Fathers!
TIME ⏰: 6pm - 8pm
LOCATION 📍:
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
Jean and David Health Education Building (Auditorium)
15107 Vanowen St., Van Nuys, CA 91405
IN PARTNERSHIP 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽: AAIMM Fatherhood Initiative, DHS Mamas

🗓️ APRIL 11

SLASB AAIMM CAT - 5th Annual Community Baby Shower
TIME ⏰: 10am – 1pm
LOCATION 📍: MLK Behavioral Health Center  (12021 S. Wilmington Ave. Bldg #18  LA, CA 90059)
IN PARTNERSHIP 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽: South LA South Bay AAIMM CAT, BIH, DPH, Black Women for Wellness, Cinnamoms, CA Abundant Birth Project, Planned Parenthood and more!
RSVP HERE

AV AAIMM CAT - BMHW CELEBRATION
TIME ⏰: 10am - 1pm
LOCATION 📍: Ohana Center (38700 5th Street West Suite D Palmdale, CA 93551)
Hosted by: AV AAIMM CAT
RSVP HERE

Beauty for Ashes Maternal Wellness - 4th Annual 5K Walk
TIME ⏰: 8AM - 12PM
LOCATION 📍: The Doula Hub  (5835 Overhill Dr. L.A. 90043)
REGISTER HERE

Family Play Day At The Park
TIME ⏰: 12:30pm - 4:30pm
LOCATION 📍: Rosecrans Recreation
840 W 149th St Gardena, CA 90247
Hosted by: CABWHP, PRC 
REGISTER HERE

🗓️ APRIL 12

San Gabriel Valley AAIMM CAT - Community Baby Shower
TIME ⏰: 3pm - 7pm
LOCATION 📍: Second Baptist Church of Monrovia (925 S Shamrock Ave. Monrovia, CA 91016)
REGISTER HERE

🗓️ APRIL 13

Dear Mamas, A letter Writing Workshop Honoring Black Motherhood
TIME ⏰: 6pm - 8pm
LOCATION 📍: All for Kids (1910 Magnolia Ave, Los Angeles 90007)
Hosted by: BW4W, F5LA, ALL FOR KIDS, FIERCE AUNTIES, FLORA FAMILY FOUNDATION, PACKARD FOUNDATION
REGISTER HERE

🗓️ APRIL 14

Black Parenthood Unfiltered: A Virtual Game Night Rooting in Justice & Joy
TIME ⏰: 5:30PM
LOCATION 📍: ZOOM
Hosted by the Black Girls Mental Health Foundation via Zoom
REGISTER HERE

M.O.R.E. Mothers Workshop Series
TIME ⏰: 2:15PM - 3:45PM
LOCATION 📍: 5599 Atlantic Ave.

🗓️ APRIL 15

Black Women for Wellness – 3rd Annual Black Mamas Birthing Tour
TIME ⏰: 8am – 5pm
For more information visit BWWLA.org
IN PARTNERSHIP 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽: Black Women for Wellness, Packard Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Cedars Sinai
REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

🗓️ APRIL 16

Santa Clarita San Fernando Valley AAIMM CAT - BMHW Community Walk
TIME ⏰: 10am - 12pm
LOCATION 📍: 6300 Balboa Blvd, Lake Balboa 91406
Hosted by: SCSFV AAIMM
REGISTER HERE

Rooted in the Womb - hosted by Black Women for Wellness
TIME ⏰: 4 - 6pm
LOCATION 📍: Plant Chica (4311 Degnan Blvd. Leimert Park, 90008)
For more information visit BWWLA.org

🗓️ APRIL 17

Rooted in Justice: 2026 California Birth Equity Policy Updates and Community Forum 
TIME ⏰: 12-2pm PT
LOCATION 📍: virtual Zoom
Hosted by: California Black Birth Equity Summit + UCSF Center for Birth Justice 
REGISTER HERE

🗓️ APRIL 18

SCSFV AAIMM CAT - Honoring Your Body
TIME ⏰: 11AM - 2 PM
LOCATION 📍: St. Paul's United Methodist Church (5619 Lindley Ave, Tarzana, CA 91356)
RSVP HERE

Mama’s Magic Block Party - Honoring Black Motherhood
TIME ⏰: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
LOCATION 📍: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
IN PARTNERSHIP 🫱🏾‍🫲🏽: LA General and Harbor - UCLA OB/GYN Departments 

EmpowerMOM Presented By Black Girls Mental Health Foundation
TIME ⏰: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
LOCATION 📍The Gathering Spot Atlanta, Georgia (384 Northyards Boulevard NW Atlanta, GA 30313)
Sponsored by the Black Girls Mental Health Foundation
REGISTER HERE

A Black History Month Message from the Director

As we celebrate the history and achievements of Black people during this month of commemoration, we are mindful of those who wish to erase our history and minimize our achievements. Recent headlines of maternal and infant losses, of attacks on immigrant communities and those who stand with them in solidarity, strengthen our resolve to achieve our mission to build, collectively, a future in which Black families thrive.  

The urgency of our mission is shaping how AAIMM is activating in 2026. We launched our Compassion Response Fund, which provides financial support to Black families impacted by pregnancy-related loss (read more below). We are resurfacing critical tips and education families can use to make plans for their care (also below). Across the AAIMM network, there are increasing supports and resources for birthworkers, including the Medi-Cal Doula Hub, which provides training, technical assistance and advocacy for new and experienced doulas to become Medi-Cal providers and serve the diversity of LA County’s families. 

I celebrate you, the people at the heart of our AAIMM Village for your historic contributions to Black maternal health. By centering our stories, our people, our leadership, we have built a movement for joyous, healthy Black births in Los Angeles County and beyond. At this critical moment, I ask you to reflect and share with us: What should the year ahead look like for AAIMM? What are your agencies focusing on in 2026? Where do our efforts align, and where can AAIMM provide additional support?

We will continue to honor Black life by protecting it, uplifting our families and our collective right to safe, joyous beginnings. Thank you to each of the community leaders and partners, birthing parents, doulas, lactation specialists, fatherhood program participants, birth workers, who stay the course and recognize the strength in our numbers. 

With deep love and gratitude,

Adjoa Jones

AAIMM Director

Birth Equity Unit Chief

Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division

Health Promotion Bureau • Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Happy Holidays 

During this holiday season, I am reminded that this time of year can hold both joy and uncertainty. Many in our community are facing real challenges, from delayed SNAP benefits to the rising cost of health insurance and essential care. And as always, we hold the ongoing concern about what these shifts mean for Black maternal and infant health, especially in light of the numerous stories we have seen where Black women/birthing people have been dismissed during their laboring and delivery. 

Yet, even in the midst of these challenges, I remain deeply hopeful.

My holiday wish for you and your family is simple: that you feel supported, seen, and held by your Village, and that you have space to rest and that joy finds its way to you.

As we move into the season of celebration, reflection, and Kwanzaa, I’m filled with pride for everything we accomplished together in 2025. Our collective work, driven by love and unwavering commitment, continues to strengthen our community and create pathways for Black birthing people to experience safe, healthy, and joy-filled births.

This year, we engaged with thousands of families, offering support, connection and care at some of the most vulnerable and life-changing moments.

As we look toward the future, AAIMM is doubling down on our commitment to care, compassion and community-rooted solutions. In 2026, we will continue to provide culturally centered mental health support for Black birthing people, offer community-based doula care, and deepen the partnerships that help us meet families where they are, with dignity, love and practical support.

Thank you for being part of this movement, this Village and this vision. Together, we are building a Los Angeles County where every Black parent and baby is welcomed into the world with joy, safety, and community by their side. Read the 2025 Highlights below featuring a few of our key programs.

With deep love and gratitude,

Adjoa Jones

AAIMM Director

Birth Equity Unit Chief

Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division

Health Promotion Bureau • Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

During Black Breast/Chestfeeding Week, AAIMM Celebrates Lactation Educators and Consultants

Greetings from the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM) where we center healthy, joyous Black births and celebrate Black breast- and chest-feeding every day. This month, we give attention to the healthy start that breast/chestfeeding provides babies, and this week we celebrate Black Breast/Chestfeeding Week with activities throughout Los Angeles County. See our event listing below!

Black Breastfeeding Week (August 25-31) was launched 13 years ago by activists Kimberly Seals Allers, Kiddada Green and Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka. Black Breastfeeding Week grew out of the need to build awareness about and highlight the special challenges and triumphs of being Black and breastfeeding. At this critical point in time, we are grateful for these leaders who created this week and curate annual events that support bodily autonomy and encourage mothers to be equipped with knowledge and tools to nourish their infants.

The 2025 Black Breastfeeding Week theme is “Boots on the Ground! Rooted in Breastfeeding Success, Grounded in Community Support." At AAIMM, we celebrate the importance of community support to create breast/chestfeeding success in the Black community. Here at AAIMM, we are honoring all International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and Certified Lactation Education Specialists (CLES), with a special shoutout to our Black lactation educators who help new parents navigate infant feeding through engaging and innovative education, support groups, and resources. Our amazing specialists are being featured on our IG Live throughout Black Breastfeeding Week.

AAIMM provides Black families with a directory of Safe Spaces for Breast/Chestfeeding, which is continuously updated with new information. 

If you are anywhere in Los Angeles County and you would like your location to be designated as a Safe Space for Black breast/chestfeeding, sign up here: https://www.blackinfantsandfamilies.org/become_a_safe_space 

If you need breast/chestfeeding support, you can learn more at https://www.blackinfantsandfamilies.org/breastfeeding.

Finally, I’d also like to share an article with you. Please take a moment to read:From Slavery To Liberation: The Diasporic Legacy of Black Breastfeeding

In solidarity,

Adjoa Jones, MBA, CLES, Doula
Director, African American Infant/Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM)

Birth Equity Unit Chief 

Maternal, Child, Adolescent, and Health Division 

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Editorial Statement: 

We would like to extend our love, prayers and support to our communities – colleagues, families and those experiencing trepidation, mental exhaustion and anguish in fear of ICE showing up to homes and common spaces. We encourage you to become aware of your (and your neighbors’) immigration rights (LA Care as one example, DPH example attached). Please be safe as you attend events and travel, and take time to update your emergency plans with your loved ones.

Letter from AAIMM's
Fatherhood Coordinator

Dads need a village, too! 

As June comes to a close—a month dedicated to celebrating Fathers, Fatherhood, and Father’s Day, I’m sharing this important message that grounds my work as the coordinator of fatherhood programs for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (AAIMM). As a father myself, I know the importance of activating my village of support. To me, being a Father means providing all that my child needs to be healthy and happy while being vulnerable enough to know when I need help providing those things so she is always loved and cared for the way she deserves. I also know that advancing Father-involvement improves pathways to economic mobility, promotes healthy and empowering lives and leads to increased positive childhood outcomes for our children. 

One of the many wonderful things about AAIMM is that we help Black fathers by sharing resources and information. Through our six-week virtual Expecting Fathers Groups, we help men get ready for fatherhood. They learn what to expect at each stage of pregnancy and how their involvement can lead to a more healthy and joyous birth for their birthing partners and their babies. New sessions begin every month. For info, text DAD to 323-745-2771.

We also offer weekly Black Daddy Dialogue meetings on Zoom. These serve as an open forum for dads and father figures to receive peer support, resources and assistance. Our goal with Black Daddy Dialogue is to change the narrative around African American and Black fathers and families by feeding the mind and spirit of fathers. Sessions are held Wednesday evenings at 6:30PM Pacific. For info, text DAD to 323-745-2771.

AAIMM’s website also offers critical resources and information for fathers, father figures and expecting dads. Visit blackinfantsandfamilies.org/fatherhood to explore stories from other black Fathers and learn about AAIMM’s upcoming events and other resources for Black families.

Fatherhood changed my life for the better. Having my daughter challenged me to grow daily and learn to adapt to the ever-changing world she is growing up in. No day is the same, no lesson too small to learn, no problem is too big to handle, and I learned that from her. Throughout the month of June, I invite all dads to join me on this journey of parenting by activating your village of support. Feel free to email us if you’d like to know more at: [email protected]. 

Kindest regards,

Davion Mauldin

AAIMM Fatherhood Coordinator 

LA County Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health

"As a doula, I am privileged to provide support, advocacy, and create safe spaces for birthing families in my community."

– Renett Clough, AAIMM Doula

 “Being a doula means serving my community by uplifting those who bring forth life, love and hope in our everyday lives.” 

– Luz Ticas, AAIMM CARE Doula

Are You Expecting?
Things to Know from AAIMM Experts:

What is preeclampsia/postpartum eclampsia? 

Preeclampsia/postpartum preeclampsia is a serious disease related to high blood pressure.  Preeclampsia can happen to anyone during the second half of pregnancy (2nd trimester 13-27 weeks), or up to six weeks after delivery. 

Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia: 

• Headache that doesn’t go away
• Changes in vision (blurriness, flashing lights, seeing spots)
• Trouble breathing 
• Severe nausea or vomiting 
• Rapid weight gain 
• Swelling in legs, hands, or face

Source: LA County CPSP Team Handout on Preeclampsia, March of Dimes, and Preeclampsia Foundation

The AAIMM Compassion Response Fund is a one-time resource designed to provide timely, compassionate support to families experiencing perinatal or infant loss, per eligible family to help address immediate needs during a period of grief and transition.

In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month (November), we sat down with Colleen Lovejoy, Founding Director, Care Consultant, and Sound Therapist of Sugar Heal Gang (SHG), to talk about what it truly takes to support birthing families — before, during, and after birth. SHG is a collective of Black and Indigenous healers based in Los Angeles, CA, working at the intersection of culture, care, and community. Since 2020, SHG has provided health and wellness support to families through high-quality, culturally rooted, holistic birthing services, training workshops, and cultural gatherings.

Can you share the vision behind Sugar Heal Gang and how cultural healing shows up in your work?

Black maternal health wasn’t something I studied. I didn’t start out thinking, I’m getting into Black maternal health. I had an experience and realized it wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. It wasn’t rooted in cultural healing or designed to empower women. Those are things you learn later, but you know when something isn’t right.

My birthing experience felt cold, isolating, and confusing. It felt like the people who held the knowledge were looking down on the very people who were trying to give birth and bring new life into the community.

And when my friend got pregnant, I told her, “It’s going to be awful and you’re probably going to have to keep switching doctors.” Then I heard myself and thought, Wait a second…

What if we could surround her? What if we could gather resources around her so she could create a birth plan and a birth team, and have what she wanted? What would feel like love? What would actually feel supportive and empowering? It really was that simple.

We didn’t even have words for it back then. We just created a care plan and came together and said, who do we know who brings healing? This person knows nutrition. This person can offer spiritual care. My sister knows a midwife — how much does she charge? Can we raise that? It was really just calling people together.

And once we did it, we knew we were on to something.

Because it was the care I wish I had. The support I wish I had. You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve lived through it. And you can’t create something different until you actually create something different, and then you know: This is it.

The more options that exist — and the more organizations and people create new models of care — the more it will be talked about. For a long time, people just accepted what was, because… what was the alternative?

What does “The Village” mean in your approach to caring for birthing people?

I think of that old saying, it takes a village to raise a child, but really, it takes a village to raise a family. To help a family grow.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that so many breakups happen when kids are toddlers. In this country, there’s no free childcare and no guaranteed maternity or paternity leave. I really wonder if support like paid leave and universal childcare existed whether divorce rates among parents of kids ages zero to five would go down.

I keep seeing this conversation about a loneliness epidemic and it shows up for birthing families, too. People are isolated. On a good day, you might be able to hold it all together, but nobody can get sick, nobody can lose a job, nobody can have a hard month financially. There’s no backup.

You can’t even really give birth without thinking, Do I have time off? Do I have savings? Do I have support? It’s heavy.

So, I think the village has to start with us finding each other again. It’s generational knowledge, people who’ve given birth telling you, be ready.

You need community. And if you don’t have family, you have to build it. There are organizations, spaces, and people where you can find your village.

Looking back, I don’t think I had my village set up. I thought I had friends, but I didn’t know how to call on them. I didn’t know how to ask for help, and it created so much unnecessary stress.

I also think proximity education is so interesting. I don’t hear people talking about it. We’re taught to go to the college with the specialty you want, and then you go work, but no one talks about what you give up when you move away from your friends and family.

It’s easy when there are no kids in the picture. But once you’re giving birth — especially if you have complications — everything has to go right, or things can become really hard really fast.

It can become life-threatening very quickly. And it can threaten the life of the baby, too, especially when we’re talking about preterm birth.

In honor of Prematurity Awareness Month (November), we spoke with Jessica Wade, Founding Director, Care Consultant, and Sound Therapist of Mighty Little Giants (MLG), to talk about what it truly takes to support birthing families — before, during, and after birth. Mighty Little Giants (MLG) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advocates through providing support, education, and hope for Black mothers/birthing persons and fathers experiencing preterm deliveries resulting in long-term stays in hospital NICUs. MLG’s mission is to stand in the gap with and for Black families with babies in the NICU by embracing MLG’s core values: Integrity, Compassion, and Encouragement.

Can you share the origin story of Mighty Little Giants and how your personal journey shaped it?

Mighty Little Giants (MLG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2019 by myself [Jessica Wade] from my hospital bedrest stay of 58 days and my son's 143 day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Out of my lived experience of not being heard and losing everything came our mission: to stand in the gap for families with babies in the NICU by providing compassionate support, advocacy, and a path toward healing. MLG exists to uplift mothers, fathers, and caregivers facing preterm birth and extended NICU stays, with a special focus on engaging families as whole units in the healing process.

What are some of the biggest emotional challenges families face in the NICU?

Some of the greatest emotional challenges for NICU families stem from having to navigate complex systems of care, not only for their hospitalized baby but also for themselves. Parents are often trying to heal mentally and emotionally from a potentially traumatic birthing experience with unexpected outcomes, all while managing the financial demands of their household. Many also face separation anxiety if they have other children at home and must balance postpartum recovery with the immense responsibility of making lifesaving decisions for their child fighting for survival in the NICU or NICCU. The weight of these overlapping challenges takes a profound toll on their emotional well-being.

How does your team support parents during long-term NICU stays?

At Mighty Little Giants we support our families in multiple ways. Our current programs include:

• In Hospital Support Groups [Crafts & Conversations]
• NICU Support Group Chat [Peer-to-Peer Support]
• MLG Literacy Corner [Advancing Early Childhood Education]
• NICU Essential Selfcare Kits that can be ordered online
• Educational Webinars [ Through MLG Academy] 

What role can extended family, friends, or community play in supporting parents of premature babies?

Some of the most important things that family can do to support are:

• Be Present and hold space for the families without assumption, judgement or a million questions!
• Ask how THEY are doing. I’ve noticed that families always ask how the child is doing, not realizing that the parents are carrying a lot of weight.
  
  
• Instead of saying "let me/us know what you need”, let them know what you will do for them. “We will be hosting a meal train, I can help with picking up the other kids from school, I can have a housekeeper come by on Friday, etc. Most of the time NICU families need more than they can explain, taking the weight off their shoulders of thinking about their needs would be helpful.
  
  

Prematurity can feel isolating. What does it look like when “the village shows up” well?

When your village shows up well you can truly get REST, at times uninterrupted REST! My mother and mother-in-law would come and sit with our son when he was in the NICU so that I could take a nap in our room at the Ronald McDonald house and that meant more to me than I could even explain!

I had anxiety leaving the NICU/NICCU, so they knew I wasn’t getting rest. They didn’t ask, they just showed up and took turns, I really appreciated them for that.

Mighty Little Giants (MLG) is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advocates through providing support, education, and hope for Black mothers/birthing persons and fathers experiencing preterm deliveries resulting in long-term stays in hospital NICUs. MLG’s mission is to stand in the gap with and for Black families with babies in the NICU by embracing MLG’s core values: Integrity, Compassion, and Encouragement. Within its  mission, one of its main goals is to empower the prenatal moms/birthing people that the organization supports (that are on bedrest) with the tools they need to advocate for a joyous birthing experience. For families who have babies in the NICU, MLG strives to provide them with peace, education, compassion, and support in the midst of their storm.

A member of the Antelope Valley AAIMM Community Action Team, MLG believes that it’s important to uplift black women into positions of power and let their voices be heard loud and clear in an effort to end racial disparities. Therefore, MLG strives to highlight the work of Black women by participating in Black female-lead events, sponsorships, fundraisers, and promotions. Jessica Wade, founder of MLG, is a Black woman and has ensured that the organization also has Black women on its Board of Directors. MLG believes that this is an integral part of the work and enables the organization to better empathize with the families it serves. 

“There are so many racial disparities and lack of education and advocacy when it comes to preterm Black babies as well as Black babies and families in the NICU. There are many support programs for preterm births and NICU support groups, but not too many meet the needs of black families,” stated Wade. “I have yet to come across a Black woman lead organization that provides wrap-around support for Black mothers on bedrest as well as support while navigating the NICU with the countless stressors that occur inside and outside of the hospital.”

MLG’s mission of supporting the physical and mental well-being of Black women/birthing persons, fathers, partners, and families before, during, or after birth by providing respite care; fostering a positive sense of self, and increasing access to healthy and joyous births aligns with the mission of AAIMM. The foundation of MLG’s support for Black moms is built on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. In order to bring mothers peace during this stressful time, MLG focuses on the overall health and well-being of the birthing person. MLG is committed to ensuring that all of the needs of the mothers they support are met and they have the confidence needed to stand in the gap for their birthing story as well as their child. 

MLG now provides doula support, lactation education and so much more! If you’re an expecting mom on bedrest, or a new mom/birthing person in the NICU, when you are supported, educated, empowered and receive compassion from someone who looks like you, that automatically provides a joyous and healthy birthing experience and a sense of security.

"I empower families with practical skills and resources that ensure safety, nourishment and confidence as they welcome new life.”

– Kimberly Evans, AAIMM Doula

" I am grateful to extend my nurturing arms around my community and pray that someone pays it forward.”

– Taylor Campbell, AAIMM Doula