BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center

You're invited to our Black Maternal Health Week 2025 celebrations! Don't miss out on the amazing events we have planned in the month of April. ?Black Maternal Health Art Exhibition - April 3rd, 5PM - 9 PM ?Health Fair & Jubilee - April 12th, 11AM - 3PM RSVP today and stay in the loop at blackwpc.org/bmhw

Last month, BWPC's Brittany Mbong, Certified Nurse Midwife, was invited to participate on a panel for the Office of the California Surgeon General's Maternal Health Summit: Improving Cardiovascular Health during American Heart Month. She joined leaders from across California to discuss ways to reduce heart disease in pregnant people, especially those at higher risk, like Black women. Brittany shared insights on the history of Black midwives, the scope of midwifery today, and the impactful work we're doing at BWPC.?

Help us honor Shantay Davies-Balch, CEO of BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center, on receiving a 2025 Leadership Award! After losing her mother to preventable breast cancer and enduring pre-term births despite taking every precaution, Shantay felt compelled to advocate for Black maternal health and community wellness. In 2021, she launched the Black Doula Network (BDN) to expand doula care among Black women by training new doulas – who provide support and guidance to mothers throughout the birthing process – and advocating for systemic changes. Shantay has developed a comprehensive, equity-centered curriculum and trained ten doulas to date, more than tripling the number of Black doulas serving Fresno County. “Every woman deserves culturally competent support during birth—because healthier mothers mean healthier communities.” – Shantay R. Davies-Balch Learn more about Shantay and BWPC at: https://lnkd.in/gdKMdFsM Art by Kelly Malka #IrvineAwards

Congratulations to Mother Dezie Woods-Jones, State President and founder of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA), on receiving the prestigious 2025 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority "Advocate for Social Justice" Program Award! Her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering advocacy for Black women in politics have created a lasting impact. We love and celebrate you, Mother Dezie!

Thanks to Ana Torrea at ABC30 for highlighting President & CEO Shantay R. Davies-Balch who was selected as a recipient of The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award, along with $350,000 in grant funding for BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center. We’re grateful for the opportunity to share this honor and how it will help advance our mission to improve health outcomes in our community! https://lnkd.in/gzjB6nbP

For BLACK History Month, we are honoring 5 incredible champions of Black maternal health. ?Picture 1 - Black Mamas Matter Alliance: Leading the fight for Black maternal health through initiatives like Black Maternal Health Week, advocating for respectful care and policy change ?Picture 2 - Congresswoman Alma Adams: Co-founder of the Black Maternal Health Caucus and key player in passing the Momnibus Act to improve outcomes for Black mothers and infants ?Picture 3 - Mayor Muriel Bowser: Hosts the National Maternal and Infant Health Summit every year and launched Thrive by Five D.C. to address racial disparities in maternal and child health ?Picture 4 - Kamala Harris: Driving initiatives for health equity, including implicit bias training for healthcare providers and supporting at-home prenatal care for underserved communities ?Picture 5 - Nicole Deggins: Founder of Sista Midwife Productions, connecting Black families with culturally aware midwives and doulas for better birth outcomes Learn more about these leaders of Black maternal health here: https://lnkd.in/gksnsidD

What an incredible week! Here’s a quick recap and another round of congratulations to Shantay R. Davies-Balch for receiving the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award! ?? On Monday, Shantay was honored in the California State Senate, where Senator Anna Caballero recognized her work and impact. Later that evening, we gathered to celebrate Shantay and other award recipients at a very special reception. On Tuesday, Shantay met with key policymakers to discuss critical issues like childcare, mental health in reproductive care, and expanding Medi-Cal—conversations that will help shape future policies to improve Black maternal and infant health outcomes. This experience has been amazing, and we are so thankful to The James Irvine Foundation for recognizing Shantay's tireless efforts to improve health outcomes for moms and babies! Learn more about the awards, Shantay's impact, and more at irvineawards.org.?

https://lnkd.in/gVjTQqU6 Congratulations to our very own President & CEO, Shantay R. Davies-Balch on receiving the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award! After becoming a doula, Shantay took her advocacy to the next level by founding BLACK Wellness & Prosperity Center (BWPC). Through BWPC, she has worked tirelessly to address health disparities, from infant mortality to maternal mortality prevention, all while offering critical services and support to those in need. Shantay’s vision and dedicated advocacy are reshaping the future of maternal health for all families. Learn more about her incredible work: https://lnkd.in/gFsGHNiv #IrvineAwards #BlackMaternalHealth #CommunityWellness #HealthEquity #BlackDoulaNetwork

Get ready for another amazing Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW)! Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc. (BMMA) recently announced this year's theme: "Healing Legacies: Strengthening Black Maternal Health through Collective Action and Advocacy." Join us in April for BMHW events celebrating progress, highlighting community efforts, and working toward a healthier, more equitable future for moms, babies, and families! Save the Dates!? ? April 3 - Black Maternal Health Exhibition (our Art Hop kick-off event) ? April 12 - Health Fair & Jubilee! More info to come! Stay up-to-date at blackwpc.org/bmhw

Today, on Maternal Health Awareness Day the Office of the California Surgeon General introduced PreMa-a simple quiz designed to prioritize maternal health before pregnancy. With PreMa, you can discover how your health can affect your future pregnancy. Thinking about having a baby? Learn more at blackwpc.org/prema and take the quiz at premaca.org?