Birth in Color
Impact Snapshot
Focus Area: Black Maternal Health, Reproductive Justice, and Birth Equity
Who They Serve: Black women, birthing people, and families
Where: United States, with strong advocacy and community work in Virginia
Why This Matters:
The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income countries, and Black women are disproportionately impacted. This is not just a healthcare issue. It reflects systemic inequities that affect safety, dignity, and outcomes for Black women during pregnancy and childbirth.
How This Organization Advances Women’s Equality:
Birth in Color works to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health by providing education, advocacy, and doula support. Their work ensures Black women are seen, heard, and cared for with dignity throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
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About the Organization
Birth in Color is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving birth outcomes and experiences for Black women and families.
Founded to address the deep inequities in maternal healthcare, Birth in Color focuses on both community-based support and systemic change. Their work includes advocacy, education, and direct services that center culturally competent, respectful care.
Through programs like doula support, community education, and policy advocacy, they aim to ensure that Black women have access to safe, informed, and empowering birth experiences.
Their approach recognizes that improving maternal health outcomes requires more than medical care. It requires addressing bias, access, and the broader systems that shape women’s experiences.
The Problem They’re Addressing
The Black maternal health crisis in the United States is both urgent and preventable.
- Black women are nearly 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in the U.S.
- More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable
- Black women are more likely to experience complications, receive delayed care, or have their concerns dismissed
These disparities persist regardless of income or education level, pointing to systemic bias and inequities within healthcare systems.
Beyond mortality, many Black women experience:
- Higher rates of maternal morbidity and birth complications
- Lack of access to culturally competent providers
- Dismissal of pain or symptoms during pregnancy and labor
- Increased stress and health risks tied to systemic racism
The result is a system where too many women are forced to advocate for their own survival during what should be one of the most supported moments of their lives.
Their Work in Action
Birth in Color works at both the community and systems level to improve maternal health outcomes.
Their work includes:
- Providing education and resources to empower women with knowledge about their rights and care options
- Supporting access to doulas and culturally competent care
- Advocating for policy changes that address maternal health disparities
- Hosting community events and advocacy days to mobilize awareness and action
Their work centers trust, respect, and informed care. It challenges the systems that have historically failed Black women while actively building alternatives that prioritize safety and dignity.
By combining direct support with advocacy, Birth in Color is helping shift both individual experiences and broader outcomes.
Why Support is Critical Right Now
Maternal health disparities in the United States remain persistent despite growing awareness.
In recent years, there has been increased attention on the Black maternal health crisis, but progress has been uneven. Many communities still lack access to:
- Affordable, high-quality maternal care
- Culturally competent providers
- Consistent postpartum support
At the same time, broader healthcare access challenges, policy gaps, and systemic inequities continue to put Black women at risk.
Organizations like Birth in Color are working to close these gaps, but sustained funding and support are essential to expand their reach and impact.
Without continued investment, the systems that produce these disparities remain unchanged.
Why Every Woman is Worthy Supports This Work
At Every Woman is Worthy®, we believe that every woman deserves to be safe, respected, and cared for during pregnancy and childbirth.
Maternal health is a fundamental part of women’s equality. When women are not believed, not protected, or not given access to quality care, their rights and dignity are compromised.
Organizations like Birth in Color are working to change that reality by advocating for equity, improving access, and supporting women directly.
Supporting this work means investing in a future where all women can experience pregnancy and birth safely and with dignity.
A Personal Connection to This Work
Over the past several years, Every Woman is Worthy founder Maggie Winzeler has joined Birth in Color at their advocacy day in Virginia, supporting efforts to bring attention to maternal health disparities and push for meaningful change.
Her connection to this work is also shaped by lived experience. Having gone through five pregnancies, including two losses and one life-threatening emergency, she understands firsthand how critical it is to have competent, compassionate, and non-stigmatizing care.
That perspective reinforces the importance of supporting organizations like Birth in Color that are working to ensure every woman receives the care she deserves.
How to Support
- Visit: https://birthincolor.org/
- Donate: https://birthincolor.org/donate/
Sharing their work helps expand awareness and support for maternal health equity.
Help Us Fast-Track Women’s Equality
Supporting organizations like Birth in Color helps ensure that Black women and families are not left without the care, respect, and protection they deserve. Every action matters. When we invest in maternal health equity, we move closer to a world where every woman is valued, heard, and safe throughout pregnancy and beyond.
In this together,
The Every Woman is Worthy Team