When Cecilia Pearson founded Babypalooza almost twenty years ago, her goal was to support new and expectant parents by providing them with the resources and community they needed. However, as she engaged more deeply with families, a disturbing reality became impossible to ignore: Black mothers in the United States were—and still are—facing a maternal health crisis. Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal that Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their White counterparts. Even more troubling, many of these deaths occur after childbirth and are preventable.

This alarming disparity, driven by factors like lack of education and inadequate support, sparked the creation of The Black Maternal Health Expo. Launched in August 2023 in Birmingham, Alabama, this event was founded on the belief that awareness, education, and community can make a critical difference in saving lives. The Black Maternal Health Expo provides Black mothers with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate the healthcare system and advocate for their well-being.

The expo serves as a vital platform for addressing these urgent issues, offering workshops on health topics specific to Black mothers, creating spaces for them to connect and share their experiences, and linking them directly to healthcare providers and advocacy groups committed to their care.