All Births Should Be JUST Births
〰️
All Births Should Be JUST Births 〰️
ABOUT BLACK BIRTH MATTERS:
Founded in October 2016 by Jamilla Webb and Ashley Hill Hamilton, the Black Birth Matters Summit has emerged as a vital initiative to address critical issues faced by Black birthing families in Louisiana and beyond. The summit was created to tackle pervasive challenges such as medical trauma, increasing rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, inadequate breastfeeding support, and the criminalization of birthing practices by fostering dialogue through discussions, panels, and networking sessions. As a project of Birthmark, the summit serves as a platform for collaborative strategy development, bringing together Black birth workers and allies to advocate for systemic change and improve birth outcomes.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT:
Our summit will focus on the crucial issues where birth and social justice intersect, with a special emphasis on centering the black experience. This gathering is an opportunity to advocate for better birth outcomes and experiences for black families through discussions, panels, and networking sessions.
Black Birth Matters.
2025
Coming Home: Black Birth Matters 2025 Pre-Summit Mixer
Date & Time:
Friday, October 3 | 6 PM – 8 PM
Location:
Baby Catcher Center, Lafayette, Louisiana
Description:
Join us for an intimate evening to kick off Black Birth Matters 2025! Hosted by Shatamia Webb, this pre-summit mixer is a chance for birth workers, advocates, and staff to come together before the big day. Expect good food, laughter, and real conversations that set the tone for an incredible weekend.
This gathering is about connection and celebration — because when we start in community, we build stronger systems together.
Space is limited — reserve your spot today!
Black Birth Matters 2025 Summit: Let’s Go Home
Date & Time:
Saturday, October 4 | 11 AM – 5 PM
Location:
Lafayette, Louisiana (Venue details will be shared after registration)
Description:
The wait is over — the Black Birth Matters 2025 Summit is here! This year’s theme, “Let’s Go Home: From Our Stories, We Build New Systems,” invites us to bridge cultural wisdom with modern strategies to transform Black birth experiences.
Join us for a day of powerful conversations, dynamic panels, and innovative workshops with birth professionals, healthcare providers, advocates, and community leaders. Together, we’ll explore how to turn our lived experiences into actionable systems that work for us.
This summit is more than an event — it’s a movement. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it.
Our Lineage: Tour & Tea
Date & Time:
Sunday, October 5 | Time TBD
Location:
New Orleans, Louisiana
Description:
Close out the Black Birth Matters 2025 weekend with a powerful cultural experience in the heart of New Orleans. Our Lineage: Tour & Tea is a guided journey through the history that shapes Black birth traditions and our shared future.
After the tour, join us for tea and reflection as we process what we’ve learned and connect the threads between our past, present, and future.
Limited spots available — register now to reserve your space for this unforgettable experience.
Become a Sponsor Today !
Honor and compensate Black birth workers, panelists, and cultural leaders
Provide free or low-cost access for community members
Host a resource fair and marketplace for local vendors
Offer wellness and care-centered spaces throughout the day
We offer a range of sponsorship levels, each with its own set of benefits and recognition opportunities. Your support will not only contribute to the success of these events but also provide exposure to a diverse and engaged audience.
We would be honored to have your organization as a partner with us for these vital events. Together, we can create a space where birth truly matters, advocating for justice and equity in our communities. If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to contact me directly at Outreach@birthmarkdouals.com.
Black Birth Matters.
2024
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Black Birth Matters events! The Summit brought together advocates, care providers, and community leaders, sparking powerful discussions that challenged existing structures in Black maternal healthcare and built a dedicated community of support and activism. Together, we’re creating meaningful change—your presence and passion made all the difference!
We Appreciate Our Sponsors !
Black Birth Matter.
2023
Black Birth Matters is a convening that will feature workshops, panel discussions, open dialogue, art, and healing on issues at the intersections of birth and social justice. All are welcome. However, the black experience is centered. This year's conference theme is “Resilience and Rebirth: A Fresh Start for Black Maternal Health". All funds raised during this event will provide free doula services to low-income families of color in New Orleans. Can’t wait to see you there! #BBM2023
Black Birth Matter.
2022
Black Birth Mattes.
2021
WHOLE BIRTHING PEOPLE. WHOLE BIRTH WORKERS. WHOLE COMMUNITIES: Rooted in Fertile Ground.
May 14 to 16, 2021
About This Event
Black Birth Matters held a powerful three-day virtual conference in May 2021, uniting attendees for workshops, panel discussions, open dialogues, and more—all centering Black experiences in birth and beyond. With the theme “Whole Birthing People, Whole Birth Workers, Whole Communities: Rooted in Fertile Ground,” the event underscored the importance of holistic, community-centered support. Funds raised during the conference went toward providing free doula services for low-income families of color in New Orleans, expanding access to compassionate and culturally aligned birth support.
Black Birth Matters.
2018
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who joined us in New Orleans at our second Black Birth Matters conference on October 27th for this day of workshops, panel discussions, open dialogue, art & healing focusing on the intersection of birth and social justice. Our theme this year was: “Mind over Matter: Mental Health & Mothering.” To correct the poor maternal outcomes that plague Women of Color in the US, we must develop holistic approaches that center mental health and well-being.
All funds raised during this event are be used to provide doula services to low-income families of color in New Orleans free of charge.
Black Birth Matters.
2016
Our inaugural Black Birth Matters took place in October of 2016 and was attended by over 75 healers, artists, parents, medical professional, legal experts & birthworkers from New Orleans & nearby areas. The idea for this convergence sprang from the need to address the issues that Black birthing families face in Louisiana and across the country—medical trauma, increasing rates of maternal & infant mortality and morbidity, a lack of access to breastfeeding support, and criminalization.
We know that the best way to address these issues is to center care on Black families, and to strategize with other Black birthworkers and our allies. Black Birth Matters was a huge first step to creating the networks we need to identify our collective goals & begin working together to realize them. It was also a time to reflect on our community, recognize all our individual strengths & talents and remind ourselves that we’re capable of doing absolutely anything.
