Yaya DaCosta Advocates for Black Maternal Health Through Online Festival

Actress and doula Yaya DaCosta is hosting the first annual Black Maternal Health Festival online through April 17. Drawing from her own experience with home birth, DaCosta aims to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and promote positive birthing experiences. As maternal mortality rates in the U.S. remain alarmingly high for Black women, DaCosta’s initiative arrives at a pivotal moment, offering both education and empowerment for birthing people of color.

The virtual event brings together healthcare professionals, birth workers, and community advocates to address systemic inequalities in maternal care and share tools for holistic, culturally grounded birth practices. With her dual perspective as a performer and a certified doula, DaCosta lends a powerful voice to one of the most urgent public health issues affecting Black families today.

 Actress and Doula Yaya DaCosta Is Hosting the First Annual Black Maternal Health Festival

For many, Yaya DaCosta is best known for her roles in Chicago Med, America’s Next Top Model, and Whitney. But behind the camera, she’s become a passionate advocate for maternal justice. Actress and doula Yaya DaCosta is hosting the first annual Black Maternal Health Festival online through April 17. Drawing from her own experience with home birth, DaCosta aims to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and promote positive birthing experiences.

As a certified doula, she has witnessed firsthand the disparities that Black birthing people face—especially in hospital settings where their pain is often dismissed and care is inconsistent. The festival is her way of giving back, creating a digital space where knowledge and healing can coexist.

Why the Festival Matters

The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and Black women are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts. Yaya DaCosta’s Black Maternal Health Festival provides a critical platform to:

• Share personal birthing stories

• Offer expert-led workshops and panels

• Promote home birth and midwifery care

• Challenge healthcare inequities and systemic racism

 Drawing from Her Own Experience with Home Birth, Yaya DaCosta Advocates for Holistic Maternal Care

What sets DaCosta apart is her personal connection to the issue. Drawing from her own experience with home birth, DaCosta aims to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and promote positive birthing experiences. Her story is both empowering and educational, illustrating that Black women can reclaim control over their birthing journeys.

She’s been vocal about how her home birth allowed her to feel seen, heard, and respected—an experience too often denied to Black mothers in clinical environments. By highlighting alternative birthing options, she hopes to normalize midwife-assisted and doula-supported births, especially for those seeking culturally competent care.

Most Searched Secondary Keywords:

• Black maternal health crisis

• Home birth advocacy

• Birth equity for Black women

• Maternal mortality in the U.S.

• Doula support during childbirth

• Black women in healthcare

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These keywords reflect rising interest and concern around maternal healthcare disparities, making DaCosta’s work all the more relevant.

 Festival Highlights: Education, Empowerment, and Community

The Black Maternal Health Festival, happening online until April 17, offers a dynamic lineup of speakers, including:

• Certified midwives and doulas

• Reproductive justice advocates

• OB-GYN professionals

• Herbalists and wellness experts

Actress and doula Yaya DaCosta is hosting the first annual Black Maternal Health Festival online through April 17, creating a space where attendees can learn everything from the basics of postpartum care to policy changes needed for systemic improvement.

Key Features of the Festival Include:

• Workshops on trauma-informed care

• Sessions on navigating medical racism

• Prenatal yoga and holistic health sessions

• Story circles and community sharing

By bringing together a range of voices, DaCosta’s festival empowers Black birthing people with both information and affirmation.

How Black Women Are Reclaiming Birth

With rising awareness about the Black maternal health crisis, more Black women are turning to doulas, midwives, and home birth solutions to ensure respectful, patient-centered care. The goal isn't just to avoid negative outcomes—it's to cultivate joyful, affirming birth experiences.

Drawing from her own experience with home birth, DaCosta aims to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and promote positive birthing experiences, encouraging women to explore alternative models of care that center their needs.

This shift is also part of the broader birth justice movement, which advocates for equitable access to resources, culturally relevant support, and informed decision-making. DaCosta is helping to steer that movement into the mainstream through her festival and continued public engagement.

The Role of Doulas and Midwives in Bridging the Gap

One of the recurring themes in the festival is the importance of doula and midwife care. These professionals not only assist during labor but also provide emotional support, advocate for patient rights, and ensure culturally competent care.

Studies have shown that:

• Doula support leads to fewer cesarean sections

• Patients with midwives report higher satisfaction with their birth experience

• Continuous labor support improves outcomes for both mother and baby

Actress and doula Yaya DaCosta emphasizes how doulas can act as a buffer in hospital settings where Black patients are often underserved or mistreated. She encourages expectant mothers to consider hiring a doula as part of their birth team.

Conclusion: A Call for Action and Awareness

Actress and doula Yaya DaCosta is hosting the first annual Black Maternal Health Festival online through April 17. Drawing from her own experience with home birth, DaCosta aims to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and promote positive birthing experiences. Her efforts are a reminder that the path to equitable maternal care starts with education, empowerment, and advocacy.

As she bridges the gap between celebrity influence and community health activism, DaCosta is inspiring a new generation of Black families to take control of their maternal health journeys. The Black Maternal Health Festival is more than an event—it's a movement rooted in resilience, wellness, and transformation.

FAQs: Black Maternal Health and Yaya DaCosta’s Advocacy

Q1: What is the Black Maternal Health Festival hosted by Yaya DaCosta?
It’s an online event running through April 17, hosted by actress and doula Yaya DaCosta to raise awareness about the Black maternal health crisis and promote positive birthing experiences.

Q2: Why is Yaya DaCosta advocating for maternal health?
Drawing from her own experience with home birth, DaCosta aims to ensure more Black women have safe, informed, and empowering birth experiences.

Q3: What are the main issues in the Black maternal health crisis?
Black women in the U.S. face higher maternal mortality rates due to systemic racism, lack of access to quality care, and poor treatment during childbirth.

Q4: What role do doulas play in improving maternal health?
Doulas offer emotional, physical, and advocacy support, which can lead to better birth outcomes, especially for Black women.

Q5: How can I attend the Black Maternal Health Festival?
The festival is hosted online and can be accessed through registration links shared via DaCosta’s social media and health advocacy platforms.