Olympic track athlete Allyson Felix is actively working to improve health outcomes for Black mothers, with support from Melinda French Gates. Gates recently donated $20 million to Felix as part of her $1 billion commitment to uplift communities in need, as reported by The New York Times.
In a letter published in the New York Times, Gates emphasized the importance of addressing gender equality despite competing global priorities, noting persistent challenges such as high maternal mortality rates among Black and Native American women in the United States, severe restrictions on abortion rights in several states, and the absence of national paid family leave.
Felix, herself a mother and passionate advocate for maternal health awareness, previously collaborated with Pampers in June 2022 to raise awareness about Black maternal health. Pampers pledged $250,000 to the cause and contributed $100,000 to the National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC).
In an open letter published in Time, Felix shared her personal experience with pregnancy complications, highlighting the alarming disparities in maternal mortality rates for Black women compared to white women and expressing concerns about her own future pregnancies.
“In 2021, the CDC reported that the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 2.6 times higher than that for white women,” Felix wrote. “I, like many Black women, was unaware of the risks I faced during pregnancy. Despite experiencing symptoms like swollen feet, which can indicate preeclampsia, I was not informed by my doctor or family.”
Felix’s advocacy underscores the urgent need for better maternal care and awareness to combat the disproportionate risks faced by Black mothers in America.
