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World Doula Week, from March 22 to March 28, 2025, highlights the vital role of doulas in improving maternal and infant health outcomes. Latham Thomas , founder of Mama Glow and the Mama Glow Foundation , is doing her part to raise awareness. Thomas, also known as Glow Maven , has been involved in women’s health for over two decades. While many doulas enter the field due to their personal and oftentimes negative or traumatic experiences, her journey began positively with the birth of her son, who is now 21 years old. “I would say that having had that experience where I felt very supported, there was safety, I felt dignified, I had a sense of autonomy with the care providers who were present that inspired me, I think, to sort of start this journey, but also I knew that I needed to protect the experience for other people,” Thomas told AFROTECH™. “I [not only] wanted to help reframe [negative perspectives], but also address what was obviously a challenge in our community.” Thomas...
Allyson Felix has created what she wished existed, centering women in a major way with her new sports management firm. The retired Olympic legend and sprinter has launched Always Alpha, the first management firm dedicated exclusively to women’s sports , supported by Dolphin. Founded by Felix, her longtime business partner and brother, Wes Felix, and sports executive Cosette Chaput, the firm “aims to empower modern women who are breaking barriers, owning their voices, and creating a better future on and off the field of play,” Dolphin shared in a press release. “Young athletes often ask me how I’ve diversified and consistently grown my business across marketing, media, entrepreneurship, venture, entertainment and impact,” Felix said in a statement. “Wes and I did it ourselves piece by piece, out of necessity — because there wasn’t another option for transforming our vision into reality.” She added, “With Always Alpha, we’re taking everything we learned and creating the modern...
The implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at medical schools is currently in danger. In March 2024, Congressman Greg Murphy (R-NC) introduced the Embracing anti-Discrimination, Unbiased Curricula, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act. The proposed bill aims to prohibit race-based mandates at medical schools and accrediting institutions, per a news release. In addition, it would stop federal funding to medical schools that “discriminate” against races and ethnicities, have DEI offices, and “force” students and school faculty to assimilate to particular beliefs. “American medical schools are the best in the world and no place for discrimination,” Murphy shared in a statement. “The EDUCATE Act compels medical schools and accrediting agencies to uphold colorblind admissions processes and prohibits the coercion of students who hold certain political opinions. Diversity strengthens medicine, but not if it’s achieved through exclusionary practices. Medicine is...
Journalist and TV host Elaine Welteroth and tennis-champion-turned-entrepreneur Serena Williams have joined forces to address the alarming maternal mortality crisis in the United States. In April 2024, a Time op-ed from the two mother powerhouses was released in alignment with Black Maternal Health Week. Williams has been open about her first childbirth in 2017 being life-threatening and causing her to undergo four surgeries afterward. Moreover, Welteroth has shared her own experience of feeling unsafe with doctors after becoming pregnant in 2021 — leading her in the direction of midwifery care, which she described as “the best decision I ever made,” per a previous Time piece. Now, the two are taking a step further than just raising awareness. According to the latest Time article, Welteroth has founded Birth Fund, a coalition that works to support families in the U.S. who can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs of midwifery care. The mission behind Birth Fund initially started in...
A Black developer has crafted a project intended for the culture! Keenan Kelley is the founder of For The Culture, created to encourage the Black community to take root in the ever-growing world of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and take back ownership of their traditions. Kelley was compelled to release the collection after recognizing there were very few Black pioneers in the Web3 space. “When I came into the space last year, I did not see a lot of representation from us. Not only do we not have as many artists and developers building out these projects, [but I also] noticed that there was a lot of cultural appropriation and undertones of racism in some of these projects that were coming out because there was a lack of Black representation,” Kelley told AfroTech. Kelley is now creating a pathway to diversify the NFT space and the founder encourages more Black creators to control their narratives on the blockchain. For The Culture honors Kelley’s stance through its 2,021 unique profile...
Just in time for Black Maternal Health week, Carol’s Daughter will partner with the Mama Glow Foundation for the second year of its Love Delivered – an initiative launched by the renowned hair care company to provide more Black women with access to doula services. Per PR Newswire, the program is designed to serve as support to Black birthing people and babies before, during, and after birth. “As we celebrate Black Maternal Health Week, we center joy in the Black birthing experience,” said Mama Glow founder and CEO, Latham Thomas in an official press release. “We celebrate the triumphs, our collective solutions, and our self-determination. Birth is meant to be transcendent, and we all deserve to experience empowerment through birth. The doula grants made possible through the three-year $225,000 commitment from Carol’s Daughter, further the mission to support safe, healthy and joyful birth outcomes for Black families in need.”
Virginia Tech Athletics is taking more action to help student-athletes. According to a press release, Virginia Tech Athletics has adopted additional measures to help its college athletes monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The follows after Virginia Tech Athletics’ newly established partnership with INFLCR to ensure NIL deals would be more accessible to student-athletes through the Hokies Exchange platform back in March. The company website states once a business, collective, or individual has registered and been approved for Hokies Exchange, it will be placed in a database. Here athletes and the entity will have opportunities to connect and work towards a NIL deal. Businesses can sort through an index of student-athletes to refine their search using various indicators. In addition, director of athletics Whit Babcock has announced Commonwealth NIL, Hot Route Marketing, and Triumph NIL will be supporting Virginia Tech student-athletes, businesses and donors through their...
Pampers has teamed up with LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells and Black Mamas Matter Alliance to ensure Black mothers receive the care they rightfully deserve. According to a press release Pampers is sponsoring Black Mamas Matter Alliance’s Black Maternal Health Week. The toddler brand will team up with Rock The Bells to launch a limited-time Non-Fungible Token (NFT) collection. All proceeds will be donated to Black Mamas Matter Alliance to support their work centered on scholarships for Black women, maternity care, and advocacy. “At Pampers, we believe every parent is entitled to experience the full joy of pregnancy and parenthood. That’s why we are committed to helping change the systemic issues that prevent Black moms from receiving the equitable care they and their families deserve. We’re proud to sponsor Black Maternal Health Week and provide a way for people to help drive change through our NFT offering,” said Melissa Aceves, Senior Brand Director of Pampers Equity & Inclusion at...
Ice-T just linked up with Cheerios to promote health and wellness. Yahoo! Entertainment reports Ice-T will serve as a coach for its promotional campaign “Pour Your Heart Into It.” Announced Wednesday, a workout series is set to launch in hopes of encouraging more Americans to live healthier lives through body movement, and of course, a hard to resist bowl of Cheerios. “This stuff doesn’t have to be hard. It can be as simple as a bowl of Cheerios and a walk around the block,” Ice-T said, according to AllHipHop. “That’s why I wanted to join Buzz to share some different ways to start to get your heart pumping regularly, and help make diet and exercise a happy part of your day.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cheerios (@cheerios)
Working out from home will now become more productive thanks to OxeFit and its latest technology. The leading integrated fitness brand has just released the XS1 — an all-inclusive professional system combining cardio and strength training. The product becomes OxeFit’s first direct-to-consumer product and is likely to be a standout. Unlike various in-home systems where users have to choose between cardio or strength training, users will have the opportunity to customize their workout programs and pinpoint their specific fitness and health goals. “It’s important to us to introduce this revolutionary training system to consumers so that they can experience the results for themselves,” CEO and co-founder of OxeFit Mohammed Rab Shanableh told AfroTech. “Since day one, OxeFit has been committed to revolutionizing the way athletes train, with science and technology that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible when you have the right data. Today, with the XS1, we take an incredibly...
According to a study, Black women are four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. In response, the Love Delivered Initiative will pledge $225,000 over the next three years to provide doula services for Black families and doula education grants for aspiring birth coaches. On a mission to save lives, the Love Delivered Initiative — an initiative created by Carol’s Daughter founder, Lisa Price, and Mama Glow Foundation founder and world-renowned doula, Latham Thomas — will pledge $225,000 over the next three years to provide doula services for Black families and doula education grants for aspiring birth coaches. “Birth is meant to be a joyful, transcendent and empowering event. Everyone deserves to have access to safe, affordable, respectful and dignified care throughout the perinatal continuum. Mama Glow doulas approach care from a trauma informed framework and can help to support families impacted by injustice and inequity, grounding them with tools...
Because men need to prepare when it comes to the birth of a baby too! According to Spectrum News1, Carson native Dustin Young has always had questions about the birthing process. Now, as a certified doula, he is helping others through the birth process and encouraging men to join him in making Black moms have safer births. “As I got older, I just kind of like look at women as gods essentially, which you guys are,” said Young. He credits his baby sister as the reason he became a doula after he says her medical team wasn’t supportive, leaving her to face a difficult pregnancy alone. “Her fifth month, she went to the doctor and had some bad news,” continued Young. “She found out the heartbeat stopped, and she had a stillbirth.” When a second chance for his sister came around, Young would not allow her to do it alone. He located a doula and became an assistant. He then helped his sister while she was in labor at home for hours before escorting her to the hospital to help with his...
Louisiana will soon get its first Black-owned birth center! According to KATC News , Baby Catcher Birth Center is on schedule to officially open its doors at the end of July and will become the first Black-owned freestanding birth center in the state. Lafayette native, Shatamia Webb says that one of her biggest fears, when it came time for her to give birth , was arriving at the hospital and not being able to come home so she decided to have both of her children at home. Now, she’s on a mission to help all future parents not only feel more confident when it comes to delivering their bundle of joy but informed about the options they have when it comes time to do so. Webb is currently a midwife and has conducted home births for the last four years. For her and her staff, it’s all about mothers knowing “what to expect going in at every stage of the journey.” Staff at the center will provide insights for mothers on topics that include breastfeeding education, nutrition, labor support,...