Mama Glow is pleased to announce the launch of our recently established 501c3 non-profit organization, Mama Glow Foundation.  And we are proud to share the launch of Love Delivered, in partnership with Carol’s Daughter. The program will build awareness around the Black Maternal Health Crisis, with a specific focus on the importance of advocates at the times when Black birthing people and babies are most vulnerable – before, during, and after birth. Love Delivered will support and uplift positive and sacred birthing experiences that shape Black birthing people and their families for the rest of their lives.

Carol’s Daughter, a brand built on the love between a mother and daughter, was founded by beauty pioneer Lisa Price. We connected with Lisa to learn more about her motivation to partner with the Mama Glow Foundation for this life-saving campaign, and what our community can expect Love Delivered to accomplish on its mission to protect Black moms and babies.

Mama Glow: What inspired this partnership with the Mama Glow Foundation and Carol’s Daughter to create the Love Delivered campaign?

Lisa Price: The Black Maternal Health crisis is at an all-time high and impacts everyone – support partners, families, friends, and communities.  The statistics are staggering.

It’s beyond alarming that Black birthing people are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from childbirth than counterparts in other demographics, with the majority of these deaths being classified as preventable.

As a Black woman and mother who did not necessarily have ideal birthing experiences, I have always been passionate about Black maternal health. The more I saw the different statistics, the more I was compelled to find a way to support our community in this crisis and do something that would lead to a positive change.

Within the process of launching the program, we spent a lot of time thinking about who would be the right partner. I’ve known Latham for close to a decade if not longer, and she is someone who has not only served as a doula for over 20 years but has always been advocating for maternal health. So when she shared that she was actually starting the Mama Glow Foundation, I was just overjoyed that someone I knew personally, who was already doing so much for maternal health could also potentially be a partner for Love Delivered. It was like the stars had aligned.

What excites you most about this partnership between Carol’s Daughter and the Mama Glow Foundation, and what can people look forward to?

Through Love Delivered, we have the opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of so many people. Over the next 3 years, our goal is to positively impact the lives of Black birthing people and babies by raising awareness about Black Maternal Health amongst 100 Million people and directly engaging 10,000 people to be advocates. With higher awareness and broader advocacy, we think we will start to see a shift in the stats.

Thinking back on your own birth experiences, what is something you know now that you hope to share with other Black mothers on their respective birth journeys? 

Think about who is going to be your advocate during your birth experience.   I was blessed to have a doula who recognized my needs and spoke to me AND up for me in so many ways. The experience showed me the importance of advocacy, because so many times Black women are not heard during such a crucial moment in their lives.  Whether you have a doula or not, it is so important to keep speaking up for yourself if you feel something isn’t right.

Can you speak to the importance of working with another Black female-led organization to address an issue that is plaguing the Black community?

Latham is someone I’ve been friends with for years and I love that we can come together as Black women and mothers, and take a stand for other Black women, ensuring their voices are heard, their needs are addressed, and their lives are saved.

 You made history as a Black Female Founder with Carol’s Daughter, and you continue to help pave the way as a beacon for Black female founders, particularly those in beauty. What is your advice to BIPOC women and girls who have dreams of starting their own business?

Keep going!

Give yourself grace and know that mistakes will happen – and in order to do both of those things, you need to prioritize your self-care and rely on your collective.

I find that for women founders, in particular Black women founders, we tend to blame ourselves for things that have gone wrong. In businesses, with women founders, we often think the problem is happening because we didn’t plan for it. “I should have known this was coming,” “I should have been prepared,” “I don’t have the rainy day fund,” “I messed up,” “People told me I was going to fail, and look what’s happening.” All of that is noise. It’s fear, it’s insecurity. It is not the truth. You are human. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to fall down, you are going to screw up, you are going to fail, you are going to run out of money, you are not always going to know if you’re going to make payroll. All of that is normal; it’s called business. You have to give yourself grace and recognize, especially with the pandemic, it is not your fault what’s happening. The only thing you can control is how you react.

How can people become Love DeliveredAdvocates, take action in support of Black Maternal Health, and stay informed? 

Join us in the fight for Black Maternal Health by heading to www.carolsdaughter.com/lovedelivered to become an advocate and learn more about actions you can take to support Black birthing people and babies.

Also, follow @CarolsDaughter and @MamaGlow on Instagram for program announcements and information.

 What is your hope for the future of Black Maternal Health?

 My hope is that Black birthing people are heard and supported and, most of all, that our lives are saved.