Earlier this year, SHERO New Orleans (NOLA), a program of Momentum Park, pulled out all the stops for their celebration of Black Maternal Health Week! Momentum Park has been a partner of Heluna Health since 2023 and focuses on integrating medicine, public health, advocacy, and technology to help disrupt the status quo of maternity care in the United States, specifically for Black women.
SHERO, which stands for Shaping Healthy Equitable Reproductive Outcomes, is the signature maternal health initiative of Momentum Park, designed in direct response to the pandemic to meet the holistic needs of expectant moms and their newborns. The program aims to engage pregnant women on a more personal and local level through an online social networking community providing support throughout pregnancy, delivery of their newborn, and the postpartum period.
From April 11 to 17, SHERO NOLA partnered with Saul’s Light, Labor & Love and local community leaders to host a transformative series of in-person and virtual events centered on Black birthing people, NICU families, and those navigating joy, grief, healing, and hope. Each event reflected SHERO and Momentum Park’s mission to reimagine maternal health through sisterhood, storytelling, and culturally grounded perinatal and social support.
“Black Maternal Health Week brings national attention to the highest risk, highest cost, and highest need population experiencing maternal mortality and morbidity,” shares Dr. Renaisa Anthony, Momentum Park Founder. “We see this as a great opportunity for return on investment and impact. When we solve for those most impacted, we raise the standard for all pregnant and postpartum persons.”
Highlights from the week included the Aloha SHERO Momma Bruncheon, a Hawaiian-inspired event that offered a relaxed and festive space for mothers, babies, and loved ones to enjoy a nourishing meal and connect and support each other, and Rainbow and Butterfly Blessings, a sacred gathering honoring rainbow babies, NICU journeys, and preemie families.
The work of Momentum Park and SHERO NOLA is extremely vital as Black women in the United States are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. In New Orleans, these disparities are even more pronounced. Innovative solutions are needed to ensure that Black women are safe and supported throughout pregnancy and beyond.
Momentum Park and SHERO NOLA are working to change this narrative by creating experiences that are grounded in innovation and deep community care and collaboration. “We meet moms exactly where they are: on their cellphones, on social media, and directly in the community,” says Dr. Anthony. “SHERO is not just a program, but an experience, an initiative, and a mission to build better systems that transform maternal outcomes across the US.” Black Maternal Health Week is just one chapter of this vision, and the love, power, and partnerships built are carried forward to continue this work.
Click here to learn more about Momentum Park and SHERO.
