Maternal Health Initiatives

"The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself." For three years, around the same time I became a mom myself, I created several micro-ventures exploring innovative approaches to maternal healthcare. The NEXAR Fellowship brought together nine user researchers (all Black women) across three continents to reimagine prenatal care for Black mothers through speculative design frameworks and equity-centered solutions. The "Research With Moms" initiative evolved from these explorations as a way to elevate the unique insights of mothers from just mere participants to partners in maternal health innovation. Both ventures reinforced a truth I now hold closely: the most impactful solutions come from those most affected, and for me, that meant pausing the work to live the experience more fully.