Faces of the Crisis: Black Maternal Health Portraits Unveiled in Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time in our nation’s history, during Black Maternal Health Week, portraits of Black mothers who died from maternal health-related causes are being displayed outside the offices of more than 50 members of Congress. The Congressional Mamas’ Caucus is proud to lead this historic and deeply emotional initiative in partnership with Mothering Justice and The ARIAH Foundation. 

“In Her Honor” is a commemorative portrait installation by acclaimed visual artist and educator Omari Maynard, whose partner, Shamony Gibson, died after giving birth in 2019. Her death, like far too many others, was preventable. Despite having access to care, support, and resources, Shamony’s voice—like the voices of so many Black women—was dismissed in the very moments she needed to be heard the most.

In response to their devastating loss, Shamony’s mother, Shawnee Benton Gibson, a healer, social worker, and longtime reproductive justice advocate, and Shamony’s former partner, Omari Maynard, founded The ARIAH Foundation. Named for Shamony’s daughter, the Foundation exists to stop the epidemic of Black maternal mortality by centering the stories of those we’ve lost and uplifting the communities left behind to grieve and to fight.

“As Chair of the Congressional Mamas’ Caucus, I see firsthand how deeply this national crisis touches our communities, especially in places like Detroit and Michigan’s 12th District, where Black women are dying at some of the highest rates in the nation,” said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. “This installation is not just art, it is a testimony. These portraits are a solemn reminder that these mothers should still be here. They should be raising their babies, laughing with their families, and living full lives. Instead, they are gone because our health care systems, rooted in racism, failed to protect them. That is unacceptable, and that is why I will never stop fighting for justice in their names. This is a national crisis and should be addressed with the urgency it needs to save lives.”

“Every Black mama we’ve lost to pregnancy-related complications deserved more—more care, more attention, and more action. The action we need to save lives starts with awareness. In Georgia, where Black mamas are dying at some of the highest rates in the country, we don’t have the luxury of silence.” said Congresswoman Nikema Williams. “As a mama who faced postpartum preeclampsia, I know how quickly joy can turn into crisis. I survived, but far too many don’t. I’m participating in the In Her Honor campaign because as my colleagues and I bring these stories to the halls of Congress in more ways than one, we raise the rally call that these mothers’ experiences will not be forgotten, and that inaction will not be accepted.”

The Congressional Mamas’ Caucus, Mothering Justice and The ARIAH Foundation embarked on Black Maternal Health week by hosting an “In Her Honor” commemorative event at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. The ceremony included a moment of silence and reflection, the unveiling of Maynard’s portraits, and a panel discussion that centered the urgent need for change to improve care for Black women.

The installation calls attention to racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. Black women in America are three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related causes. This injustice persists regardless of income, education, or access to prenatal care. It is not because Black women are less capable of giving birth. It is a direct result of a health care system that has systematically neglected and mistreated Black women for generations.

Congresswoman Tlaib and her colleagues in the Congressional Mamas’ Caucus continue to advocate for bold federal action, including the passage of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, a comprehensive package that extends WIC eligibility, invests in community-based organizations, expands maternal mental health supports, and ensures that incarcerated mothers receive proper care.

Through “In Her Honor,” the Mamas’ Caucus, The ARIAH Foundation, and Mothering Justice call on policymakers, institutions, and communities across the country to not only remember these mothers but to act. Their lives mattered, and their stories must change the system.

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