BLACK BIRTH MATTERS 2026
OCTOBER 1–4, 2026 · NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

BLACK BIRTH MATTERS 2026

Let's Go Home — From Our Stories, We Build New Systems

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The 10th Anniversary Summit of Black Birth Matters. Four days in New Orleans, Louisiana honoring a decade of Black birth work — grounded in our stories and organizing toward the systems our families deserve. Keynote by Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG, Founder and President of the National Birth Equity Collaborative. Hosted by Master of Ceremonies Kathy Joshua. A convening of birth worker, maternal health advocate. #BlackBirthMatters2026 #LetsGoHome #BBM10Years

Four days home.

Day 1
Thu, Oct 1
Film Gathering
Opening night celebration of birth experiences on screen.
Day 2
Fri, Oct 2
  • Wellness Event
  • BBMxIPAS: Bodily Autonomy Across the South
  • Pre-conference Mixer
Begin Friday morning with a wellness event in partnership with a Black-owned studio. After, join BBMxIPAS: Bodily Autonomy Across the South — hosted by Katilyn Joshua — for a morning of panel discussion, followed by an evening at Ashe’ connecting, caring, and community.
Day 3
Sat, Oct 3
Main Conference Day
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Louisiana Gulf South Region · MC: Nia Jones a.k.a. the hoochie gawd
Day 4
Sun, Oct 4
Our Lineage: Tour & Tea
Our Lineage: Tour & Tea is an intimate journey honoring Black birthing traditions. Participants join a guided tour of Black midwifery and birthing practices, creating space to reflect, reconnect with ancestral wisdom, and imagine a liberated future together.

Saturday run of show.

10:00 AM
Welcome & Opening
Opening
Opening ceremony to center us in spirit, story, and purpose.
10:30 AM
Regional Voices: POV
Community
We are bringing together five incredible speakers from across the Gulf South to share their stories from their POV.
11:00 AM
Roots & Revolution: A 10-Year Retrospective
Panel
Panel with the original architects of Black Birth Matters reflect on the movement’s journey from 2016 to today: what we built, what we lost, and where we’re going.
11:50 AM
Spoken Word
Performance
A poetic interlude in the heart of our gathering — spoken word as witness, as medicine, as movement.
12:20 PM
Keynote Address — Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, MD, FACOG
Keynote
Founder & President, National Birth Equity Collaborative. A visionary address on birth equity, systemic transformation, and the road home.
1:10 PM
Lunch Break
Break
Merch available · Community Bookstore open · Black Birth Matters merch on sale.
2:10 PM
The Vagina Pause: Intergenerational Conversations on Reproductive Health
Session
Inspired by the spirit of the Vagina Monologues, this is a space for bold, honest dialogue on vaginal and reproductive health: what our bodies know, what was kept from us, and what we are taking back.
2:55 PM
World Café
Session
Featuring evidence-based dialogue on maternal health outcomes and community-centered solutions.
3:40 PM
Maternal Address
Address
An additional community voice and maternal health spotlight.
4:10 PM
Closing Remarks
Closing
Nia Jones a.k.a. the hoochie gawd, MC — Reflections on the day, gratitude, and the path forward.
4:40 PM
African Dance — Closing Ceremony
Ceremony
We close as we began — in community, in rhythm, in joy. An African dance performance to send us home with spirit and celebration.

Tickets.

Full Summit Pass
$349

All four days: Film Gathering, BBMxIPAS: Bodily Autonomy Across the South, Main Conference Day, and Tour and Tea.

193 of 200 left
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All-Access VIP
10-Year Edition
$799

Everything in the Full Summit Pass plus priority seating for the keynote, an invitation to the speaker reception, and limited-edition 10-year anniversary merch.

39 of 40 left
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Group Rate (5+)
$289

Bring your team, clinic, or collective. Reserved group seating on Main Conference Day and recognition in the program. Per person.

100 of 100 left
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Community & Student Sliding Scale
$99

Equity-based access for students, community members, and independent birth workers. Everyone home means everyone.

20 of 25 left
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Opening Film Gathering Only
$35

Single-event ticket to the Opening Film Gathering.

150 of 150 left
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Our Lineage: Tour & Tea Only
$75

Single-event ticket to Our Lineage: Tour & Tea.

80 of 80 left
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Wear the movement

BBM merch.

Rep Black Birth Matters year-round. Every purchase supports birth justice education and community-led care across the Gulf South.

Shop the store →
Tees, totes, pins & more

Available now at Birthmark Doulas.

Voices of the Summit

Speakers.

Birth workers, advocates, clinicians, and organizers shaping the next decade of Black birth justice.

Apply to speak →
Dr. Joia Crear-PerryKeynote

Dr. Joia Crear-Perry

M.D., FACOG · Founder & President, National Birth Equity Collaborative

As the founder & Director of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, M.D., FACOG identifies & challenges racism as a root cause of health inequities. She is a highly sought-after trainer & speaker who has been featured in national & international publications, including Essence & Ms. magazine. In 2020, Dr. Crear-Perry was honored by USA Today in its “Women of the Century” series & featured on ABC Nightline’s “Hear Her Voice.” Dr. Crear-Perry has twice addressed the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to elevate the cause of gender diversity & urge a human rights framework toward addressing maternal mortality. Previously, she served as the executive director of the Birthing Project, director of women’s & children’s services at Jefferson Community Healthcare Center, & as the director of clinical services for the City of New Orleans Health Department. Dr. Crear-Perry currently serves as a principal at Health Equity Cypher & on the Board of Trustees for Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Community Catalyst, National Clinical Training Center for Family Planning, & the University of California, San Francisco Preterm Birth Initiative. She is an adjunct professor at Tulane School of Public Health. After completing undergraduate studies at Princeton University & Xavier University, Dr. Crear-Perry received her MD from Louisiana State University & completed her residency in obstetrics & gynecology at Tulane University’s School of Medicine. She is married to Dr. Andre Perry & has three children (Jade, Carlos, & Robeson) & one grandson (Quinn). Her love is her family; health equity is her passion; maternal & child health are her callings.

Jamilla WebbKeynote

Jamilla Webb

BSN, RN, CBS, CLA, CD, MSN-ED(c) · HER Health Nurse | Birthmark Doula Collective

Jamilla H. Webb, BSN, RN is a registered nurse, health educator, writer, and founder of HER Health Nurse, a New Orleans-based organization that promotes reproductive justice and empowers adolescent girls and young women through evidence-based health education. With 19 years of clinical experience in public health, infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS), pediatrics, and labor and delivery nursing, Jamilla has dedicated her career to advancing health equity through clinical care, community outreach, and education. She previously served as a full-spectrum doula with Birthmark Doula Collective and now serves as its Education Coordinator. Her volunteer work includes service with Nurses for Africa and International Medical Relief in Zambia and Senegal, mentoring with Generation Hope, and serving as a Community Health Ambassador with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. Jamilla is the author of The Reproductive Life Planning Workbook and has been featured in Geaux Girl! Magazine and ANTIGRAVITY Magazine. Her honors include the Emily Schoenbaum Grant, the March of Dimes New Orleans Impact Award, and the Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health Karen Edlund Future Nurse Leader Fellowship. Her work is inspired by the legacy of Public Health Nurse, Nurse Educator, and Grand Midwife Maude Callen.

Latona GiwaKeynote

Latona Giwa

RN, IBCLC · Repro TLC

Latona Giwa is a Doula, Registered Nurse, IBCLC Lactation Consultant, and advocate. As Executive Director of Repro TLC (formerly Midwest Access Project), she leads sexual and reproductive healthcare provider training, education, and movement building efforts in the U.S. Latona co-founded Birthmark Doula Collective and the New Orleans Breastfeeding Center.

Kelly Baquet

Kelly Baquet

DNP, APRN, FNP-C · The Clinic NOLA

Dr. Kelly Baquet, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and founder of The Clinic NOLA, a sexual and reproductive health practice dedicated to affirming, accessible, patient-centered care in New Orleans. She earned her Doctorate in Family Nursing Practice from LSU Health Sciences Center, following a BSN from William Carey University and a BA in Biology from Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr. Baquet began her nursing career at University Medical Center New Orleans, gaining experience in oncology, intensive care, and forensic medicine. Her work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault shaped her commitment to trauma-informed care and her passion for sexual health, HIV prevention, and hormone replacement therapy. She is a recipient of the Reverend Dr. James A. Ertl Clinical Excellence Award, and has expanded community-based reproductive services through Planned Parenthood of New Orleans and the Hope Community Health Clinic. At The Clinic NOLA, she provides STI screening and treatment, PrEP and PEP services, hormone replacement therapy, early pregnancy ultrasounds, birth control, and comprehensive well-woman exams.

Mia R. Williams

Mia R. Williams

MA, MPH · HOOCHIES of Houston

For more than 20 years, Mia Williams has been an unwavering advocate and catalyst for social and systemic change, with a particular focus on Black communities and other marginalized groups. Her career began as a Child Protective Services social worker, walking alongside families in crisis, and later as a supervisor who insisted every decision center the safety, dignity, and humanity of those she served. From 2008 to 2018, she served as a subject matter expert examining disparate outcomes for Black people and other historically marginalized communities, analyzing how policies, practices, and institutional cultures produce inequitable results and working with agencies to confront those inequities directly. In 2019, Mia moved into independent consulting, partnering with organizations such as the Houston Public Library and Region 4 Education Service Center to advance equity, inclusion, and community-centered practice through curriculum development, strategic advising, and facilitation. In 2021, as Texas enacted severe restrictions on body autonomy and reproductive rights, Mia and her daughter co-founded HOOCHIES of Houston — a bold, visible force championing body autonomy, informed consent, and access to essential resources through education, outreach, and joy-centered engagement for Black women and femmes. A 19-year triple negative breast cancer survivor, Mia brings lived understanding of medical racism and health disparities to her work. Across every chapter, she has modeled what it means to lead with courage, integrity, and radical love.

Ashley Hill Hamilton

Ashley Hill Hamilton

Advocate & Writer · New Orleans, Louisiana

Ashley Hill Hamilton is an advocate, mother of four, and New Orleans native whose work spans reproductive justice, policy, community organizing, and writing. Her career has included birth work, lactation support, lobbying, maternal health advocacy, and systems change. Ashley formerly served as Advocacy and Outreach Director for Birthmark Doula Collective and the New Orleans Breastfeeding Center and later as Policy Manager for the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights. Her work has included supporting families during the perinatal period, advancing maternal health and doula policy, and bringing together communities, medical professionals, advocates, and policymakers to improve dignity, safety, and outcomes for Black families. She continues to offer community support around birth, breastfeeding, and parenting while expanding her work as a writer and storyteller exploring culture, motherhood, justice, identity, and Black life.

Lindsey P. Boxie

Lindsey P. Boxie

LPC, PMH-C, R-PLC · LMP Counseling & Consultation, LLC

Lindsey P. Boxie, LPC, PMH-C, R-PLC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Perinatal Mental Health Certified clinician, RETAIN Parental Leave Coach, and founder of LMP Counseling & Consultation, LLC in Lafayette, Louisiana. Her work centers on supporting women and families through perinatal mental health challenges, fertility journeys, pregnancy and postpartum transitions, parenting, grief and loss, and other significant life experiences. Lindsey's connection to maternal mental health is both professional and deeply personal. In July 2015, at 37 weeks pregnant, she experienced the stillbirth of her daughter, Parker. Her experience with loss has shaped her passion for creating spaces where mothers and families feel seen, supported, and empowered to speak openly about experiences that are often carried in silence. Through counseling, education, advocacy, and community engagement, Lindsey combines clinical knowledge with lived experience to bring compassionate and practical conversations to maternal mental health.

Kiersten Gillette-Pierce

Kiersten Gillette-Pierce

MSPH, Founder & Lead Steward · ITOA Movement

Kiersten TâLéigh "Gillette" Gillette-Pierce, MSPH, is a reproductive justice researcher, birthworker, and Lead Consultant for ITOA Movement. Their work centers Black birth justice, ancestral healing traditions, and community-rooted approaches to improving maternal and infant health. Kiersten holds an MSPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is the director of Nô Médsinn, Go Back and Get It, a short documentary exploring Black traditional midwifery and ancestral birth knowledge in Louisiana.

Stay & Travel

Where to rest your head.

Hotels near the summit venue at 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70113. Room blocks and group rates coming soon — book early, October fills up fast.

Garden District Hotel
Garden District

Boutique stay in the heart of the Garden District, a short ride to the summit venue on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard.

Near venueBook →
The Blackbird Hotel
Central City / Lower Garden District

Design-forward boutique hotel with a warm, community-minded vibe — close to Central City and the summit venue.

Boutique stayBook →
Dew Drop Inn
Central City

Legendary reborn Black music landmark on LaSalle Street, blocks from the summit venue — hotel, lounge, and live music under one roof.

Walkable to venueBook →
Hotel Indigo New Orleans Garden District
Garden District / St. Charles

Comfortable full-service hotel on St. Charles Avenue with easy streetcar access to Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard.

On the streetcar lineBook →

Room blocks and negotiated group rates will be posted here as they're confirmed. Questions about travel? Email us.