Black Mamas Matter Alliance is an Atlanta, Georgia-based feminist group focused on Black women. The group focuses on maternal healthcare-related issues and promoting abortion.

The group supports expanding Medicaid to include 12 months of postpartum care and implementing Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. ¹

In 2020, the group criticized Delaware’s program of encouraging poor women to use long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) in order to reduce poverty, claiming it was ignoring what it called the “fundamental root causes of social inequities” such as racial and gender oppression .²

Background

The Center for Reproductive Rights and SisterSong began a partnership in 2013 that would eventually lead to the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. The two groups collaborated on a report that detailed the obstacles that Southern Black women faced in receiving in maternal health care and submitted it to the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. ³

The two groups sponsored a gathering in Atlanta, Georgia in June 2015 that created the call “Black Mamas Matter” and worked on a toolkit for activists in the South. The toolkit formally launched in June 2016. ⁴

In November 2016, the two groups created a steering committee to launch what became the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. ⁵

In 2018, the group expanded the group to include 18 members, created the first ever Black Maternal Health Week National Campaign, and established the Black Maternal Health Conference and Training Institute. ⁶

Issue Stances

Contraception To Fight Poverty

In 2020, Black Mamas Matter Alliance criticized Delaware’s program to give women long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants as a way to combat poverty. The group criticized Delaware and Upstream, the state’s program partner, for not addressing what it called the “fundamental root causes of social inequities” such as racial and gender oppression. The group criticized the side effects of LARCs such as irregular bleeding and inflammation. ⁷

Medicaid

In 2023, Black Mamas Matter Alliance released a policy agenda that in part called for an expansion of Medicaid to include mandatory, permanent postpartum coverage for 12 months and the full expansion of the program authorized under Obamacare. ⁸

Housing

Black Mamas Matter Alliance issued a housing program calling for restitution for those pushed out of their communities due to gentrification, exclusionary displacement, and lending discrimination. The group also has called for increased rental assistance and the right to counsel in eviction proceedings. The group additionally called for expanded access to Section 8 and other public-housing programs. ⁹

Welfare

Black Mamas Matter Alliance has called for an expanded welfare state by expanding access to programs and increasing benefits. The group has also called for eliminating work requirements and allowing convicted felons to use them. ¹⁰

Environmental Issues

Black Mamas Matter Alliance has called for increasing spending on weather-dependent sources of energy and other politically favored investments in the name of combating climate change. The group has also called for the closure of oil refineries and pipelines. ¹¹

Abortion

Black Mamas Matter Alliance has called for taxpayer-funded abortion, requiring health insurance companies to cover abortions, and for repealing all restrictions including religious exemptions and parental notifications on the procedure. ¹²

Criminal Justice Issues

Black Mamas Matter Alliance has called for a decarceration process and the prohibiting of the construction of new prisons and jails. The group also called for legalization of prostitution, legalization of drugs, and decriminalization of non-disclosure of known HIV-positive status. ¹³

Immigration Issues

Black Mamas Matter Alliance supported expanded immigration programs such as legalizing all illegal immigrants, expanding welfare access to immigrants, and expanding reasons asylum can be granted. ¹⁴

Other Issues

Black Mamas Matter Alliance supported reparations for Black people, policies to expand union membership, and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. ¹⁵

Partners

As of January 2024, the following groups were partners of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance: ¹⁶

Ancient Song Doula Services
Atlanta Doula Collective
Baobab Birth Collective
Birthing Culture Rigor, LLC
Black Girls Breastfeeding Club
Black Health New Mexico
Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association
Black Women Birthing Justice
Black Women for Wellness
Black Women’s Health Imperative
Center for Black Women’s Wellness
Chocolate Milk Cafe National Inc.
CHOICES Memphis Center for Reproductive Health
CinnaMoms
Commonsense Childbirth
Dem Black Mamas Podcast
Diversity Uplifts, Inc.
Feminist Women’s Health Center
Irth App
Jamaa Birth Village
Kuluntu Reproductive Justice Center
Mamatoto Village
Mothering Justice
National Birth Equity Collaborative
National Black Midwives Alliance
Oshun Family Center
Perinatal Health Equity Initiative
ROOTT – Restoring Our Own Through Transformation
The Shades of Blue Project
Shafia Monroe Consulting Birthing Change
SisterLove, Inc.
SisterReach
Sisters in Loss
SisterSong
Southern Birth Justice Network
The Afiya Center
The Bloom Collective
The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness
The Melanated Mammary Atlas
Village Birth International/Sankofa Reproductive Health & Healing Center

Dorrance Dance

Black Mamas Matter Alliance is one of the “antiracist” groups promoted by far-left dance company Dorrance Dance on the dance company’s website. Dorrance Dance is notable for performing at the White House during Christmas 2023 and having it featured on the Biden administration’s official Christmas video. ¹⁷

Leadership

Angela Doyinsola Aina is the executive director of Black Mamas Matter Alliance. ¹⁹

Jessica Roach is the co-chair. ²⁰

Financials

According to Black Mamas Matter Alliance’s 2022 tax return, the group had $1,850,416 in revenue, $191,457 in expenses, and $4,417,120 in assets. ²¹

1. [1]Mondestin, Tanesha. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Highlights Policy Change Needed in Honor of Black Maternal Health Week.” Center For Children and Families, April 17, 2023. https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2023/04/17/black-mamas-matter-alliance-highlights-policy-change-needed-in-honor-of-black-maternal-health-week/.
2. [1]“Black Mamas Matter Alliance: Contraception Is Not a Remedy for Poverty.” Essence, October 23, 2020. https://www.essence.com/op-ed/black-mamas-matter-alliance-contraception-is-not-a-remedy-for-poverty/.
3. Herstory.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/herstory/
4. “Herstory.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/herstory/.
5. “Herstory.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/herstory/.
6. “Herstory.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/herstory/.
7. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance: Contraception Is Not a Remedy for Poverty.” Essence, October 23, 2020. https://www.essence.com/op-ed/black-mamas-matter-alliance-contraception-is-not-a-remedy-for-poverty/.
8.  Mondestin, Tanesha. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Highlights Policy Change Needed in Honor of Black Maternal Health Week.” Center For Children and Families, April 17, 2023. https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2023/04/17/black-mamas-matter-alliance-highlights-policy-change-needed-in-honor-of-black-maternal-health-week/.
9. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
10. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
11. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
12. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
13. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
14.  “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
15. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance Policy Agenda.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0411_BMMA_PolicyAgenda_v5.pdf.
16. “Partners.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/our-partners/.
17. “Anti-Racism: Donate.” dorrance dance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://www.dorrancedance.com/antiracism-donate.
19. “About Us.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/.[/note[

    Breana Lipscomb is the co-chair. She is the senior manager of the U.S. Maternal Health and Rights Initiative for the Center for Reproductive Rights. ¹⁸ “About Us.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/.

20. “About Us.” Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://blackmamasmatter.org/about/.
21. “Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851274248/202343199349312299/full.