PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Sparking Initiatives: From a day of listening to a place for healing
How the Booker T. Washington Community Center leveraged Black Maternal Health Week momentum into the Maternal Wellness Center
At bi3, we are committed to advancing health equity by investing in people and ideas that have the power to transform health. We are fortunate to collaborate with visionary partners who work every day to improve our community’s health. Their passion, creativity, and leadership bring to life bi3’s belief that when we invest in people closest to the problem, we unlock the most powerful solutions.
What began as an event during Black Maternal Health Week is growing into long-term impact with a dedicated space for culturally affirming maternal mental healthcare in Butler County.
During the Birthing Joy event, held during Black Maternal Health Week 2025, the Booker T. Washington Community Center (BTWCC) piloted early maternal wellness programming, which revealed both the depth of community need and the power of trusted, culturally grounded approaches. Featuring self-care practices, painting, dancing, and a panel discussion, the pilot approach was rooted in listening, connection, and care, ultimately sparking the vision for what would become the Maternal Wellness Center.
Those insights, paired with BTWCC’s deep relationships within Black and Hispanic communities, positioned the organization to take the next step. In 2025, bi3 Fund awarded a three-year, $500,000 grant to support the launch of a Maternal Wellness Center in Butler County, advancing bi3’s priority of improving maternal and child health.
Built by community, for community
The Maternal Wellness Center was intentionally designed based on extensive input from the community. BTWCC engaged Black and Hispanic mothers through listening sessions and informal conversations, ensuring that programming reflected their lived experiences, not assumptions.
Through these conversations, mothers consistently voiced the need for spaces that feel safe, affirming, and human. They were looking not just for clinical care, but places where culture, connection, and mental health are understood as inseparable.
“We just need somewhere we can be. Somewhere to breathe. Somewhere to be ourselves without judgment.”
– Birthing Joy Event Participant –
From pilot to scalable impact
The Black Maternal Health Week pilot demonstrated what was possible when maternal mental health support is rooted in trust and cultural relevance. With sustained investment from bi3, those short-term efforts are now being transformed into permanent infrastructure.
“Collective feedback has been crucial in shaping the model for our center.”
– Ebony Brock, Executive Director of the Booker T. Washington Center –
Set to open in 2026, the Maternal Wellness Center will provide culturally affirming care for Black and Hispanic women from pregnancy through three years postpartum, including:
- Individual and group therapy
- Healing circles grounded in cultural practices
- Movement and mind-body wellness opportunities
- Family-centered support that recognize the broader caregiving ecosystem
The Center is expected to increase maternal wellbeing, expand access to care, and raise community awareness about maternal mental health, particularly during the often-overlooked postpartum years.
The Maternal Wellness Center serves as a powerful example of what’s possible through community-led initiatives, transforming a moment of listening into a space for healing, connection, and lasting impact.
Apply for BMHW 2026 Funding
bi3 is offering Spark Grants to support the community in efforts that celebrate, educate and advocate for Black maternal health during Black Maternal Health Week 2026.
