Families, fathers, doulas, clinicians, advocates, and faith leaders come together to face pregnancy and infant loss and honor those who carry its aftermath. Through story, culturally rooted healing, and clear advocacy steps, we center fathers and extended kin, uplift ritual and resilience, and strengthen community. Leave with practical resources, new connections, and a shared resolve to prevent loss and protect Black birthing families.

Why is this such an important conversation?

Because loss touches the whole village. Parents, fathers, and extended kin carry the grief and the caregiving. Doulas bridge trust at the bedside. Clinicians shape care and bereavement. Faith and spiritual leaders hold space, offer ritual, and connect families to community support. Advocates move systems so families are not failed again. Bringing these voices together centers lived experience, closes care gaps, and turns healing into action that prevents future loss and strengthens Black families.

Meet our Experts

Xaviera “Zay” Bell, MS, cHET, CD, PFP (she/her)
Executive Director and founder of Zeal of Xander, a Jacksonville-based nonprofit advancing birth equity, bereavement support, and community-led education. A TEDx speaker, she channels her own loss into systems change and led a national Black infant mortality anthology to elevate families’ voices.

Ajoa Ayesu-Greenlee, CLC, CLD, CPD, NPE
Full-spectrum postpartum doula, certified lactation counselor, and parent educator who supports families through the fourth trimester with compassionate care, breastfeeding guidance, and PAIL-informed advocacy. Founder of Lotus Ring Postpartum Care in Florida.