Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project (DSMAP) is a national, community-centered nonprofit dedicated to transforming Black maternal health through healing, culturally grounded advocacy, and systemic change.

Honoring the legacy of Dr. Shalon Irving, a CDC epidemiologist whose preventable death revealed the failures of a system that too often ignores Black women, DSMAP advances a vision of equity, accountability, and maternal justice.

Our mission is to:

• Elevate lived experience through storytelling that humanizes statistics, fosters empathy, and fuels societal awareness and action.

• Empower Black birthing people with knowledge, advocacy tools, and peer support.

• Build healing-centered communities, such as GRAMMS and CommuniTea, that provide emotional support while advocating for systemic reform.

• Educate and recalibrate the healthcare system through SHALON Method™-based provider training and cultural competency programs, challenging biases and reimagining care.

• Promote policy-level and institutional accountability, advancing evidence-based strategies to dismantle structural racism and end preventable maternal deaths.

DSMAP exists to turn grief into action and ensure that Black mothers aren't just surviving childbirth-they're thriving in a system that sees them, listens to them, and honors their voices.

DSMAP advocates for the often-overlooked survivors of maternal mortality-especially the children left behind by equipping their caregivers with the tools, resources, and support needed to address trauma and navigate the complex challenges of raising children who have lost a mother.

Through healing-centered education, community-based programs, and advocacy, DSMAP helps caregivers build resilience, provide stability, and nurture hope, ensuring that surviving children are not defined by their loss but empowered to thrive in the face of tragedy.