Our Vision
We envision a world where Black mothers not only survive but thrive. A world where giving birth is safe, families remain whole, and no life is cut short by preventable complications.
Through community, culture, and collective action, DSMAP works toward ending maternal deaths and building systems that honor, protect, and celebrate Black women and those who love them.
Our Mission
To increase awareness of the Black maternal health crisis to develop and promote action-driven strategies that improve reproductive health outcomes and recognizes the human-centered value of Black birthing people and families.
Our Purpose
Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project™ (DSMAP) is a national, community‑centered nonprofit transforming Black maternal health through healing, culturally grounded advocacy, and systemic change. We honor Dr. Shalon Irving by advancing equity, accountability, and maternal justice.
Our Four Pillars
Storytelling: Personal narratives that humanize data, build empathy, and drive accountability.
Empowerment: Clear, rights‑based guidance, practical tools, and peer support for Black women before, during, and after birth.
Community Building: Healing‑centered spaces and warm pathways to care through programs like Grandmothers Rallying Against Maternal Mortality Sisterhood and CommuniTEA 4 Change™.
Education: The SHALON Method™ and SHALON Blueprint™ training translate respect into everyday practice. We confront a range of biases including racial, gender, language and immigration, weight, disability, and LGBTQ+ related, and replace them with shared language, practical skills, and timely action.
Accountability and advocacy
We work with partners on policy and institutional accountability, advancing evidence‑based strategies that dismantle structural racism and end preventable maternal deaths.
Impact
Through healing‑centered education and community programs, caregivers build resilience, families find steady support, and surviving children are not defined by loss but empowered to thrive.
Our work
We turn grief into action so Black women do more than survive childbirth. We work to make the system see, listen to, and honor them — and we hold it accountable when it doesn’t.
We stand with survivors of maternal mortality, especially the children left behind. Through GRAMMS™ and CommuniTEA 4 Kids™, we equip caregivers with clear tools, trusted resources, and sustained support that fosters healing and healthy development.
We also transform practice. Through SHALON Blueprint™, we help clinicians, doulas, staff, and institutions confront bias and build a culture of care rooted in dignity, scientific credibility, and community trust. Through CommuniTEA 4 Change™, we convene faith leaders, providers, and community partners to align evidence with lived experience and move commitments into action where families live.