The panel addressed audience member questions at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. The event featured panel presentations from maternity care experts, vendor booths with community resources for parents and a photo booth.
The panel addressed audience member questions at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. The event featured panel presentations from maternity care experts, vendor booths with community resources for parents and a photo booth. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)

Aryana Noroozi

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Celebrating Black Motherhood, a community event hosted by Inland Empire Health Plan, brought together medical professionals, community members, and advocates to discuss both the joys and challenges of Black motherhood. The program highlighted the need for culturally responsive care, patient advocacy, expanding mental health support, and better resources for mothers navigating pregnancy and postpartum.

The event started with a panel discussion that featured maternal care professionals and expanded into an open conversation format with the attendees where stories, laughs and tears were shared as audience members spoke about personal experiences. The celebration culminated in a resource fair, a photobooth, refreshments and music.

An attendee listens to the panel presentation at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. The event featured panel presentations from maternity care experts, vendor booths with community resources for parents, and a photo booth. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Doula Chantel Runnels, CD (DONA), CLES, speaks during the panel presentation at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Attendees applaud during the panel presentation at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
A decoration sits on a table at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
An attendee uses the photobooth at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Dr. Emeruwa, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine physician and assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego, listens to speakers on the panel that she moderated at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Erica Moore-Smith, LCSW, PMH-C (left), Dr. Tolúwalàṣẹ Làṣẹ Ajayi, FAAP (middle), and Dr. Nadine Lyseight, FACOG (right) share their expertise and experiences during a panel discussion at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Dr. Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MS, FACOG, (left), Tamara Rolan, CMN, MSN (middle), and Chantel Runnels, CD (DONA), CLES (right) share their expertise and experiences during a panel discussion at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)
Children play while their parents attend the resource fair at the Celebration of Black Motherhood event hosted by the Inland Empire Health Plan on August 18, 2025. (Aryana Noroozi for Black Voice News/ CatchLight Local)