Highlights included an immersive fertility clinic tour, a two-day Fertility Justice and Family Building Convening, and a giveaway of $60,000 of IVF services.
Last week, SisterSong convened national leaders in Reproductive Justice, clinicians, advocates, storytellers, and Black community members for a series of virtual and in-person events during its second annual Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week. The series of events aimed to expand access to family-building options and advance true Reproductive Justice for all. Highlights of the week included an immersive fertility clinic tour, a two-day Fertility Justice and Family Building Convening and a giveaway of $60,000 in IVF services.
“Everyone deserves the fundamental right to build a family. Yet Black families continue to face systemic inequities, from restrictive policies and healthcare bias to significant financial barriers. Our communities deserve fertility care that is equitable, accessible, and compassionate,” said Leah Jones, Director of Maternal Health and Birth Equity Initiatives at SisterSong. “Black (in) Fertility Awareness week is more than a campaign, it’s a commitment to building a world where every Black person has the right to create a family on their own terms.”
Photo courtesy of Rosalind Williams Photography
“Infertility impacts one in eight couples, yet Black communities remain underrepresented in fertility care research and conversations,” said Dr. Karenne Fru, Founder and Owner of Muna Fertility. “True Reproductive Justice happens when every family has access to the care they need to smoothly navigate infertility challenges, no exceptions.”
Photo courtesy of Rosalind Williams Photography
The week culminated with the Fertility Justice and Family Building Convening, which featured two days of education, advocacy, and community dedicated to centering Black voices, experiences, and leadership in fertility justice and family building. Session highlights included conversations on LGBTQ+ inclusion in fertility care and understanding fertility across the Black Diaspora.
“Black (in)fertility Awareness Week is about more than awareness—it’s about action,” said Sasha Ottey, Founder and Executive Director of PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association. “This week and convening is a powerful step toward building comprehensive solutions that center advocacy, education, research, support, and a more inclusive and broader understanding of reproductive health. We’re reshaping the conversation to ensure no one is left out of the narrative.”
“Family building is so much larger and more encompassing than having children. People need information to make informed choices about when and how and whether to build their families,” said Dr. Camille Hammond, CEO of the CADE Foundation. “Events like Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week inform and empower those at greatest risk for poor outcomes.”
“The ability to access the necessary tools and resources to build a family should not depend on your background, income, zip code, or who you love. For too long, Black communities have been left out of this conversation,” said Jorie Dugan, Human Rights Counsel, at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “We must work towards a future where everyone has non-discriminatory, equitable access to the full range of fertility care if and when they need it. That’s why SisterSong’s Black (in) Fertility Awareness week and the Fertility Justice movement are so critical. It’s time for solutions.”
Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week is made possible by dedicated partners and the 2025 Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week Planning Committee, which includes Leah Jones and Dr. Noelle Spencer of SisterSong, Tamara Hunter of Womb Wisdom Wellness, Drs. Lasha Clarke and Isabel Morgan of Morehouse School of Medicine’s Center for Maternal Health Equity, Dr. Camille Hamond of the Cade Foundation, Dr. Karenne Fru of Muna Fertility, Sasha Ottey of PCOS Challenge, Jorie Dugan of the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Teonna Woolford of Sickle Cell Red.
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