Yaya DaCosta Brings Birth Work to the Forefront with New Black Maternal Health Festival

Actress Yaya DaCosta, known for her breakout on America’s Next Top Model and roles in Chicago Med, The Lincoln Lawyer, and Lifetime’s Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story, is stepping into the spotlight in a new way—this time as a passionate advocate for maternal health. Having worked privately as a birth worker since 2010, DaCosta is now hosting the inaugural Black Maternal Health Festival, an online event dedicated to addressing the maternal health crisis in the Black community from a place of empowerment and healing.

DaCosta emphasizes that while maternal health outcomes have improved across many demographics, Black women continue to face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality. The festival will feature doulas, midwives, and healthcare professionals sharing practical solutions and reimagining birth as a joyful, transformative experience rather than a fearful one. “We're going to be talking about it from a place of solutions,” DaCosta told PEOPLE. “Because so many people... are scared,... and we need to show them that other options exist.”

Her personal experience further fuels her advocacy. In 2013, DaCosta gave birth to her son at home, a decision shaped by her deep involvement in the birth community. “I personally had an ecstatic home birth,” she shared. “Home birth is just free.” While she acknowledges the vital role of medical professionals, DaCosta’s mission is to educate and empower women to explore all their options and reclaim birth as a natural, celebratory process. The Black Maternal Health Festival runs through April 17, in conjunction with Black Maternal Health Week.