Why We Walk: Say Her Name 5K & Family Fun Day-Honoring Mothers & Demanding Change

Updated: Apr 17

Participants enjoying Say Her Name 5K 2023 community event, getting ready to head out to the trail

Dear friends,

As we prepare for our upcoming Say Her Name 5K & Family Health Fair, I want to pause and reflect on why we walk. For some, Black Maternal Health week is just another group of dates on the calendar. But for us, for the families left behind, for the advocates, the birth workers, and the mothers still fighting to be heard—it’s personal.

We walk to say the names of the women we’ve lost.
We walk to demand a future where birth is safe, equitable, and sacred.
We walk because maternal mortality is real, and it's preventable.
We walk because the latest data shows us that maternal deaths went down for everyone - except Black women. For us, the numbers went up. And Enough is Enough.

This year, my heart goes out to the families of three mothers - Bevorlin Garcia Barrios, Dreeah Austin, and Hailey Marie Okula. Three women. Three families forever changed. And three more reasons why we walk.

Bevorlin Garcia Barrios was just 24 years old. A young pregnant mother who went to Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn reporting pain and discomfort - but was sent home, without the appropriate assessment. Days later, Bevorlin returned, only this time it was too late. She underwent an emergency C-section, but never made it out of the hospital. Her baby survived. She didn’t. In the days that followed, outrage grew - not just from her family, but from an entire community asking why this keeps happening. Bevorlin was dismissed. Ignored. And like far too many women of color, she lost her life when timely, attentive care could have saved her.

Portrait of young Bevorlin Garcia Barrios smiling and vibrant

Dreeah Austin was 30. A Newark, New Jersey mom who had just delivered her baby girl, Sevyn. She had a history of blood clots, something her doctors knew, but she still wasn’t given the careful monitoring her condition required. Just two weeks after giving birth, Dreeah suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism. Her family now fights not just through grief, but through advocacy, demanding answers and calling for real change in how postpartum care is delivered because this didn’t have to happen.

And then there’s Hailey Marie Okula - better known to many as “Nurse Hailey.” A 33-year-old ER nurse and beloved social media influencer who shared her journey of infertility and IVF with grace and honesty. Hailey finally gave birth to her son, Crew, via C-section. But shortly after, she suffered a rare complication called an amniotic fluid embolism. Within hours, she was gone. Despite all her knowledge, resources, and support, Hailey still became a heartbreaking reminder that any mother, in any circumstance, can be at risk.

Hailey Marie Okula—better known as “Nurse Hailey.” A 33-year-old ER nurse

And we cannot forget Tori Bowie. A world-class Olympic gold medalist. A powerhouse. A star. Tori was found dead in her Florida home in 2023 at just 32 years old, eight months pregnant. The autopsy cited eclampsia and childbirth complications as contributing factors. She died alone. She had been struggling silently. Her death enraged me, and it was the story that inspired me to create the Say Her Name walk in the first place.

Tori Bowie. A world-class Olympic gold medalist. Tori was found dead in her Florida home in 2023 at just 32 years old

These are not isolated stories. These are not rare tragedies. They are warnings. They are calls to action.

We walk because Bevorlin, Dreeah, Hailey and Tori deserved more.
We walk because their babies will grow up without them.
We walk because behind every statistic is a name, a face, a future that should have been. And if it can happen to them, it can happen to any of us.
We walk because every mother deserves to survive and thrive.

And yes, Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes, and that disparity deserves every ounce of awareness and action we can muster. But this isn’t just a Black issue. This is a motherhood issue. It is a human issue.

Maternal mortality affects all mothers - across race, income, education, and geography.

And that’s exactly why we walk.

We walk to raise awareness.
We walk to demand better care.
We walk to grieve and to hope.
We walk for ALL moms.

Here’s how you can support:

REGISTER TODAY for our Say Her Name 5K Walk & Health Fair happening this Saturday April 12th at 10am. Bring your family, your friends, your stroller, your signs. Walk with us in remembrance and in power.
Can’t attend? You can still support by making a donation—every contribution fuels this work.
Purchase your Say Her Name merch and wear your support loud and proud. Let your hoodie or tee be a statement: I care. I walk. I remember.