Jamesina lives in Salisbury, Maryland, but her story could unfold almost anywhere in America. It begins with a tragedy that too many Black families know too well: a pregnant woman, repeatedly dismissed by doctors, whose warnings are not heard until it’s too late.
In late 1998, her sister Sylvia returned again and again to her doctor and local hospital with symptoms no pregnant woman should ignore—sky-high blood pressure, extreme swelling, fluid in her lungs. She was treated and sent home. Over and over again.
Eventually, Sylvia was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and maternal sepsis—a life-threatening infection. She was medevaced to a hospital in Baltimore, where her organs began to fail. She slipped into a coma. Doctors told the family they would do what they could, but offered little hope for the baby. “There are no guarantees,” they said.
But the family refused to give up. “We are a praying family,” Jamesina says. Friends and loved ones filled the room with songs, prayers, and presence. Jamesina painted Sylvia’s toenails while their sister Kelly sang to her. “We didn’t know if she could hear us, but we wanted her to feel our love.”
Against the odds, both Sylvia and baby Gary Jr. survived the delivery. But Sylvia’s body had been ravaged. She lived with congestive heart failure, needed dialysis, and passed away years later—never getting to raise her son.
Grave marker for Sylvia White, who died following complications from maternal sepsis. Photo courtesy of her family.
Gary Jr. was just six when his mother died. Today, he is thriving. A kind, compassionate man who served in the military, met his wife in Hawaii, and carries his mother’s legacy forward.
But Sylvia’s death—like so many others—never should have happened. And in the nearly 20 years since her passing in 2005, the numbers haven’t improved. If anything, they’ve gotten worse.
In Maryland today, Black women still face a maternal mortality rate 58% higher than white women. Nationally, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. The CDC now estimates 84% of maternal deaths are preventable.
That’s why A Mother’s Cry continues. That’s why Sylvia’s Sister Circle was born. That’s why Black Maternal Health Week exists each April—to honor the lives of Black mothers, amplify community-driven solutions, and demand change. The week is led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance.
And in July, Black Maternal Mental Health Week, led by the Shades of Blue Project, lifts up the mental and emotional well-being of Black birthing people and highlights the continued disparities in care long after delivery.
Jamesina has lived through what many policymakers only read in reports. She lost a sister. She helped raise a grieving nephew. She watches over an incarcerated son. And still, she leads.
From her home in Salisbury, Maryland, she supports other women—women like Sylvia, women like herself—who are navigating trauma, loss, and a system that was never built to protect them.
Her organization’s focus areas reflect the layered realities she knows firsthand:
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Domestic Violence Support
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Mass Incarceration & Reentry for Women
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Healing from Abortion Trauma
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Healthy Living & Wellness in Food Deserts
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Maternal Care Equity for Women of Color
What she has built with almost nothing is remarkable. Imagine what she could do with support.
Jamesina isn’t just worthy of funding—she is the blueprint. Her story is not rare. It’s simply rarely told.
Until now.
