Data shows that Black women are dying during childbirth at alarming rates , and the crisis is especially urgent in Brooklyn, which has the city's largest Black population.

A local organization is stepping up with specialized support to change those outcomes.

"I wanted to feel heard, I wanted to feel included"

The joy is real, and so are the flickers of fear on a new parent's face. As Ana Nunez and Cristian Avila watched over their newborn son, Lyon, they reflected on the mix of hope and worry that shaped their path to parenthood.

"Sometimes you hear a lot of horror stories about being a Black woman giving birth," Nunez said. "So I wanted to feel heard, I wanted to feel included. So I let my doctor know I was interested in doula service and that's how I was connected."

Those fears

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