Community Highlights: Meet Rayna Reid Rayford of Pregnant and Black, Inc. (PAB)

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rayna Reid Rayford.

Hi Rayna Reid, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story has a clear before and after; and that dividing line is what I call “appendixgate.”

Before that moment, my path already revolved around justice, systems, and storytelling. I studied reproductive justice while at Columbia Law School, where I became deeply familiar with the data and disparities around maternal health. Later, as an editor at Essence, I covered reproductive health stories and regularly reported on the sobering statistics: Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in the United States.

I knew the numbers. I understood the system. And then, while pregnant myself, I almost became a statistic.

During my pregnancy, I experienced a life-threatening complication that nearly cost me my life. It was terrifying, not just because of what was happening physically, but because I was acutely aware of what the data said about women who look like me. Even with access, education, and advocates in the room, I was not immune to dismissal, delay, or danger.

That experience fundamentally changed me. Survival alone didn’t feel like enough. I couldn’t shake the question: If this almost happened to me, what happens to women without doctors in their family, without medical literacy, without anyone to advocate for them in the room?

That question became the foundation for Pregnant and Black.

Houston became a pivotal place for this work. Recent reports show that in Harris County, the pregnancy-related death rate has consistently exceeded the U.S. rate, and for Black women, it’s the deadliest place to give birth in America. Being here made the urgency undeniable. Pregnant and Black was born out of the belief that survival during pregnancy should not depend on luck, proximity, or privilege, and that Black mothers deserve to be heard, protected, and supported every step of the way.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In some ways, no — and in other ways, yes.

It hasn’t been smooth because the reality is stark: Black women experience worse outcomes at every level of the healthcare system, and organizations and technology solutions led by Black women remain drastically underfunded. Only about 1% of venture capital goes to Black women founders. That gap is both a funding issue and an equity issue, and it directly impacts whether life-saving solutions like Pregnant and Black can reach the people who need them most.

Building a maternal health platform while navigating motherhood, recovery, and systemic barriers has required resilience, creativity, and persistence. There are moments when the scale of the problem feels overwhelming.

And yet, in another way, the road has been smooth because I have never been clearer about my mission. My life’s work is to end maternal mortality in the United States. That clarity has been grounding. Even when resources are limited, purpose has never been.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Pregnant and Black, Inc. (PAB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit created because of my own life-threatening pregnancy experience.
Even though I had advocates, my sister is a physician, and I come from a family of doctors, I still faced moments where my pain and concerns were not immediately taken seriously. That reality forced me to confront a bigger truth: Black women’s pain is often dismissed in healthcare settings, regardless of education, income, or access.

This isn’t just anecdotal. Public figures like Serena Williams and Beyoncé have shared similar experiences. The issue is not awareness, it’s equity.

Pregnant and Black exists to address that gap.

We are building an on-demand healthcare advocacy, education, and community tech platform designed to support pregnant people, especially Black mothers, in real time. From your phone, users will be able to access:

Trained healthcare advocates for support during medical appointments
– Real-time assistance via text, call, or video during visits
– A supportive community to share knowledge and lived experiences
– Free access for all users, with no insurance required

What sets Pregnant and Black apart is that we focus on intervention, not just information. We are most proud of building a platform that centers dignity, agency, and protection.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was curious, introspective, and deeply driven, often in seemingly opposite directions.

Reading was my first love. I was the kid who brought books and a flashlight to sleepovers so I could read under the covers after everyone else fell asleep. That love of reading evolved into a love of learning and understanding systems: why things work the way they do and who they work for.

At the same time, I found joy in endurance sports. Triathlon taught me discipline, resilience, and how to stay steady through discomfort. That mindset has shaped every chapter of my life, from law school to advocacy to entrepreneurship.

Both reading and triathlon taught me the same lesson: progress doesn’t come from shortcuts. It comes from consistency, curiosity, and the willingness to keep going when things are hard.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pregnantandblack.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pregnantandblack/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pregnant-and-black/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PregnantAndBlack
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@pregnantandblack?_r=1&_t=ZT-927p8b8n10n

Image Credits
Sadie Reidy Creatives @sadiereidycreatives