Dr. Que English Is Leading The Movement To Save Black Mothers
‘Black Women Aren’t Broken. The System Is’ —How Dr. Que English Is Leading The Movement To Save Black Mothers [Exclusive]
When Rev. Dr. Que English speaks, it feels like a call to reimagine community. A call to rebuild trust. A call to save lives.
The founder and CEO of Elev8 Health Inc. is leading the 2025 National Thrive Maternal Health Tour, a 20-city initiative transforming how we address maternal health in Black and Indigenous communities. At a time when the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations—and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, according to the CDC—Dr. English is sounding the alarm and offering a blueprint.
“When you think of the village, you think of what it’s going to take to improve our outcomes among Black women,” she told MadameNoire in an exclusive interview. “That village has to be doulas, midwives, mental health care specialists, OBGYNs, WIC programs, Healthy Start programs, even housing support.”
The Thrive Tour is both a movement and a reawakening of communal care. Each stop includes a community baby shower and an ecosystem of support that meets expectant mothers, fathers, and caregivers where they are—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Events include expert-led panels, resource sharing, on-site screenings, and wellness checks, all structured to empower families and elevate outcomes.
“Suicide and substance use disorder are the leading causes of death for women postpartum,” Dr. English explained. “We have to have mental health providers in that village, because that’s a part of the solution, too.”
Rooted in cultural competence
Dr. English, a Bronx native with Harlem roots, brings grassroots wisdom to every policy table she sits at. Before founding Elev8 Health, she served as the Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She’s also the founder of the 100 Million Reach Collective, a coalition of African American faith leaders committed to addressing the social determinants of health in underserved communities.
Still, she makes it clear: “I’m grassroots. Yes, I worked for Health and Human Services. Yes, I was top of the food chain. But everything I do is community-driven.”
That community-first approach is why cultural competency is a pillar of the Thrive Tour. During her prior M.O.M.S. Tour, she helped certify nearly 600 culturally competent Black doulas. That foundation is being expanded through Thrive.
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“When I think about bringing our doulas to the forefront to engage with Black women, they are Black doulas,” she said. “Because we understood that if we are going to break the stigma and build trust, they have to look like us.”
The use of doulas and midwives is a strategy backed by evidence. Studies show doulas and midwifery services improve maternal health outcomes—lowering C-section rates, increasing breastfeeding success, and reducing maternal mortality risk. However, many families still see birth workers as a luxury.
Dr. English is working to change that mindset.
“We don’t need to treat doulas like a bonus. For me, they should be the baseline,” she added. “Every mother deserves support, not just the ones who can afford it.”
Additionally, “There are many states that have expanded Medicaid coverage to cover the cost of doulas,” she emphasized. “It’s a lifeline. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity.”
Fathers belong here, too.
In too many conversations about maternal health, fathers are either sidelined or forgotten. Not on the Thrive Tour.
“It’s not ‘I’m pregnant,’ it’s ‘we’re pregnant,’” she said. “They’ve been left out of the conversation in a lot of ways. But at the Thrive Tour, they are included.”
Each event includes a “Dad Den,” a dedicated space where fathers and fathers-to-be can connect privately. The room is a mental health checkpoint and peer support incubator designed with Black men in mind.
“We’ve heard them say, ‘I’ve had suicidal ideations. I felt depressed. This is the straw that’s broken my back,” Dr. English revealed. “And to know that, and not give them the support they need, would be a mistake.”
Elevating fathers also leads to better outcomes.
“Public health research shows that Black fathers are often deeply engaged and involved,” she said. “It leads to better outcomes for their children and families. The Thrive Tour shifts that narrative.”
A movement, not a moment
The Thrive Tour isn’t interested in pop-up optics. It’s creating a lasting impact by establishing maternal health hubs in every city it visits. These hubs provide continuity of care and stay rooted in the local village infrastructure after the main event ends.
“The Thrive Tour is community-driven and village-sustained,” she said. “We identify the village, we build it, and then we launch the hub so it keeps going. The events are the launch, but the work continues.”
She’s also intentional about partnering with faith communities.
“They are considered the trusted messenger in those spaces,” she noted. “I include them in everything I do.”
The 2025 tour includes stops in cities often left off national tour maps—from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Greenville, Mississippi. That’s no accident. The Thrive team targets communities with the highest maternal mortality and morbidity rates and commits to building up the care infrastructure from the inside out.
Sponsors for the 2025 tour include Walmart, the American Psychiatric Association Foundation, Pfizer, and COGIC Urban Initiatives. Partners include A Chance to Learn, Dear Fathers, Daddy University, and the Irth App. For full details, visit Elev8 Health or follow @Elev8HealthInc on social media.
What to consider when choosing a birth worker
If you’re considering a doula or midwife, Dr. English says the most important factor is trust.
“Choose someone who understands your values, who understands your culture, your language, and lived experience,” she advised. “Especially for Black and Brown families, working with someone who recognizes the unique challenges they may face in the healthcare system is life-saving.”
She also suggests asking yourself: Can I be vulnerable with this person? Will they advocate for me? Can they explain clearly and listen well? Are they someone who can walk with me through this journey and help me speak up when it counts?
This work is personal.
At the end of our conversation, Dr. English shared that this work hits close to home. Her own daughter has experienced life-threatening pregnancy complications twice. Both times, she landed in the ICU.
“When you hear that Black women in America are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes, that’s not just a stat. That’s our sisters. Our daughters. Our friends,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you have a Ph.D., a six-figure income, or the best insurance. Black women are still dying because we’re not being heard.”
She continued, “This isn’t only about access to care. It’s about how we’re treated when we get there. It’s about implicit bias and systemic racism and generational trauma that shows up in hospital rooms and delivery beds.”
That reality is what drives her. That, and a vision for a future where Black women are seen, believed, and protected in every step of their birthing journey.
“If we want to change the numbers, we have to change the narrative and the systems behind it. Black women are not broken. The system is.”
The Thrive Tour is here to do exactly that–with joy, justice, and a village behind every birth.
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