Racing to Save Black Moms
In America today, Black women are two to four times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than white women. In October 2017, our friend Tikee, a hardworking mother with an infectious laugh and eternal optimism, was one of them.
We assembled a team of people devoted to honoring Tikee’s memory to support the fight to lower Black maternal death rates, do something extraordinary in Tikee’s memory, and share her story with the world.
Our Story
In October 2017, our friend Tikee passed away due to complications from the birth of her fourth child. She was, and always will be, one of a kind. Unfortunately, her death wasn’t. In America, across regions and class, Black mothers do not receive equitable maternal healthcare. That’s why we assembled a team to raise awareness and support the fight against the preventable deaths of Black moms.
The Team
We are friends and family, activists and advocates, and everything in between. Together, we have become Team Tikee. By increasing awareness, raising funds, and racing into a brighter future, we are preserving Tikee’s memory — and protecting other Black women from the inequities that took her life.
“What a wasted opportunity, to race with no purpose. Use your races to support a cause.”
– Iteka (Tikee) Smith
The Race
Our Journey Ahead
For years, Tikee chided her husband, Tavar, for running races without a cause. Since her death, Team Tikee has turned her message into a mission. We’re competing in adventure races to raise awareness and funds for Black maternal health.
Racing
Adventure racing is a team sport that can last between two hours and two weeks. The teams don’t just run: they bike across mountains, trek through ravines, paddle down rivers, and more, navigating with nothing but a map and compass. To succeed, they have to brave wild landscapes and overcome their bodies’ limitations. Teams often compete in adventure races to promote causes they care about — just like us.
Advocacy
We’re documenting our journey to draw attention to Tikee’s story and help women advocate for themselves. We’re also using our platform to raise money for non-profit organizations striving to make maternal healthcare safe and equitable: Mamatoto Village, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and MOTHER (Maternal Outcomes for Translational Health Equity Research) Lab.
Training
We’re amateur athletes taking on one of the most formidable challenges in sports. To prepare, we’ve spent the past several months training in disciplines that most of us had never even tried before — from kayaking to technical mountain biking to navigating with just a map and compass. We’re looking for sponsors to help us defray the costs of gear, travel, race fees, and more, so we can take on tougher challenges in Tikee’s name.
IN A COUNTRY WITH THE HIGHEST MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD, BLACK WOMEN ARE HURTING MOST.
The Facts
In America, Black women are between two and four times more likely to die from pregnancy than their white counterparts. That’s a horrifying, unacceptable number — especially for a country that already boasts the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world. The causes are many: institutional racism, unequal access to prenatal care, increased susceptibility to certain medical conditions. But the solution is one: you.
More information is available in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Get involved.
Sponsor the Team
These races are important. They’re also expensive. We can always use more sponsors to help offset the costs of gear, travel, and race fees. If you are interested in sponsoring the team, please contact us here →
Fundraise for Tikee
If you would like to give directly to the cause, you can support organizations leading this fight directly through our website. You can also spread the word about any of our campaigns. Donate to save Black moms here →
Join our Team
Team Tikee can always use more help. If you have time on your hands or a skill you can spare, let us know here →