Olympian Allyson Felix receives a $20M grant from Melinda French Gates to support Black maternal health initiatives, continuing her advocacy and expanding efforts to improve maternal outcomes for Black women.

Written By Antoinette Agee // EEW Magazine

Christian Olympian Allyson Felix, renowned for her commitment to improving Black maternal health, has been awarded a substantial grant from philanthropist Melinda French Gates.

To support Felix’s efforts, Gates donated $20 million to the former athlete as part of her $1 billion commitment to organizations that support women and families, according to The New York Times. This donation is managed under Gates' new venture, Pivotal, following her departure from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after nearly 25 years.

“Only about 2 percent of charitable giving in the United States goes to organizations focused on women and girls, and only about half a percentage point goes to organizations focused on women of color specifically,” Gates wrote in The New York Times. “When we allow this cause to go so chronically underfunded, we all pay the cost.”

Felix expressed her gratitude and outlined her plans for the grant during an interview with “CBS Mornings.”

“I’m looking forward to deploying this money to organizations that are doing urgent work in the space and that will really get it to members of the community who are most at risk for complications—I mean, even death during pregnancy,” she said. “I’m so humbled to receive it and I’m excited to put the money to good work.”

In addition to Felix, eleven other individuals were selected to receive $20 million grants, including Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand, and Shabana Basij-Rasikh, an Afghan educator empowering girls.

Felix's dedication to Black maternal health was previously highlighted by EEW Magazine April 2023 when she executive produced the documentary “Birthing Justice,” which explores disparities and solutions related to Black maternal health.

"Birthing Justice is the film I wish I had before I started a family," Felix said at the time. "It takes an in-depth look at the horrifying statistics of giving birth for Black women and unpacks the complexities of changing these outcomes. It was important for me to share my story alongside other powerful accounts so that my daughter and her generation won't face these same issues."

Felix, who experienced severe preeclampsia during her pregnancy, understands the risks many Black women face. At 32 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with this potentially life-threatening complication, leading to an emergency C-section. Her daughter, Camryn, was born at 3 pounds, 7 ounces, and spent her first month in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Felix credits her doctor's swift actions with saving her life and now works to educate pregnant and postpartum women about the urgent warning signs of pregnancy-related complications and the importance of self-advocacy.

Since retiring from Olympic track and field in 2022, Felix, who holds the record for the most Olympic medals of any U.S. track and field athlete, has continued to advocate for the well-being of pregnant women. In June 2022, she partnered with Pampers to champion maternal health for Black mothers, with Pampers committing $250,000 to the cause and providing $100,000 to the National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC).

Felix will again partner with Pampers during the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, to ensure a nursery is available for Olympic moms.

“I just knew how difficult it was to compete at the top level after I had my daughter, and some practical things were really hard and so when I came on the Athletes Commission of the IOC [International Olympics Committee], I really wanted to be that voice for athlete moms and just take away one less thing for them to worry about in the pressure of competition,” she explained during an interview with “CBS Mornings.”

“This space is a place where they can have play time and feed their babies and get away from a lot of the noise that happens at the Olympic Games.”

Watch Allyson Felix’s full interview segment on “CBS Mornings” below.