African-American women are more than twice as likely to die due to complications from childbirth as women of other races in Pennsylvania. In 2018, 34 black mothers died per 100,000 births vs 13 white mothers per 100,000 births.

Each card is dedicated to a woman who passed away during the process of becoming a mother. Genuine pearls from a necklace belonging to a Pittsburgh mother of three reflect the value of these women's lives. Red lines evoke the umbilical cord and provide a platform to imagine: What would each mother say if she could speak now?

On each card, the maternal mortality rates are displayed for comparison: 13 silver dots represent the white mothers and 34 gold dots represent the African-American mothers. The statistics are painted on the reverse side of handmade paper to demonstrate that they obscure the personal nuances of the situations they represent.

However, on the back of the cards, the paper is turned over to reveal the beautiful elements that composed the woman’s life story. Her name is inscribed in silver or gold translucent paint, reminding us of her continued presence in the memories of those she influenced and loved. The messy knot that fastens the pearl is visible to symbolize that these untimely and often preventable deaths should not be hidden from view.

Names inscribed on the back of the cards were obtained from publically available stories, primarily from the “Lost Mothers” research by ProPublica.org. Maternal mortality rates were obtained from AmericasHealthRankings.org.

Special thanks to the following women who made this artwork possible: Dannai Wilson from the Allegheny County Health Department, Shavonne Johnson, Katherine DeAngelis, Susan Jessell, and Snehal Kulkarni.