Nationwide — Founded by Kay Matthews after the stillbirth of her daughter, Troya Simone, and her own experience with undiagnosed postpartum depression, The Shades of Blue Project has grown into one of the nation’s leading voices for Black maternal mental health. The nonprofit continues to expand its advocacy, education, workforce development, community support, and digital resource initiatives while introducing its inaugural Rest, Repair, and Resistance Day during Black Maternal Mental Health Week 2026.
The new observance, scheduled for July 22, 2026, will serve as a national call for healing, reflection, and action. Centered around a symbolic 22-minute pause, Rest, Repair, and Resistance Day encourages individuals, healthcare systems, employers, policymakers, advocates, and community organizations to recognize the emotional, physical, and systemic burdens often carried by Black mothers while committing to meaningful change and accountability.
Matthews, Founder and Executive Director of The Shades of Blue Project, has built the organization into a nationally recognized nonprofit focused on improving maternal mental health outcomes through direct services, advocacy, storytelling, policy engagement, workforce training, and technology. The organization addresses challenges related to pregnancy, postpartum recovery, infant loss, grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, and barriers to healthcare access. “Black maternal mental health is not just a personal issue. It is a public health issue, a community issue, and a justice issue,” Matthews said.
What began as Matthews’ personal journey through loss and healing has evolved into a national movement dedicated to creating culturally responsive support systems for families. Rather than focusing solely on awareness, The Shades of Blue Project emphasizes practical solutions that connect mothers, birthing people, families, healthcare providers, and advocates with resources designed to improve maternal mental health outcomes and strengthen community support networks.
As part of its continued expansion, the organization has developed the SHARE Network App, a digital platform designed to help families access maternal mental health resources, education, and culturally responsive support more easily. The app connects individuals navigating pregnancy, postpartum challenges, grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, and isolation with trusted information and community-based resources, helping reduce barriers to care nationwide.
The nonprofit is also expanding its INSPIRE Method training initiatives, which provide trauma-informed and culturally grounded maternal mental health education for healthcare professionals, doulas, community health workers, Healthy Start staff, advocates, and organizations across the country. These programs help professionals recognize warning signs, strengthen communication, and deliver more compassionate and effective support to families experiencing maternal mental health challenges.
Through initiatives such as Black Maternal Mental Health Week, the Black Maternal Mental Health Summit, Rest, Repair, and Resistance Day, community support groups, storytelling campaigns, workforce training, and advocacy efforts, The Shades of Blue Project continues to drive national conversations around healing, equity, and systems change. The organization’s impact has earned national recognition from Evergreen Awards and Best of Best Review, both of which named it the Best Maternal Mental Health Support Service in the United States for 2026.
Learn more at ShadesofBlueProject.org
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