July 13, 2024
Allyson Felix Receives $20M Grant From Melinda Gates, Invests In Advocacy For Black Maternal Health
Felix is among 12 grant recipients of Melinda Gates' initiative, which she will use to fuel her advocacy for Black maternal health.
Allyson Felix, the renowned Olympic track star and Black maternal health advocate, was awarded a substantial $20 million grant from Melinda Gates’ $1 billion investment initiative that Gates announced in May.
This grant honors Felix’s relentless dedication to advancing Black maternal health in the United States, reflecting Gates’ commitment to supporting organizations that champion women’s, families’, and reproductive rights. In a statement to The New York Times, Gates emphasized the severe underfunding of women-focused causes, stating, “Despite the pressing need, 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.”
Gates’ grant to Felix is part of a broader initiative. “In nearly 20 years as an advocate for women and girls, I have learned that there will always be people who say it’s not the right time to talk about gender equality,” Gates said. “Not if you want to be relevant. Not if you want to be effective with world leaders (most of them men). The second the global agenda gets crowded, women and girls fall off.”
The grant aims to tackle pressing concerns such as the disproportionately high maternal mortality rates among Black and Native American mothers, the loss of reproductive rights in 14 states, and the lack of national paid family leave in the U.S.
In addition to the grant, Felix’s personal experiences have driven her advocacy for Black maternal health. According to NBC Olympics, the athlete has partnered with Pampers to establish the first-ever Olympic Village nursery for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This innovative initiative, located at the Athletes’ Village Plaza, the heart of the athletes’ residential area during the Games, provides a sanctuary for competing mothers to nurture and bond with their infants.
“It was top of mind to support athletes who are mothers,” Felix said. “It’s a space where families can get away from it all and have some of the comforts of home. They can have playtime and places to feed their babies…It’s here so that mothers and families feel supported.”
She previously partnered with the brand to champion Black maternal health, securing a $250,000 pledge to the cause and providing $100,000 to the National Birth Equity Collaborative. As previously covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE, Felix spoke about her 2018 experience where she underwent an emergency C-section due to preeclampsia, later testifying before Congress about racial disparities in maternal care. Felix described her pregnancy as “a really isolating and lonely time,” revealing she had to conceal it from Nike due to contractual concerns.