Dear Community,
This summer we're celebrating everything our community built together this spring—and looking ahead to what's next.
Over the past several months, our community has reached meaningful milestones—from convening California’s Perinatal Mental Health State Agency Roundtable and welcoming more than 150 survivors, providers, advocates, and policymakers at From Pain to Power 2.0, to strengthening partnerships and advancing SB 626 across California.
Each of these moments reminds us that lasting systems change begins with relationships.
This summer, we’re shifting from convening to building—investing in the partnerships, infrastructure, and survivor leadership that will carry this movement forward.
Welcoming New Partners
We’re excited to share that CPWA has been selected for support from the Perigee Fund and the Flora Family Foundation.
More than new grants, these partnerships reflect a shared belief that families deserve systems rooted in dignity, equity, and community leadership.
Perigee Fund's and Flora Family Foundation's investments will help advance the mental health and well-being of infants, mothers, families, and caregivers by expanding statewide partnerships, supporting lived-experience leadership, and building the infrastructure needed to strengthen California's survivor-led perinatal mental health movement.
We’re deeply grateful for their partnership and belief in this vision.
Stories that Move Systems
This month, we’re highlighting Ligaya’s story—a powerful reminder that healing begins when parents no longer have to carry their experiences alone.
“Women need to know about this. They need to be better prepared and they need to know where to go when it happens.”
We’re also excited to share new From Pain to Power 2.0 videos, while our Breaking the Silence Storybook continues to grow with stories from parents, partners, providers, and advocates across California.
Beyond the Convening
Since May, CPWA has shared the ideas and partnerships sparked by From Pain to Power with more than 300 students, clinicians, birth workers, public health professionals, funders, parents, and advocates through presentations across California – including the Black Maternal Mental Health Summit, Maternal Child Health Access with the Maternal & Infant Health Assessment (MIHA) project, the Los Angeles Pediatric Society, the Maternal Health Network of San Bernardino County, and the Postpartum Support International Conference.
Each conversation expands our statewide network and strengthens the connections between lived experience, research, policy, and practice—bringing us one step closer to a more coordinated, equitable, and community-centered perinatal mental health system.
Coming Soon
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the Roundtable and From Pain to Power was the power of lived experience to move systems. This summer, we're inviting you to put that into practice.
Storytelling for Systems Change
Wednesday, August 5 | 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (PT)
Learn how personal stories can strengthen advocacy, advance SB 626, and help build the next chapter of California's perinatal mental health movement. Whether you're a parent, provider, advocate, or community partner, we'd love to have you join us.
Thank you to our storytellers, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and everyone who continues to strengthen the connections between lived experience, research, policy, and practice. Together, we're building a California where every parent is seen, supported, and well.
With gratitude,
Cassie Gardener Manjikian, MPH
Founder & Director
California Perinatal Wellness Alliance