One woman, every two minutes, dies from complications with pregnancy or childbirth. Read that again. One woman every two minutes. That is more than 700 women every day. Natalia Swarz learned this harsh reality after a 16-week pregnancy that resulted in a late miscarriage. While both the physical and emotional pain was unbearable, she credits her own survival to her privileged circumstances: she had access to healthcare, pain medication, blood transfusions, and the support of her husband. 300,000 women a year are not as lucky as Swarz, yet almost all maternal deaths could be prevented by ensuring that women have access to safe maternity care. The United States, for example, is the only developed country with a consistently rising maternal mortality rate. Black women in New York City alone are 12 times more likely to die from complications with pregnancy than white women. Though 99% of maternal deaths happen in under-developed countries, where access to quality health services are not available, and nearly 60% of these deaths happen in just 10 countries: Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Uganda.
The jarring reality of these facts drove Swarz, founder and creative director of Hotel Weekend to launch Art for Mom, an art and fashion auction hosted on Instagram, where 100% of the profits are donated to Every Mother Counts, a non-profit whose mission is to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother everywhere. The organization works to achieve quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care for all women by giving grants and working with partners to increase awareness and mobilize communities to take action.
For Swarz, bringing awareness to less traveled parts of the world comes naturally. It’s something she does actively on her website Hotel Weekend, a travel journal for the modern and conscious traveler. But, as Swarz knows far too well, the harsh realities of some of these beautiful places are oft-overlooked. So, in addition to showcasing the beauty of these places, Swarz wants to shed a powerful light on the obstacles that women in these countries face. Art for Mom unites a community of international artists and designers to raise awareness with one common vision: women and mothers supporting each other around the world.
When it came to selecting the artists and brands she wanted to collaborate with, Swarz learned that many had had similar experiences of loss or pregnancy complications, and thus felt especially close to the cause. “Women just have this innate ability and desire to take care of each other,” says Swarz. “That’s our super power.”
Auction items include a photo print by Andrea Swarz.
Photo: Courtesy of Andrea Swarz
And rose quartz earrings by Beck Jewels.
Photo: Courtesy of Beck Jewels“What Natalia has created with Art for Mom is so beautiful. I didn’t even have to think twice when she asked me to participate,” says jewelry designer Becky Zeijdel-Paz, of Beck Jewels. “As a woman, knowing I can create something with my hands that will help support mothers worldwide feels very powerful.” The designer decided to include one of her Rose Quartz pieces in the auction as it is a stone of sisterhood and unconditional love.
Art for Mom Volume 1 is officially live and includes artists and brands from around the globe, like Hotel Magique, Agua by Agua Bendita, Emily Levine, Escvdo, Nuria Val, Marina Denisova, Verdi, and more. You can now shop the auction directly via their Instagram page. All prices begin at $100 and the highest bidder will be accepted.