A Community Convening on Perinatal Mental Health Storytelling & Systems Change
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Wellnest | South Los Angeles
On May 20, 2026, the California Perinatal Wellness Alliance (CPWA) and community partners gathered at Wellnest for From Pain to Power 2.0 — a powerful day of storytelling, healing, connection, and systems change focused on transforming transforming perinatal mental health systems in Los Angeles and across California.
Together, 150 survivors, parents, providers, policymakers, funders, birthworkers, and community leaders came together to center lived experience, reduce stigma, build solidarity, and advance collective action for more compassionate, coordinated, and equitable perinatal mental health systems.
Presented by the California Perinatal Wellness Alliance (CPWA) and community partners – Maternal Mental Health NOW, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, Black Women for Wellness, the LA County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Prevention Initiative, Claris Health, and Wellnest – building on our 2024 From Pain to Power LA convening of nearly 200 survivors, providers, and policymakers, and ongoing statewide movement-building efforts.
Event Impact
From Pain to Power 2.0 was a survivor-led gathering for parents, providers, policymakers, funders, birthworkers, and community leaders committed to transforming perinatal mental health systems in Los Angeles and across California.
Perinatal mental health conditions are among the most common complications of pregnancy and postpartum — yet too many families, especially Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant, LGBTQ+, and low-income communities, continue to face stigma, isolation, and barriers to care.
Together, we:
- Raised awareness and reduced stigma
- Centered lived experience and survivor leadership
- Built solidarity across families, providers, advocates, and decision-makers
- Advanced collective action for systems change
The day was both deeply personal and profoundly collective. In a time of grief and uncertainty for so many communities, the convening created rare space to breathe, tell the truth, witness one another, and remember that healing and systems change are connected.
Throughout the day, participants moved between learning, storytelling, connection, healing, and systems dialogue. The impact was palpable: folks cried, released, shared stories they had not expected to share, built new relationships, and left feeling less alone, more connected to a broader movement, and more committed to transforming the perinatal mental health care system.
Program Highlights
Survivor Storytelling
- Powerful personal stories that honored lived experience, illuminated gaps in care, and helped participants feel less alone.
Advocacy & Systems Dialogue
- Conversations connected community voice to concrete reforms in perinatal mental health, including SB 626, statewide systems alignment, and CPWA’s recent CA Roundtable to Align Systems on Perinatal Mental Health.
Healing & Strategy Sessions
- Optional afternoon sessions created space for movement, storytelling, local systems coordination, and community visioning for the future of perinatal mental health systems change.
Emceed by postpartum depression survivor and comedian Nicole Blaine, the convening featured an incredible lineup of storytellers, providers, advocates, elected officials, and community leaders.
Videos from Pain to Power 2.0
Public Leadership Remarks
Video remarks from elected officials and public leaders highlighted the importance of perinatal mental health, family wellbeing, and systems change.
Stories on Screen: Voices from Diverse Perinatal Mental Health Journeys
These stories are shared with deep gratitude to the storytellers who offered their lived experience to help reduce stigma, deepen understanding, and advance systems change.
Thank You Sponsors
From Pain to Power 2.0 was made possible through the partnership of sponsors who share our commitment to equity, healing, and community-led change. We are deeply grateful for your investment in a future where every family has access to compassionate, culturally responsive perinatal mental health care.
Thank you to our Title Sponsors – First 5 LA, Wellnest, and LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, 2nd District
Thank you to our Presenting Sponsors – LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, 3rd District, California Abundant Birth Project, The Wonderful Company, Supernus Pharmceuticals
Thank you to our Community Sponsors – The Crow, Claris Health, Maternal Mental Health NOW, Return to Zero: HOPE, PSI – CA Chapter, Black Girls Mental Health Foundation, Diversity Uplifts, Inc., 4th Trimester
About Pain to Power
From Pain to Power began in October 2024, when nearly 200 survivors, providers, and policymakers gathered in Los Angeles to elevate the perinatal mental health crisis and its disproportionate impact on Black women and marginalized communities.
Out of that, CPWA was born — a survivor-led movement advancing storytelling, community leadership, and policy change across the state. Since then, CPWA has launched a statewide storytelling campaign, hosted a statewide advocacy day in Sacramento, convened a California Perinatal Mental Health Agency Roundtable, and continued building tools and relationships to ensure no parent falls through the cracks.
From Pain to Power 2.0 built on this foundation by deepening our commitment to healing, storytelling, systems alignment, and community-led change.
Participant Reflections – Pain to Power 2.0
“This was honestly one of the best days of community, learning, and organizing I’ve ever attended. Thank you.”
“The vulnerability, connection, and collective energy in that room were palpable and deeply moving.“
“The storytelling circle at the end was incredibly powerful, a great group of women being incredibly vulnerable with strangers and holding space for each other. It was beautiful.”
Questions?
Email us at cassie@calpwa.org
