“For every one death of a white baby in the city of Cleveland, Black babies and Black mothers are dying four times more often,” said Dr. David Margolius, Director of the Department Public Health for the City of Cleveland, as he opened the Afrofuturism Gala inside City Hall. “And the reason for that is not because of education. It’s not because of doctors’ visits. It’s not because of the wealth gap, which is real. But none of that explains why Black mothers, why Black babies die more often in Cleveland.
“The reason is because of stress. It is because of the experience of being a Black woman in the City of Cleveland, it’s because of our systems… But when you’re here tonight, when you’re enjoying the art, when you’re watching these performances, when you’re meeting these artists and experiencing everything that just happened, how do you feel? You feel better. You feel safe. You feel great. Your stress level is lower, your cortisol is lower. So I hope you never are in a position where you’re saying something like, ‘This is just art,’ or ‘I am just an artist,’ because this work is so important to everything that we do — to the health of our Black mothers and Black babies in the city of Cleveland.”
That was the spirit of Echoes of the Future, the culminating Afrofuturism gala of All Our Babies: Birthing in the Afrofuture, held on Sept. 14th, 2025. Jameelah Rahman and Errin Weaver, the lead artists and vision holders, spent a year creating monthly activations, temporary spaces for Black mothers and families to rest, learn and connect. The gala carried that vision to the grand stage of City Hall. It opened with a drum call by the Sheroes of Cleveland, libations poured for the ancestors and a fashion show featuring designs by Niasia Pinnock, Tiffany Carpenter, Jodi- Gaye Henderson. The Mama Look Book, an ongoing archive of portraits and stories of Black mothers was debuted, giving mothers a moment of glam and visibility. It will be available in print soon.
One mother featured in the documentary said: “I’ve never done anything like this. To be in the Look Book feels like such an honor. I feel beautiful, and it’s amazing.” Another participant described the gatherings as “a beautiful experience.”
Alongside live sets from Mojuba! Dance Collective, Humble G Tha Fiddla and headliners Mourning \[A] BLKstar, the event unveiled a rendering of a permanent Wellness Space envisioned by All Our Babies and designed by Desired Designs. The plans included communal kitchens, healing rooms, sound baths and studios for dance, art and storytelling. It will serve as a home for the work that has been moving from venue to venue.
A major highlight was the art exhibition, featuring works by Alexis Warren, Ashlee Sanford, Avery Lamar Pope, Barbara Townsend, Emanuel Wallace, Isaiah Williams, Jala Khateeb-Smith, James Quarles, Marissa McDowell and Maya Peruone, with each bringing their own perspective. All Our Babies team members, Jerome White, Tondi Wiley, and Abdul-Jalil Abdullah also added their voices and visual art to round out the group. The exhibit will remain on view inside City Hall until December 2025, giving the public more time to experience the vision.
But it wasn’t without struggle. All Our Babies started at Cleveland Clinic’s Langston Hughes Community Health & Education Center and they eventually had to leave. The work didn’t stop, they were welcomed by Rid-All Green Partnership and the POD, a Black-owned farm in Cleveland, which opened its doors so the team could keep the activations going. That improvising spirit carried them through the year, but also underscored the need for a permanent home. “We need a place where mamas know they can always come to rest and be held.” said Errin Weaver
The work of All Our Babies has been grounded in reinvestment: using Black designers, Black artists, Black caterers and Black healers. The funds didn’t just produce events, they circulated back into the community, organizers said, adding that the impact was clear: mothers and families showed up, felt seen, and came back month after month.
The gala ended in the way so many All Our Babies gatherings did: with a dance party. The City Hall floor filled with mamas, aunties and community members moving in joy.
As Weaver put it: “Afrofuturism is a tool. It lets us imagine tomorrow as thriving, even when today looks heavy. This gala is not an ending. It’s a beginning.”
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