A Woman’s Choice Clinics would like to take space to honor Nancy Metayer—especially as we enter Black Maternal Health Week, a time that calls us to reflection and action.
Nancy was a true champion of the people. She was light—radiant, unwavering, and deeply needed. In a movement that demands courage and compassion, Nancy carried both with a grace that inspired everyone around her. She was more than an advocate—she was a force. The kind of person who didn’t just talk about change, but lived it, fought for it, and made it happen.
Writing this feels heavy because Nancy wasn’t just part of the movement—she was our comrade. She broke barriers without hesitation. She did the work, every single day, for the people. And she did it with a fire that could not be ignored.
I think back to the first time I met Nancy—it was around the kickoff of the Amendment 4 campaign. She was the first person I ever spoke to about running for office. And the way she poured into me at that moment… I will never forget it. She told me we need more people willing to fight for what is right—for the people, not for power. She introduced me to Black in Repro, and in doing so, she expanded my world. That was Nancy—always opening doors, always lifting others as she climbed.
And that is why this loss cuts so deeply.
Because while we grieve Nancy, we are also reminded of the very fight she dedicated her life to—a fight where Black women continue to be at risk in ways that are both preventable and unacceptable. In the United States, Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Black infants are more than twice as likely to die before their first birthday. Black women are also significantly more likely to experience stillbirth and complications that go unheard, unseen, and untreated.
These are not just statistics. These are lives. These are families. These are futures taken too soon. Nancy understood that. She fought against it. She stood in the gap for people who deserved better—who deserve better.
Our hearts are with her family, her friends, and every life she touched—because there are so many of us. We feel this loss deeply. And while the movement will never be the same without her light, we carry her with us in every step forward.
Nancy Metayer was the kind of leader we needed more of. And now, it is on all of us to rise—to continue the work, to speak her name, and to fight just as fiercely as she did.
We will miss her. We will honor her. And we will never stop fighting—for her, and for all of us.
-Gabby