Tatyana Ali launches Baby Yams for Black maternal health

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with the incomparable Tatyana Ali—actress, singer, scholar, mother, and now, founder of a mission-driven brand called Baby Yams. Most of us grew up watching her as Ashley Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but in this new chapter, Ali is stepping boldly into the world of advocacy and entrepreneurship, driven by one of the most urgent and under-discussed issues in America: Black maternal health.

In our conversation, Tatyana was radiant and deeply passionate, sharing the personal experiences that led her to create Baby Yams, a culturally-rooted baby care brand designed by and for Black families. But beyond baby products, the brand is grounded in something far more powerful—healing and protecting Black motherhood.

Tatyana became a mother during the pandemic, and like so many Black women, she faced a maternal health care system that too often overlooks, dismisses, and fails us. That firsthand experience sparked something in her. She began researching, organizing, and eventually building Baby Yams—not just as a product line, but as a movement.

“Black mothers are not invisible. We are not a statistic. Our wellness matters,” Ali said during the interview. “Baby Yams was born out of the desire to create safety, softness, and community for us.”

The statistics are staggering: Black women in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. And yet, these numbers rarely lead national conversations—until now.

This past Saturday in South Dallas, actress and maternal health advocate Tatyana Ali headlined The Black Moms Fair, delivering a powerful keynote fireside chat that left the audience inspired and deeply moved. As the founder of Baby Yams, Ali introduced her culturally rooted baby care line to a crowd of Black mothers, caregivers, and community leaders, emphasizing the urgent need to uplift and protect Black families through education, advocacy, and connection. Her presence at the fair—hosted by The Mtoto Agency—helped center the conversation around Black maternal health and showcased her growing impact as both a businesswoman and changemaker.