July 10, 2025
‘The Ebony Canal’ has ignited conversations surrounding Black maternal health and mortality rates.
The Ebony Canal, a groundbreaking documentary spotlighting the lived experiences of Black mothers navigating a deeply flawed healthcare system, has been awarded Best Documentary at the 2025 ESSENCE Film Festival. Directed by four-time Emmy Award-winner Emmai Alaquiva and narrated by EGOT-winning actress Viola Davis, the film is being recognized not just for its artistic excellence but for its powerful contribution to the national dialogue around maternal health disparities.
Featuring appearances by Vice President Kamala Harris and actor-advocate Lamman Rucker, and with creative input from Keke Palmer, the film is produced by Brenda Gilbert and Lekha Singh and directed by Alaquiva. The Ebony Canal tells stories of birth, loss, survival, and resilience within a system that, too often, fails Black families.
“This wasn’t just a film, it was a mirror,” said Grammy-winning artist and actress LeToya Luckett, who moderated a post-screening panel. “The Ebony Canal forced us to see the beauty, the grief, and the strength that Black mothers carry. As a Black woman and a mother, this story hit home.”
The film’s ESSENCE debut was introduced by Pennsylvania State Rep. Gina H. Curry, co-chair of the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus, who praised the documentary for aligning with the ongoing policy efforts in the state and acknowledged its Pennsylvania roots.
Other panelists discussing Alaquiva’s Ebony Canel included Alana Yzola-Daly, a mother featured in the film and one of its associate producers; Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, OB/GYN and executive medical advisor to the project; and Kimberly Seals Allers, award-winning journalist and founder of the Irth App, which helps Black and brown families rate their birth and pediatric experiences.
“This film is a roadmap,” Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew expressed. “It shows what happens when we listen to Black women, invest in community care, and demand systems change. It’s not just storytelling. It’s strategy.”
For Yzola-Daly, sharing her story was deeply personal.
“I didn’t want to just tell the story. I wanted to live it, breathe it, and help change what’s next,” she said. “That’s what The Ebony Canal gave me. A way to turn pain into purpose.”
Director Alaquiva emphasized that the film’s mission extends far beyond awards and into activism.
“We didn’t set out to win awards. We set out to wake people up,” Alaquiva said. “The Ebony Canal is a vessel. It exists to move people and systems into action.”
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Following its win at ESSENCE, The Ebony Canal will continue its national tour with a screening at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival this August.
Additional impact screenings are planned and will be announced via The Ebony Canel website.
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