New York, NY, Jan. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On Monday, nominations were announced for the 57th Annual NAACP Image Awards, recognizing excellence across film, television, music, literature, and cultural storytelling. Among this year’s honorees is The Ebony Canal, which earned a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Documentary (Film), a significant milestone for this work and for the broader movement to elevate Black maternal health outcomes globally.
The nomination arrives at a time when the urgency of this work remains undeniable. Black and Brown women in the United States are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the CDC and Black infants are over two times more likely to die in their first year of life. That reality has been felt deeply within the maternal health advocacy community following the recent passing of Dr. Janelle Greene Smith, a respected midwife and tireless advocate whose work centered dignity, safety, and access for Black mothers and birthing people. Her legacy continues to shape the conversations and commitments reflected in this film.
Directed by Emmy award-winning Emmai Alaquiva and narrated by EGOT-winning actress Viola Davis, The Ebony Canal examines the systemic factors contributing to Black maternal mortality while centering the lived experiences of four women, their families and healthcare advocates. Since its release, the documentary has been screened in over 14 film festivals globally, produced over 20 private screenings and walked away with Best Short Documentary (Social Impact) at the 2025 Essence Film Festival and received the 2025 Cultural Visionary Award from Urbanworld Film Festival.
The 2026 NAACP Image Awards will reveal winners in select categories during a two-hour televised special airing live on Saturday, February 28, with additional non-televised category announcements taking place throughout the week of February 23–26.
This nomination places The Ebony Canal among a distinguished group of storytellers whose work continues to influence culture, policy, and public awareness affirming the role of documentary film as a powerful tool in shaping national dialogue around health equity and justice.
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About The Ebony Canal
This is an Emmy Award-winning documentary film that brings together policy, artistry, and lived experience to reveal how Black maternal and infant health stands at the intersection of love and justice. This film examines the HERstoric portal between the disparities of infant mortality and the current state of maternal health orbiting women and birthing people.
The film captures the humanity and inequities shaping Black motherhood through the stories of Mariah Peoples, Rachel Strader, Alana Yzola Daly, and Larissa Lane The film also features appearances and commentary from Vice President Kamala Harris, actor and advocate Lamman Rucker, and journalist, and maternal health advocate Elaine Welteroth, with creative contributions by Keke Palmer. The film features an original score by Bud’da (Stephen Anderson), a Grammy-nominated producer and composer whose work blends emotion and storytelling. This doc deepens through data and analytic insights from maternal health expert Dr. Margaret Larkins Pettigrew, whose research and advocacy highlight the systemic realities defining birth and survival for Black families in America.
Executive Produced by Brenda Gilbert, Lekha Singh, Sanjay Rawal, and Sam Reiman.
Special thanks to the Richard King Mellon Foundation and Janis Burley of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center for their contributions to this film.
The Ebony Canal Press Kit
Contact: Marcia Perry Dix, Perry Media Group
717-576-1899
[email protected]