Sadija Smiley and SAILS: Championing Healing and Awareness for Families Experiencing Infant Loss

By Tammy Reese | Wednesday, March 18 | Mind, Body, and Soul

March is a time to honor women whose work transforms communities, and few embody purpose-driven advocacy like Sadija Smiley. As a grief specialist and founder of Born Into Silence (SAILS), she has turned her personal experience with stillbirth into a mission to support families navigating the heartache of pregnancy and infant loss. Through SAILS, Sadija creates spaces where grief is acknowledged, healing is possible, and no family has to face loss alone. With the upcoming SAILS Gala, she is inviting the community to join in remembrance, connection, and empowerment, bringing together grieving families, advocates, and supporters to shine a light on a subject often left in silence.

Sadija, what inspired you to become a grief specialist, and how did your personal experience with infant loss guide you toward this path?

Sadija: My journey into this work was not something I planned; it was something I lived. After the stillbirth of my daughter at 36 weeks, my world changed in an instant. I was navigating one of the most devastating experiences a mother can face, and what I quickly realized was how little support existed for families like mine. There were very few spaces where my grief was understood, acknowledged, or even spoken about openly.Over time, I began to turn my pain into purpose. What started as my own healing journey became a calling to support others. Becoming a grief specialist allowed me to draw on both my lived experience and my professional background to create spaces where families feel seen, supported, and not alone.

Can you tell us the story behind Born Into Silence (SAILS) and what motivated you to create this support organization?

Sadija: Stillborn And Infant Loss Support, also known as SAILS, was created from a very real gap I experienced personally. After losing my daughter, I found myself searching for support that simply wasn’t there. Pregnancy and infant loss happen more often than people realize, yet families are often left to grieve in silence. That silence can be isolating and overwhelming.

SAILS was created to change that. It is the support I wish existed when I needed it most. What began as a response to my own loss has grown into a community that now supports families across multiple states and beyond. At its core, SAILS exists to make sure no family has to navigate this kind of grief alone.

How does SAILS provide healing and comfort for families who have experienced stillbirth or infant loss, and what makes your approach unique?

Sadija: SAILS provides healing through a combination of grief support, community, and education. We offer programs that meet families at different points in their grief journey, from immediate support to long-term healing spaces. This includes support groups, remembrance initiatives, financial assistance, keepsake items, and community gatherings where families can connect with others who truly understand.What makes our approach unique is that it is both lived and led. This work is rooted in real experience. We don’t just talk about grief, we create spaces where it is safe to feel it, express it, and be held in it. We also make room for both grief and joy to coexist, because healing is not one-dimensional.

The upcoming SAILS Gala is a night of remembrance and healing. What do you hope attendees experience and take away?

Sadija: I hope attendees walk away feeling seen, connected, and deeply moved. The Gala is a space where grief, love, remembrance, and community all come together. For many families, it may be the first time their baby’s name is spoken in a room filled with support. That alone can be incredibly powerful. At the same time, we create space for joy. We laugh, we connect, and we celebrate the strength of our community. I want people to leave knowing that even in the presence of grief, healing and connection are possible, and no one has to walk this journey alone.

How have collaborations with figures like Mayte Garcia and Persia Nicole amplified your mission, and why is community support so crucial to SAILS’ success?

Sadija: Collaborations like these help bring visibility to a topic that is often kept in the shadows. When individuals who have platforms and influence use their voice to share their experiences or support this work, it helps normalize conversations around pregnancy and infant loss. It lets families know they are not alone and encourages others to lean in with compassion.Community support is everything to SAILS. This work is not meant to be done alone. It takes a collective effort, from partners, donors, volunteers, and advocates, to create meaningful impact. Every collaboration is an opportunity to strengthen our ability to reach more families and provide the support they deserve.

Supporting grieving families can be emotionally intense. How do you maintain your own resilience and continue to find purpose in this work?

Sadija: I stay grounded in both purpose and honesty. There are moments when this work is heavy because I am not removed from it. I am a grieving mother myself. But I’ve learned the importance of giving myself space to feel, to rest, and to receive support as well.

I also remind myself why this work matters. Every time a mother feels seen, every time a family says, “I didn’t feel alone,” it reaffirms the purpose behind what I do. I no longer carry the expectation to be strong all the time. I’ve learned that true strength includes allowing myself to breathe, pause, and be supported, too.

What words of encouragement would you leave with our readers who are currently experiencing infant loss?

Sadija: You are not alone, even if it feels like it. Your grief is real, your love is real, and your baby matters. There is no timeline for healing, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. Give yourself permission to feel whatever comes up, without judgment. Even in the silence, even in the heaviness, healing is possible. It may not look the way you imagined, but it can still exist. And there are people and spaces that will hold you with care along the way.

Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for SAILS and the broader conversation about infant loss, pregnancy loss, and maternal health advocacy?

Sadija: My long-term vision is for pregnancy and infant loss to no longer be a silent experience. I want to see a world where families are supported from the moment of loss, where healthcare systems are more compassionate and equipped, and where communities understand how to show up for grieving families. For SAILS, that means expanding our programming across additional service areas and increasing our in-person presence. While we are accessible online and able to support families virtually, it is important to me that we also build in-person chapters or locations in multiple states so families can experience that connection face-to-face. It also means continuing to build partnerships, increasing access to support, and advocating for awareness and education so that no family feels overlooked in their grief.

How can we keep up to date with you on social media?

Sadija: You can stay connected with our work by following @bornintosilence across social media platforms. You can also visit our website at www.bornintosilence.org to learn more about our programs, events, and ways to support families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.

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Owner of Visionary Minds Public Relations and Media, Tammy Reese is an award-winning writer and journalist best known for landing major interviews with Angela Bassett, Sharon Stone, Sigourney Weaver, Laurence Fishburne, Geena Davis, Billy Porter, Morris Chestnut, Nelly, Mona Scott Young, Giancarlo Esposito, Luke Evans, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jennifer Connelly, Joseph Sikora, Meagan Good, Leon, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Phylicia Rashad, Omar Epps, Courtney Kemp, Vivica A Fox, Ryan Coogler, and so many more.

She is a proud member of ForbesBLK as well as New York Women in Film and Television.

Other articles by Tammy Reese in Vision & Purpose LifeStyle Magazine.

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