Episode 11: How One Father's Grief Turned Into Reproductive Justice Advocacy

Reimagined Motherhood Podcast Episode 11: How One Father's Grief Turned Into Reproductive Justice Advocacy Maria Clemente Morresi speaks with attorney and father, Hirsha Venkataraman about the death of his daughter Thalia, the grief he and his wife Mamta carried, and how that loss shaped both their family and his legal work in reproductive justice. The conversation makes space for the often-unspoken experience of fathers in perinatal loss while also addressing systemic failures that affect birthing families.Maria and Hirsha discuss grief, partnership, fatherhood, and how personal loss can become advocacy, community care, and action. After losing Thalia at 32 weeks of pregnancy, Hirsha found himself navigating profound grief alongside his wife, Mamta. He reflects on how fathers’ grief can be overlooked, the different ways partners process loss, and how his family keeps Thalia’s memory present in everyday life. He also shares how the experience influenced his work in reproductive justice and family defense, and how he honors his daughter through Run for Thalia, an annual fundraiser supporting bereaved parents and more compassionate pregnancy care. RUN FOR THALIA FUNDRAISER: givebutter.com/thalia2026 Find Hirsha on Instagram @hirsha_v Contact Maria: reimaginedmind.com Timestamps: 00:00 - Maria introduces the show’s mission in perinatal education 01:09 - Hirsha introduces himself, his family, and life in Long Island City 02:07 - How Maria and Hirsha reconnected and why they’re discussing perinatal loss 03:16 - Becoming parents during law school and career-building 04:09 - Hoping for a daughter and imagining life with Thalia 05:09 - The first sign something was wrong at 32 weeks 07:07 - Hearing there was no heartbeat in the hospital 08:35 - Breaking down and facing the reality of stillbirth 09:49 - Saying goodbye to Thalia 10:56 - Why uncertainty makes grief even harder 13:22 - Why fathers’ grief is often overlooked 15:11 - Coming home to an eerily quiet apartment after loss 17:29 - Talking about Thalia as a way to make the loss real 18:27 - Masculinity, bravado, and why many men stay silent 20:48 - How couples can support each other through grief 22:38 - Keeping Thalia present through sunsets and everyday beauty 25:03 - A moment when grief began to shift 26:29 - Choosing to try for another child after loss 27:27 - Raja’s birth and the meaning of a rainbow baby 28:17 - Pregnancy after loss and the weight of anxiety 32:58 - How loss revealed systemic problems in birth care 34:37 - Why mothers of color are often dismissed 35:34 - From law school to reproductive justice work 38:28 - Bodily autonomy and the meaning of reproductive justice 40:22 - Turning loss into advocacy for others’ choice 46:38 - Building community through the Perinatal Resource Collaborative 47:38 - Advice for parents who feel isolated in grief 51:00 - The story behind Run for Thalia 54:04 - The nonprofit work supported by the fundraiser 57:50 - How to support Run for Thalia 59:25 - What Hirsha hopes people remember about Thalia 60:28 - Closing reflections on grief, advocacy, and legacy