About the Missing Pieces Support Group
Hi, there:
I’m Jamilah Robinson. My fellow board members, Emily Gamboa, Jesekia Sam, Crystal Boykin and I are seeking your support in a venture we hold near and dear to our hearts.
We are a group of women who have experienced pregnancy losses ranging from first term miscarriages to stillbirths. We know the emotional and physical toll that this type of loss carries and have committed to helping others in this situation by founding a non-profit organization: Missing Pieces Support Group.
Mission Statement: Our mission is to bring awareness to pregnancy loss by providing informational resources; to form a mindful community that bridges the gap for similar support services, and to provide a platform that gives families the opportunity to share their stories online.
Vision Statement: Our vision is to serve the pregnancy loss community on a national scale through compassionate care package deliveries, dedicated support group facilitation, and the creation of powerful, relatable stories that shed light on the pregnancy loss experience online. We are driven by a commitment to destigmatize this common, yet often silenced, aspect of women’s lives. We believe that no woman should suffer in silence, and it’s time we collectively dismantle the silence surrounding pregnancy loss. Education is key; we aim to initiate open discussions about the definitions and experiences of miscarriages and stillbirths, with the goal of reducing the trauma women endure when facing such challenges.
The Board of Directors
Jamilah Robinson
Founder| Board Member | Executive Director
Wife + Mom + Entrepreneur+ Woman of Faith
Crystal Boykin
Board Member
Woman of God + Mother + Educator
Jescekia Sam
Board Member
Wife + Mom + Entrepreneur + Follower of the Most High
Emily Gamboa
Board Member and Secretary
Wife + Mom + Family Warrior + Resource Connoisseur
Jamilah Robinson, Founder & Board Member
Unaware of a community of women who could help, she made it her mission to create something that would be specifically for this type of loss.
Jamilah Robinson, a Dallas native,married her college sweetheart who was born and raised in Houston, TX (Fun fact: Houstonians rarely move away from Houston permanently). She moved to Houston the day they were married and struggled to find a career path until she decided to invest in herself and became an entrepreneur.
Jamilah is most passionate about expressing her faith and helping others. Whether it’s assisting business clients with their online presence, supporting ministries at her church, making others feel better about themselves or adding value to their lives while sharing God’s message is what gets her out of the bed every morning.
Having experienced two miscarriages in 2018, Jamilah felt alone and suffered silently, not knowing that there were so many other women who have gone through what happened to her. Unaware of a community of women who could help, she made it her mission to create something that would be specifically for this type of loss.
Before Missing Pieces arrived, wanted to know how current grief support groups operate: So, she became a member of a local group in town (for testing and research is what she told herself). Seven weeks later, she found herself bonded with several other amazing women that had been where she was, hopeless, sad and miserable, and found coping mechanisms and hope after time spent together talking about their grief.
Jamilah is truly thankful that her fellow board members of Missing Pieces Support Group found it just as important to help women who have experienced pregnancy loss.
In 2020, Jamilah and her husband Rob delivered their rainbow baby, Lacy Olivia Robinson. Lacy serves as the family’s official promise that God is always with us. Lacy’s brother, Cameron serves as Resident Big Brother, carefully watching Lacy and showing her new things!
In addition to her role at Missing Pieces, Jamilah is the owner of J Robinson Digital Media Services, a content creation suite for small businesses and non-profit organizations. She is also a Managing Partner, serving as President for Affinity Weddings, an entertainment company that produces wedding reality TV. She holds an undergraduate degree from Texas Tech and an M.B.A. from the University of Dallas but has obtained most of what she knows just from experiencing life and having meaningful conversations with other people. Spare time is non-existent, but she enjoys making time to read, run, watch sports and spend quality time with her family.
Crystal Boykin, Board Member
Missing Pieces is something that Crystal holds dear to her heart due to her pregnancy loss. Knowing people have been through similar situations, she finds it comforting that she is not alone and can reach out to someone that can relate in many ways.
Crystal grew up the youngest of four children in the small town of Prairie View, Texas located on the outskirts of Houston. Throughout her childhood and grade school years, she was actively involved in UIL, student council, and dance. After graduating high school, Crystal chose to attend one of the best Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation, the illustrious Prairie View A&M University, where she earned her Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies. While attending PVAMU, she was a Panther Doll, then became a member of Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority(2011), Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.(2013), Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society(2014), and met her then-future husband Derrell.
Upon graduation in 2014, Crystal was offered a teaching position in Waco, Texas and after the first interview, she knew that the school was just right for her! In March of 2015, she and Derrell got engaged and were wed in June of 2016. They spent time together laughing, enjoying Houston and traveling the world. On the morning of September 8th, 2017 Crystal decided to take a pregnancy test, and to her surprise (she had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and irregular periods her entire life), the test was positive. She shared the news with her husband immediately, and a few weeks later they told their parents. Filled with excitement, they all began planning gender reveals, baby names, buying diapers, and all the exciting things that come with preparing for a baby.
On December 15, 2017, her world came to a halt. Around 3 a.m. that morning she woke up with slight bleeding that progressed, so she and Derrell headed to the hospital. After two doctors and the head of the department couldn’t find the heartbeat, they broke the bad news to Crystal then called Derrell back and told him. They cried, then told the family who responded in the blink of an eye to give support and prayers. As anyone can believe, that day forever changed her in a way that is unexplainable with just words. Over the next few months, she would go through depression, anxiety, and counseling which in turn helped her begin the healing process and exhibit the resilience she knew she stored inside.
Fast forward a few years, and Crystal is evolving each and every day. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Teagan, in 2020; is in a healthy loving relationship; and is in her eighth year of educating disadvantaged youth. She gets through the days, not on her own strength, but the strength of God on both good and bad days.”
Jescekia Sam, Board Member
Jescekia loves to dance and finds joy in teaching young ladies the gift of praise through this artistic medium.
Missing Pieces is very dear to Jescekia’s heart because of her personal experience with pregnancy loss. After dealing with the emotions of her stillborn, she now feels encouraged and inspired to help others.
She was devastated and stunned when she lost her son at 35 weeks gestation, especially after having delivered two healthy sons, Troy and Andrew, 13 and 14 years prior. Jescekia believes The Most High is the source that energizes her to continue to run this race and God saw fit to gift her another pregnancy in 2019. Jescekia and her husband, James, were blessed with a baby girl, who they named Abriea, the following year.
Jescekia is an actual Houston Native, a rare find as the city has become one the country’s largest melting pots! She graduated from Alief Hastings High School and later obtained her paralegal certificate from Wharton County Jr. College, but now works in a role that brings her joy and fulfillment. Jescekia currently owns her own business as a hairstylist and although her journey to entrepreneurship began six years ago, the path was not easy nor automatic.
Completing a hairstylist program and having a cousin that mentored and showed her the industry ropes were steps in the Most High’s master plan for her next big move. Soon after her remote position ended due to a company acquisition, Jesceika was prepared for the next phase of her career. She had already gained the proper credentials as well as experience in the hair industry by working part-time in a salon. The Lord was kind and rewarded her shift to hairstylist by keeping her business afloat during the height of Covid and she continues to serve others through her gift.
Jescekia loves to dance and finds joy in teaching young ladies the gift of praise through this artistic medium as she serves as Praise Dance Director at her church. She also enjoys helping others however she can; if there is a need she is always willing to step in and assist. Jescekia values quality family time and spends it playing sports with her family, baking and just being plum silly.
Emily Gamboa, Board Member & Secretary
She wants to empower women like her to find the support they need when faced with the unimaginable.
Emily has a heart of service and is most passionate about making meaningful connections through honest conversations. She is inspired daily by her children to be present in the moment; to find the beauty in small things and to never stop learning.
As any mom can guarantee, pregnancy and motherhood are not easy roads to navigate. Emily’s first two pregnancies had a few hiccups but resulted in healthy boys, Thatcher and Taggart. In 2018, her family discovered they were going to add a baby boy. That dream ended in heartbreak when she discovered the baby no longer had a heartbeat during her 16-week check-up appointment.
Feeling alone, confused and devastated, she sought professional help through a licensed psychologist. Emily’s psychologist was the first person who made Emily feel “heard” and validated her feelings about the loss of her baby. She also provided coping skills to manage situations that arise from this type of trauma. Three months later, she lost another baby at 10 weeks. Having been labeled infertile and feeling like she had hit rock bottom, she scoured the internet seeking support without success; but, by sheer luck, she heard of a local support group for women who have experienced pregnancy loss. It was here that she felt heard instead of pitied and understood rather than judged.
In 2019, Emily delivered their beloved rainbow baby, Tatum Clark. Tatum means “cheer and joy,” traits that he did indeed restore to her family’s life. From the start, Tatum’s older brothers were smitten by his presence and the three amigos are now a blurry sight to behold; always on the move and discovering new things!
Emily’s early childhood years are mixed like a gumbo’s roux. With a Southern Louisiana base and a family move to Texas, she spent her elementary and high school student life just north of Houston in The Woodlands. After graduating from Texas A&M University in College Station, she worked in and around Houston as a Kindergarten and Pre-K teacher for almost a decade. Emily traded in her full-time role in the classroom for life as a stay-at-home mom soon after she and her high school sweetheart, Daniel, welcomed their second son.
During this season of life, Emily does not have the spare time she once had to read, bake or create artwork; and most days finds herself just trying to survive her known responsibilities, as well as manage the unexpected. Aware of the benefits of being able to share her story and finding understanding from other women and families, Emily jumped at the chance to join Missing Pieces. She wants to empower women like her to find the support they need when faced with the unimaginable.
