Black Doulas are Making History!

For Black History Month we want to center the voices of the Black doulas on the DPG team. We asked our doulas to share their words of wisdom as leaders in the childbirth profession, how they emphasize the importance of the Black experience, what feels good to see, and what they have faith or trust in.

Here’s what they had to say:

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“I have faith in/trust that not all black birthing people have life threatening or traumatic births. There are tons of happy, positive, joyful births by black people everyday. Our experience as black people is not always seeded in struggle and pain. We experience joy, respect and peace in birthing rooms quite often. While we acknowledge the disparities and strive for change, we must also celebrate the JOY."

- Jacquelin Knighton

“As a doula and leader in the childbirth profession, I emphasize the importance of the Black experience by hosting small social events for Black Women in my immediate circle. The purpose of these events is to provide a safe space for conversation and bring awareness and education on the history of healthcare disparities that Black Women experience presently and in our history. “

- Renee Goodman

“As a doula and leader in the childbirth profession, I emphasize the importance of the Black experience by recognizing the unique obstacles, inequities and blatant racism Black families face, inside and outside of the birth space. It is my personal mission to safeguard the experiences of black families through advocacy, unwavering support and compassionate care.”

-Celina Sargusingh

“It feels good to see Black moms be taken care of. The relief in their eyes, the way you can see the tension leave their bodies, when sometimes for the first time, someone is there to serve them.”

-Vernae Rahman-Smith

 "As a Black doula and leader in the childbirth profession, I emphasize the importance of the Black birthing experience by ensuring families have agency over their bodies and choices they make through their births and affirming that they are deserving of being heard; By being an advocate and reminding them that they have someone on their team that looks like them, that they have a safety net; By reminding everyone in the room that they are more than just a body birthing but a human being deserving of kindness and compassion as they bring another person into this world.”

-Jada Gainer

“As a doula and a leader in the childbirth profession, it feels good to see that black maternal health is a topic now. In both my birth and postpartum doula trainings, black maternal health was a topic we spent hours and hours on and for good reason. I knew this was an issue, but actually seeing and being thoroughly educated on it was a turning point for me. As a doula, I intend to help the black community by providing education and advocacy. I think the first and most important and effective way to improve the black maternal health crisis is through the education. With education on your health, choices, and rights, you and your family are now empowered to know what needs to be improved and how to make the best decision for you. I intend to help by continuing to educate myself and apply up to date knowledge so that in turn, I’ll be able to educate and empower in the most effective way possible for the best outcome.”

-Mikey Turner