Education Fund for an Aspiring Black Midwife

My decision to become a midwife feels like coming home to my true self. My interest in home birth and midwifery began more than two decades ago, with my mom’s home births when I was young. In 2018, I decided to become a certified doula. I currently work with families in Florida and Washington State. Now my aspiration is to become a midwife.

Black midwives are essential to addressing higher rates of maternal and neonatal mortality among Black communities everywhere. Black birthing people are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related cause than white people. This is because of medical racism.

As a Black birthing person, I have experienced an obstetrical system that did not treat me with care or listen to me. As a doula, I have experienced first-hand the rush into medical interventions instead of letting birthing bodies and birthing people work through the process as long as everything is medically safe. I have also seen the tendency for providers to induce birthing people for convenience—especially around holidays.

Working as a midwife will allow me to make a big difference in birthing people's lives—especially those who do not trust an OB to have their best interest at heart, or are afraid to go to a hospital because they know they will be birthing in an environment they will not be listened to (even if they have a doula).

After I become a midwife, my vision is to open a Black birth center that employs Black and people of color providers - midwifes, doulas, lactation consultants, and childbirth educators. But I have some steps to take first. I am in the process of enrolling in all of my prerequisites so I can get accepted into the September 2021 midwifery cohort at Common Sense Midwifery. I have been able to secure some partial scholarships, but I still need to pay the rest of the class fees. I also need to raise the funds necessary to pay for the first year of midwifery school. My prerequisites include:

• Anatomy & Physiology 1

• Anatomy & Physiology 2

• Childbirth Education course

• Lactation Course

• Infant CPR

• Neonatal resuscitation

While I am in midwifery school, I will not be able to earn as much money. I currently work more than full-time, but that will no longer be possible. In addition to tuition, this GoFundMe will help my family with our monthly living expenses.

Thank you for supporting my dream by contributing to my education fund. Your support will directly translate into fighting for racial justice for Black birthing people.