Elevating A Graduating Black Midwife
Donation protected
Hi loves! Hi my name is Mercedes, thank you so much for coming across my life and reading my story. I am a soon-to-be-midwife this year 2020. I have been working at being a midwife since 2014, when I took my first doula workshop. While enjoying the doula workshop, it was confirmed (in my spirit) that I am meant to be a supporter of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
When I initially started my journey as a doula and student midwife. I truly did not realize the impact I would have on my community. It has been very heavy seeing the disparities of POCs, especially black. The lack of information given, the blatant judgement and disregard, and total lack of resources for our families.
Midwifery is a light at the end of the tunnel to me, because there are two promises in life. Babies will be born, and life will come to an end. Unfortunately for my black brothers and sisters, our cards are being pulled many times before we can even finish our work on this earth.
As I progressed into this work/calling I battled a lot with if this is right for me? I have five kids, I'm single mom (with the amazing help of my mother), and I am working to support everyone in my household. What am I thinking?! But my children, family, friends, and life experiences confirm this goes so much deeper than me.
My vision is to open a practice, because I want to show leadership, initiative, and create a place for everyone, but tailored to MY community.
If you don't know:
- black mothers get the brunt of the negative birth outcomes dying 3-4 more times than the white american women.
-black babies die at an astounding rate of 11.4 per 1,000 live births compared to 4.9 per 1,000 live births of non-hispanic white babies, if you didn’t get that it is more that 2 times the rate of white american babies.
It is something that I have personally experienced with racism, ageism, and disregard for black lives. I was asked recently why I want to be a midwife and I kept thinking, because I feel called. Really it is NOT just that! I have desired to support pregnant people and babies since the age of ten. I have dreamed of this, however it was the experience of losing my first son that really sealed my why. He was taken from me, by people in the system that did not care what I thought or felt.
I was a young black woman walking into a hospital with complaints that were valued by my (birth center) midwives. They wanted me to get checked out, because I was far from them at the time. I told my midwives that “everything was all good” per the hospital, but they gave us all false reassurance. Because the staff would not listen and rushed me out of the hospital...less than 12 hours later I was back at the hospital with a baby with NO heartbeat. I lost my first sweet baby. RIP Josiah ॖ
Why do I want to be a midwife, because I want to listen, I want to care, and I don't want anyone to have to cry the cry I did. However, I have heard of too many stories of black voices that were NOT listened to. I NEED to fill this gap!
Thank you for taking the time to read a small part of my story, and reading why I plan to open my own practice in Pierce Co., WA. The exact location is TBD as I am still working out the logistics of that. I will be graduating from Midwives College of Utah and looking forward to taking my national and local exams shortly after. That is why I am trying to rally together what funds I can so I can be ready to serve my community and those supporting it.
I am raising funds with your help, for my licensing exams (national & local), equipment, since I am a single mom, an "expense safety" (so I can focus on studying for my exams, take on less duties, and still support my family) and a used small car. Currently I have a family van and while it has been great, when my mother is home with the kids she doesn't have anything to get them all around if need be. It would be great to have the security of knowing my family is solid, while I am supporting my community.
Breakdown-
National exam(NARM)- $1,100
Local exam + application fee (WA STATE)- $696
Equipment- $ 2,100
Office Space Lease- $4,500 (3 month)
Expense Safety- $3,500 (1 month)
Small Car- $8,000
GoFundMe Fees $780 (2.9%)
Total- $20,676
Thank you!
When I initially started my journey as a doula and student midwife. I truly did not realize the impact I would have on my community. It has been very heavy seeing the disparities of POCs, especially black. The lack of information given, the blatant judgement and disregard, and total lack of resources for our families.
Midwifery is a light at the end of the tunnel to me, because there are two promises in life. Babies will be born, and life will come to an end. Unfortunately for my black brothers and sisters, our cards are being pulled many times before we can even finish our work on this earth.
As I progressed into this work/calling I battled a lot with if this is right for me? I have five kids, I'm single mom (with the amazing help of my mother), and I am working to support everyone in my household. What am I thinking?! But my children, family, friends, and life experiences confirm this goes so much deeper than me.
My vision is to open a practice, because I want to show leadership, initiative, and create a place for everyone, but tailored to MY community.
If you don't know:
- black mothers get the brunt of the negative birth outcomes dying 3-4 more times than the white american women.
-black babies die at an astounding rate of 11.4 per 1,000 live births compared to 4.9 per 1,000 live births of non-hispanic white babies, if you didn’t get that it is more that 2 times the rate of white american babies.
It is something that I have personally experienced with racism, ageism, and disregard for black lives. I was asked recently why I want to be a midwife and I kept thinking, because I feel called. Really it is NOT just that! I have desired to support pregnant people and babies since the age of ten. I have dreamed of this, however it was the experience of losing my first son that really sealed my why. He was taken from me, by people in the system that did not care what I thought or felt.
I was a young black woman walking into a hospital with complaints that were valued by my (birth center) midwives. They wanted me to get checked out, because I was far from them at the time. I told my midwives that “everything was all good” per the hospital, but they gave us all false reassurance. Because the staff would not listen and rushed me out of the hospital...less than 12 hours later I was back at the hospital with a baby with NO heartbeat. I lost my first sweet baby. RIP Josiah ॖ
Why do I want to be a midwife, because I want to listen, I want to care, and I don't want anyone to have to cry the cry I did. However, I have heard of too many stories of black voices that were NOT listened to. I NEED to fill this gap!
Thank you for taking the time to read a small part of my story, and reading why I plan to open my own practice in Pierce Co., WA. The exact location is TBD as I am still working out the logistics of that. I will be graduating from Midwives College of Utah and looking forward to taking my national and local exams shortly after. That is why I am trying to rally together what funds I can so I can be ready to serve my community and those supporting it.
I am raising funds with your help, for my licensing exams (national & local), equipment, since I am a single mom, an "expense safety" (so I can focus on studying for my exams, take on less duties, and still support my family) and a used small car. Currently I have a family van and while it has been great, when my mother is home with the kids she doesn't have anything to get them all around if need be. It would be great to have the security of knowing my family is solid, while I am supporting my community.
Breakdown-
National exam(NARM)- $1,100
Local exam + application fee (WA STATE)- $696
Equipment- $ 2,100
Office Space Lease- $4,500 (3 month)
Expense Safety- $3,500 (1 month)
Small Car- $8,000
GoFundMe Fees $780 (2.9%)
Total- $20,676
Thank you!
Organizer
Mercedes Snyder
Organizer
Bonney Lake, WA