Help Support Illiana on her doula journey
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Hi folks!! I created this fundraiser to help raise money for my birth doula training, end of life (death) doula training and doula business. If you don’t know what a doula is it is someone who is employed to provide guidance and support during an experience. A doula is someone who serves their community. I've been serving my community since I was in high school. I was one of the founders of a feminist club at Central Dauphin East High School called Women’s Empowerment club. From then on that's when I knew that I wanted to help my community.
I live in Harrisburg, Pa and Harrisburg is a predominantly black community. I would be the first birth and end of life doula in my community. BIWOC die of pregnancy related causes three times more higher than white women in the U.S. I want to prevent this from happening to someone in my community. I want to educate everyone about maternal health and I believe it is doable if I have the financial support. I also would like to be a voice for teen moms. Young women are getting pregnant. It's easier and healthier to educate these ladies on pregnancy than to ridicule them. There needs to be a space for marginalized groups when they are pregnant and I want to create that space in my community. My goal is to have enough money to the point where these people don't have to pay me, I can pay myself. Although my focus is BIPOC or teen moms I will be serving white allies as well. I will not discriminate!!
As you all know , police brutality and gun violence in the black community is very prominent. As a death doula I want BIPOC to have a “good death”. BIPOC do not talk about death; it is something that is so triggering to our community that we just ignore it unless it is right in front of our eyes. By you supporting me financially I can change that. As a death doula our purpose is to assist in the dying process. The dying process can look like so many things! I could be assisting and giving emotional support to someone who is dying or I could give that energy to that person’s family since they already passed. Being a death doula is complex but I know that my community needs one.
The training that I will be doing is Sumi’s Touch full spectrum doula training and the University of Vermont end of life doula training. Together these trainings cost $1,600 and they are ten to twelve weeks long. After my training I would like to work as a doula full time as soon as possible. By raising my GoFundMe to a higher price I can support marginalized communities without having to worry about payment in the beginning of starting my business. This gives me room to quit my full time job, build up clientele, and support my community without any restrictions. Thank you so much for your time and donations.
I live in Harrisburg, Pa and Harrisburg is a predominantly black community. I would be the first birth and end of life doula in my community. BIWOC die of pregnancy related causes three times more higher than white women in the U.S. I want to prevent this from happening to someone in my community. I want to educate everyone about maternal health and I believe it is doable if I have the financial support. I also would like to be a voice for teen moms. Young women are getting pregnant. It's easier and healthier to educate these ladies on pregnancy than to ridicule them. There needs to be a space for marginalized groups when they are pregnant and I want to create that space in my community. My goal is to have enough money to the point where these people don't have to pay me, I can pay myself. Although my focus is BIPOC or teen moms I will be serving white allies as well. I will not discriminate!!
As you all know , police brutality and gun violence in the black community is very prominent. As a death doula I want BIPOC to have a “good death”. BIPOC do not talk about death; it is something that is so triggering to our community that we just ignore it unless it is right in front of our eyes. By you supporting me financially I can change that. As a death doula our purpose is to assist in the dying process. The dying process can look like so many things! I could be assisting and giving emotional support to someone who is dying or I could give that energy to that person’s family since they already passed. Being a death doula is complex but I know that my community needs one.
The training that I will be doing is Sumi’s Touch full spectrum doula training and the University of Vermont end of life doula training. Together these trainings cost $1,600 and they are ten to twelve weeks long. After my training I would like to work as a doula full time as soon as possible. By raising my GoFundMe to a higher price I can support marginalized communities without having to worry about payment in the beginning of starting my business. This gives me room to quit my full time job, build up clientele, and support my community without any restrictions. Thank you so much for your time and donations.
Organizer
Illiana Germain
Organizer
Harrisburg, PA