Chantal Moves to Memphis to Work as a Midwife

Hello to family, friends, and all those this may reach

I am asking the community for financial support to help cover moving expenses as I make this incredible transition from California to an opportunity in Memphis, Tennessee for a Midwife Fellowship for CHOICES (Memphis’ Center for Reproductive Health). CHOICES has the first fellowship for new graduate, Black Midwives! This is such a unique opportunity to learn from a team of AMAZING Black midwives in an AMAZING environment.

As a new graduate, the expenses to become licensed and certified as a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Reproductive Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP), were far more expensive than what I expected and what I budgeted for (in the thousands) and I had to use a majority of my savings to cover the cost. All of this while studying for the CNM boards, supporting Black families with low-cost (or trade) doula support, dealing with the Board of Registered Nurses, and job-hunting. This made working full-time nearly impossible and my personal debt increased.

So why is this opportunity so important? The CHOICES fellowship would allow me to take care of Black pregnant people and gain birthing skills in the hospital, home, and birth center—putting those who are giving birth the CHOICES to take control of their birthing experience. The fellowship centers around the experiences of Black people, taking into account the racism, sexism, classism, and other social political identities that can relate to or affect their relationship with the healthcare system. Memphis may be one city, but doing this work – the hard work, the necessary work, will make an impact on the families and people I support in the south where there is much controversy around reproductive rights. I have dreamed and prayed for an opportunity like this that would allow me to care for people who look like me but to also learn how to care for other marginalized communities. This will be an opportunity that will allow me to tap into the authentic and traditional spirituality Black midwifery not taught in a school setting.

So, the move is expected to happen by the first week of January 2022 – the notice is short (especially with the holidays coming up) so as you can imagine I am frantically trying to prepare for this new journey. I would deeply appreciate any donations or help by sharing this page with others, so that I will be able to raise funds to help cover the costs of shipping my things, driving cross country (with these current gas prices!), room and board along the trip as well as when I arrive as I look for a place to live. My hope is that the community I have invested so much of my time and love in, will be able to return that investment and help me to continue to impact other communities!