Send Brianna to Midwifery School at UCSF
Becoming a midwife has been my dream since I was a kid. I've spent most of my adult life preparing for this journey starting with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and later studying nursing. In 2015 life hit me; I left nursing, and spent 5 months at home with family during a difficult time.
After moving to California, I went on to become one of the top 10% of San Francisco career nannies. Nanny-ing opened doors to new clients, and new opportunities like the Sisterweb San Francisco Community Doula Network. Through this experience, I was able to develop skills as a birth worker, exceeding 80 hours of outside trainings in breastfeeding, supporting clients with HIV, home birth, and perinatal loss. As my team and I are nearing 50 San Francisco black birthing families, I’ve learned to stand in my power as an unwavering advocate for child bearing families in my community.
Through my day to day and work connections, I learned about midwifery at the University of California San Francisco and their unique, and highly competitive Master’s Entry Program in Nursing. I immediately knew I was destined for it, and dedicated my time to preparing. I retook classes, received mentorship, and continued immersing myself into birth work at all 5 hospitals and the birth center in San Francisco. In 2019, I applied to the program. I was placed on the waitlist without receiving a spot. Determined to fulfill my calling, I applied again in 2020 and was awarded 1 of only 10 midwifery slots.
If you know me, you know I am passionate about advocating for the Black community. Black midwives account for ~3% of midwives, but Black women are 3-4x more likely to die during childbirth than white women due to systemic racism. In order to change these statistics, we have to increase representation and education within our own community. I want to be a part of that change.
UCSF is a prestigious university that comes with a hefty price tag. Ironically, the first and most expensive year, offers the least amount of funding for their students. I am petitioning those I know and love to invest in me as I navigate financing my dream education in one of the most expensive cities in the world.
I ask if reading this has stirred your heart, please consider sowing into my future and into generational change. I appreciate your support in making my dreams of serving black families, and delivering healthy black babies a reality.
