This is a series highlighting folks who identify as Radical Doulas. Are you interested in being part of the series? Go here to provide your responses to the profile questions and I’ll include you!

About Rachel: Rachel is a full spectrum doula, reproductive justice and healing warrior. She is based in Austin, TX. For the last 15 years she has supported parents as a doula, nanny, childcare giver and friend. As a childcare giver she founded La Semilla Childcare Collective a radical childcare collective for parents and children of color in Austin in 2008. She believes childcare and birthing on your own terms is a right. Presently she serves as the Birth Support Program Director for all women of color led Mama Sana Vibrant Woman where she coordinates the volunteer birth companion program prioritizing queer people of color and people of color to increase the number of birth workers of color who provide culturally respectful care. She is also currently a student midwife working towards her Certified Professional Midwife license.

What inspired you to become a doula?
The pregnancy and birth of one of my best friends. At the time I was spending alot of time with her, she is a single Black mama and her partner was incarcerated. The experience she had when our community stepped in to support her around her childbirth was life changing for me. Despite her obstacles she had a healthy happy birth and baby. It was through that experience that I realized despite our situations we could create the world we want to see. The act of providing emotional and physical support during pregnancy and childbirth was our tradition and a powerful role in community.

Why do you identify with the term radical doula?

I identify with the term radical doula because for me it synthesizes my politics and my work. As a afrolatinxindigena woman it is important to talk about my work as a political act and form of solidarity. I am a doula because the medical institutions sterilize the communal and spiritual aspects out of birth and healthcare. We need life and spirit in these places as a part of being our whole selves. As a radical doula I play a vital role in challenging these institutions that perpetuate trauma and sickness.

What is your doula philosophy and how does it fit into your broader political beliefs?
Birth is physical, spiritual and sacred. People of color have always known this. I practice as a doula in order to reclaim, remember, and revitalize the spirit of our communities. I reclaim my role as a birth companion and healer, remember my traditional practices and knowledge, and revitalize myself and the people I work with in order to challenge white supremacy and trauma. As people of color who are experiencing genocide we have a right to care for ourselves exactly how we want and desire despite race/gender/sexuality. The white capitalist power structures were created and upheld to destroy our personal and collective Power. In order to liberate ourSelves we must reclaim our practices around birth and healing. We must remember the wisdom of our ancestors in order to survive and regain balance. Through this revitalize our spirits, selves, and communities.

What is your favorite thing about being a doula?
Working together and in solidarity with the birthing person! Working with their family/friends. The relationships and trust that are created during childbirth are lasting and authentic. And I love babies!

If you could change one thing about the experience of pregnancy and birth, what would it be?That every person despite situation or location has a doula, or support person at whatever point they choose.

This is a series highlighting folks who identify as Radical Doulas. Are you interested in being part of the series? Go here to provide your responses to the profile questions and I’ll include you!

About Erynne: tânsi kiya,  my name is erynne michelle and i am of mixed Saulteaux-Cree Métis, Filipina, Irish and Scottish ancestry. As someone of mixed ancestry, I believe it is essential to work towards a world where Indigenous communities and cultures, and the values that ground them, take precedent in our societies today. As a light skinned iskwe (womyn), I believe that it is my responsibility to confront colonial sexualized violence and educate non-Indigenous societies about the importance of Indigenous ancestral knowledge, relational accountability and protocol.

I am currently a PhD Student in the Indigenous Governance Program at the University of Victoria. My Doctoral work focuses on Indigenous wellness, leadership and body-governance; specifically birth-work. I further aspires to continue my collaborative research with community relations in the South through comparative North-South conversations and collaborations.
Erynne splits her time between Coast Salish/Lekwungen/WASANEC territories (Vancouver Island), Munsee Delaware/Oneida/Chippewa on the Thames Territories (Ontario) and Brazil.

What inspired you to become a doula?
I knew I wanted to be a birth worker for as long as I can remember.
It wasn’t until I stumbled across a grant for Indigenous folk seeking doula training- that I was able to access the training. In conversations with other birth workers, I began to understand the profound experience of birth, and the important roles of birthing traditions in efforts towards Indigenous sovereignty, well-being and self-determination. I do not see ceremony as divorced from politics, and furthermore body divorced from Land. Therefore, I believe that the work of an Indigenous doula, is integral for both physical and mental health as well as spiritual and emotional well-being.

Why do you identify with the term radical doula?
I identify with the term radical doula for two main reasons:
1) To acknowledge and therefore interrogate colonial historical legacies (founded upon racism, sexism and white-supremacist capitalist values) within mainstream health-care practice across Turtle Island.
2) To create safe spaces for Indigenous families to bring their new ones into their homes, clans, families and communities; in culturally safe and spiritually relevant ways.

What is your doula philosophy and how does it fit into your broader political beliefs?
My philosophy as a Doula is to first and foremost support the Mother and her relationships to herself, her body, her baby, partner/family and the Land.
I want her to feel a sense of confidence in her work, and to know that no matter what she has someone beside her at all times- and through all waves of struggle, emotion and triumph.
Furthermore, I believe that all families should be able to access safe health-care support, without the danger of racism or colonial violence. Therefore, I see myself as a mediator between non-Indigenous care-givers and the Indigenous families I support.
Finally, if the family chooses, I believe I have the responsibility to create birth spaces that feel culturally relevant and safe.

What is your favorite thing about being a doula?
While I have only attended two births (as I received my training this year-2016), I would have to say my favourite thing is the relationships that are established. These are life-long relationships because in some way the mothers- and families experience a re-birth as well. I feel honoured to be able to witness such miracles, as well as support the mothers/families in any way that they need.
Each time a young one is born, we are healed a little more.
I believe that when born into the Language, into the hands of a loving circle (parents, family, birth aunty), and with water songs- that child’s spirit knows where it belongs in Creation.
This is the power of birth work.

If you could change one thing about the experience of pregnancy and birth, what would it be?
That ALL Indigenous families and families of Colour have access to loving birth support/doulas/birth aunties – who have undergone meaningful and in-depth training on decolonial health-care, anti-racist birth-work and Indigenous birth traditions.