Our Guests: Chanel Porchia Albert, Ancient Song Doula Services; Linda Jones, Black Women Birthing Justice; Quatia Osorio, Urban Perinatal Education Center; Dr. Sayida Peprah-Wilson, Frontline Doulas Episode Description: The truth is, while we wait for the medical system to confront and change its dangerous practices, it’s Black birth workers who are picking up the pieces of the infant and maternal health crisis. Doulas, midwives, and community workers punch the clock day in and day out to ensure we survive and thrive in our birthing experiences, but who’s taking care of them? In this special ..read more

Episode Description: Narratives are powerful. They can influence policy, shift cultural norms, and drive systemic change. What about the narrative in Black maternal health? How do we shift the mainstream narrative in Black birth and breastfeeding away from doom and gloom and negative statistics to centering joy and possibility? What is needed, who is missing and quite frankly, will the powers in Hollywood ever let us own this narrative? In this episode, Kimberly talks with New York Times best-selling author, award-winning writer and producer, Tonya Lewis Lee, whose most recent work, Aftershock ..read more

Our Birthing Person: Felicia Banks Other Guests: Marco Antonio Perez Estrada, Wahinehula Kaʻeo Episode Description: Felicia didn’t know if she’d ever give birth to a baby after an ectopic pregnancy that left her with one fallopian tube — but after years of physical and spiritual healing, she got exactly what she always wanted on the island of Hawaii. Originally from Idaho, Felicia has reclaimed love and peace as a stay-at-home mom and massage therapist who enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking, and being by the ocean. Join Kimberly for this week’s episode, as she chats with this mama about ho ..read more

Our Guests: Roslyn J. Smith, Safiya Rayford, Raena Granberry  Therapist: Saleemah McNeil  Episode Description: In this first Restoration episode of season 2, reproductive psychotherapist and CEO of Oshun Family Healing, Saleemah McNeil, and host Kimberly Seals Allers gather at SaksWorks Flagship in NYC to provide Black women who’ve experienced medical-related trauma space to heal. The three Black women who joined the conversation virtually include a woman who received racist comments from an OB/GYN. Another who was neglected by her midwife, which resulted in a full-term stillbirth ..read more

Our Birthing Person: Teddy Atim, Mary Harper Holly Other Guests: Helen Zimba Episode Description: This week, we’re examining the stigma against pregnant and birthing people living with HIV and centering the challenges and realities of healthy, joyful births even with a diagnosis. Host Kimberly Seals Allers follows the journeys of two HIV-positive mothers—Teddy, a mother of three living in rural Uganda, and Mary, a mother of one based in Fort Worth, Texas. Find out how both mamas overcame miseducation and judgment in their communities surrounding their HIV status and gave birth to HIV-negative ..read more

Our Birthing Person: Leslie Fickling Other Guests: Chanel Stryker-Boykin, Doula; Paul Ryan, CEO of Just A Baby; “Dave,” anonymous donor Episode Description: Society puts a stigma on Black single mothers, stereotyping and devaluing them. But what happens when you become a single mother by choice and choose sperm donation as your pathway to parenthood? This week’s guest, Leslie, used an app, a cup and a Black male donor she met in person to get the baby she so wanted. In this insightful conversation, Leslie takes host Kimberly Seals Allers on a lesser-told journey of reaching Black motherhood i ..read more

What is our birthright? This is the question that host, Kimberly Seals Allers, asks every guest at the conclusion of every episode. And the answers have varied from inspirational, tear jerking, compelling and raw. Enjoy this compilation of our team's favorite answers to, What is our birthright? Whatever it is, we're reclaiming it one story at a time.  Resources/References Learn more about having a safe and empowered birth by downloading the free ebook: Birth with Irth: A Mini-Manual to Pregnancy and Childbirth for Black People Get full episode details and transcripts (posted by midday) o ..read more

Our Birthing Person: Aquarius Watkins Other Guests: Dr. Joy Baker, M.D., OB/GYN Episode Description: While rural communities around the country—like LaGrange, Georgia—are battling limited maternity care access, mothers like Aquarius Watkins, are still striving for joyful birth experiences. With the help of a local Black OB/GYN, here’s how Aquarius advocated for herself and manifested her dream birth. Come join host Kimberly Seals Allers as she travels into the community south of Atlanta where mothers and perinatal physicians are working together to center joy and healing.  Aquarius Wa ..read more

Our Birthing Person: Christina Elmore Other Guests: Kimberly Durdin, LM, CPM, IBCLC In this week’s episode, Christina Elmore, actor (Twenties, HBO’s Insecure) and mother of two, takes us to her second birth for a ride through her expectations, fears, and A-ha moments as she found Black birthing joy in Los Angeles. In a hopeful and hilarious conversation with host Kimberly, along with insightful commentary from her midwife, we also explore how Hollywood (including her role as Condola) is helping rewrite the narrative of Black motherhood. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informat ..read more

Our Birthing Person: Kayden Coleman Other Guests: Nadine Ashby; Queer, Trans Birth Worker & Educator A powerful season two launches with Kayden’s story, a Black trans father of two daughters who reclaimed his birthright during his second birth. After a series of hurtful experiences during his first birth, Kayden discovered doulas who educated him and empowered him to voice his desires when he gave birth to his second daughter. In the midst of it all–including social media hate from others and poor care from medical professionals, he shares how he ultimately found joy in creating life and ..read more