Event aims to support Cleveland doulas as a solution to high infant mortality rates
Cleveland, Ohio (April 4, 2024) A free event designed to bring attention to the role doulas can play in supporting childbirth and postpartum care — particularly among Black parents and parents of color — will take place in Cleveland Saturday.
Doulas are birthing professionals who provide information and counseling during pregnancy, comfort during labor and assistance with breastfeeding and newborn care.
The event, called the Doula and Community Expo, will provide more information about being a doula through panel discussions, interactive workshops and networking opportunities, as well as health screenings, dance breaks and a childcare space. It's organized by Birthing Beautiful Communities, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing the infant and maternal mortality rate in Cleveland.
"It's allowing doulas, birth workers, midwives, moms and community members to all come together and have this kind of trade show experience," said Krista Lumpkins-Howard of Birthing Beautiful Communities. "Then you're able to see what's working, what's not working, have engaging conversations."
Cuyahoga County's infant mortality rate in 2020 was 7.6 per 1,000 live births, compared with the national rate of 5.4 per 1,000. Statewide, Ohio also has higher-than-average infant mortality rates, and Black mothers are disproportionately affected. The rate for Black Ohioans is 164% higher than it is for white Ohioans.
Lumpkins-Howard said doulas are a critical component, for women of color especially, to have better labor and birth outcomes.
"Our goal is to connect the dots of those social determinants of health for our clients," she said. "We want to make sure that doulas have the tools that they need."
The event is open to new doulas, those already in the profession and anyone interested in becoming a doula, said Lumkins-Howard.
"Birth is sacred and we want to uphold that," she said. "So we want to make sure that when people are thinking about becoming a doula, they realize ... how much of an honor it is to be a part of someone's labor and birth experience."
The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 at BLDG17CLE, 4700 Lakeside Ave. Cleveland, on the second floor.
Ideastream Public Media | By Taylor Wizner
$2M Mackenzie Scott Grant Awarded to Cleveland’s Birthing Beautiful Communities, Supporting Medical Equity for Black Mothers Regionally
Cleveland, Ohio (March 19, 2024) – Today, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC) as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s largest awardees which supports people and places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. BBC received $2 million – the organization’s largest gift to date.
Birthing Beautiful Communities is Northeast Ohio’s only community-based doula program dedicated to improving the quality of life for Black mothers, babies, and families. Since 2014, BBC has worked to address and improve systemic and community structures that contribute to poor birth outcomes through culture, education, advocacy, support, and engagement. BBC provides free services to over 700 new and expectant mothers and families annually, including perinatal support doula services; childbirth and parenting workshops; life goal planning; transportation and healthy eating; lactation consultation; postpartum support; and classes and support groups to address self-care and anxiety.
“We’re overjoyed and deeply grateful for this transformative gift from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call. This generous support propels Birthing Beautiful Communities into an exciting new chapter, empowering us to amplify our impact and further our mission of ensuring every mother, baby, and family receives the care and support they deserve,” says Jazmin Long, President & CEO of BBC. “With this funding, we’re poised to continue transforming maternal health outcomes in Northeast Ohio and beyond, ushering in a future where every birth is a beautiful and healthy experience.”
You can listen to further remarks from Long here.
In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause. They underwent a final round of due diligence. Considering the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount.
“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at www.leverforchange.org.
About Birthing Beautiful Communities
Birthing Beautiful Communities addresses the social determinants of health and real-life circumstances that at-risk mothers face, making them vulnerable to infant mortality. Infant mortality is highest amongst communities of color. The core of the program is social cohesion. BBC functions and serves the purpose of real-time learning opportunities that will increase the understanding of how and why the social determinants of health affect unborn children, and what resources are available or need to be created, to increase the likelihood of infant survival up to one year and beyond.
BBC has evolved into a multi-layered, holistic set of services that, in addition to pregnancy and postpartum support, gives local women from historically economically depressed neighborhoods, opportunities to increase their personal and family wealth through employment with livable wages and address other needs that inhibit their quality of life and that of their children and families. Birthing Beautiful Communities mobilizes community residents and organizational partners to address the social, structural, and economic determinants of health and promote health equity.
You're Invited! BBC's Doula & Community Expo
We are thrilled to invite you to our first Doula and Community Expo on Saturday, April 6th, at the BLDG17CLE from 11 am - 5 pm.
This unique event will bring together 500 members from the doula, health, and general community locally and across the Midwest region. The Doula and Community Expo aims to celebrate birth work, share content, and highlight partners in the reproductive health and wellness industry. We can’t wait to see you there!
The Doula and Community Expo will honor Doulas as Superheros and include:
- Relevant keynote presentations
- Numerous resource tables from key partners throughout Northeast Ohio
- Interactive breakout activities in curated lounges
- Vendor tables, including a BirthWorkers marketplace
- Educational opportunities to enhance the skills and knowledge of doula
This event will leave guests inspired and empowered to uplift doulas, birthing people and families in our community.
Although tickets to this event are free, you are encouraged to register using the link below. Vendors interested in setting up a table to promote their holistic or healthcare-related business can purchase a $75 vendor table using the link.
Purchase your tickets here!
For any questions regarding your ticket purchase, please get in touch with Yuolanda Murray at ymurray@birthingbeautiful.org
BLDG17CLE Address: 4700 Lakeside Avenue E., 2nd Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114
This event would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors!
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please get in touch with Chantel Tolbert at ctolbert@birthingbeautiful.org
"Faces of Despair" Virtual Screening of "Toxic: A Black Woman's Story" & Panel Discussion
On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, Birthing Beautiful Communities will partner with Village of Healing and Pregnant with Possibilities Resource Center to host "Faces of Despair," a virtual screening of the short film, "Toxic: A Black Woman's Story" and panel discussion. To join us, please register by emailing events@birthingbeautiful.org.
Join Birthing Beautiful Communities' "Two Is Greater Than One" Fatherhood Program for "Kickin It With The Dads" on June 25th!
Birthing Beautiful Communities Present: Two Is Greater Than One Fatherhood Program
This FREE EVENT is family friendly, yet geared towards Fathers, Father-Figures, and Expecting Fathers. Please join us at our very first event for our fatherhood program: Two Is Greater Than One! Come enjoy a day full of fun & activities with your little one(s), as we engage in Kickball games, FREE food, shared resources, networking opportunities, and rebuilding our communities through our households. Registration is required.
