Advertise on podcast: Birthright

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. And a third who had her concerns ignored and lost her baby after a premature delivery.  For more resources, visit www.BirthrightPodcast.com Catch up on episode extras from season 1 and 2 on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE! Subscribe to be notified for new episode releases every Wednesday! Love Birthright? Leave a rating and review. Get full episode details and transcripts on www.BirthrightPodcast.com Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllers Birthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 children. Resources/References Teddy Atim is a mother of three living in Banda, a rural fishing village in the East African country of Uganda. Teddy was diagnosed with HIV while pregnant with her first child. She’s now a mother mentor at mothers2mothers. Mary Harper-Holly, 47, is a divorced mother of one living in Fort Worth, Texas. After giving birth while living with HIV, Mary serves her community as the Founding Director and CEO of Pay It 4-ward Projects, a community-based non-profit organization supporting the unhoused and indigent communities of Dallas and Tarrant Counties. Helen Zimba serves as the HIV Programs Manager at The Afiya Center. She’s also a Full Spectrum Doula at Southern Roots Doula Services, where she supports pregnant and birthing people who are living with HIV and their families.  For more resources, visit www.BirthrightPodcast.com Catch up on episode extras from season 1 and 2 on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE! Subscribe to be notified for new episode releases every Wednesday! Love Birthright? Leave a rating and review. Get full episode details and transcripts on www.BirthrightPodcast.com  Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllers Birthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 in a less traditional way, but still ultimately finding her joy.   For Resources/References, visit www.BirthrightPodcast.com Catch up on episode extras from season 1 and 2 on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE! Subscribe to be notified for new episode releases every Wednesday! Love Birthright? Leave a rating and review.  Get full episode details and transcripts on www.BirthrightPodcast.com Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllers Birthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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) on www.BirthrightPodcast.com  New episodes are released every other Wednesday! Subscribe now!  Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllers Birthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 Watkins is a 30-year-old stay at home mom in LaGrange, Georgia; a rural community about one hour south of Atlanta. Born and raised in LaGrange, Aquarius gave birth to her first baby in her hometown with the support of a local OB/GYN.Dr. Joy Baker is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist in her hometown of LaGrange, Georgia. After completing her medical school and residency training at Morehouse School of Medicine and Grady Health System, she worked in urban and rural communities for 10 years. In 2019, she became one of the first OB/GYNs to earn special certification in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, as well as treatment of addiction in pregnancy. Today, she supports birthing people at Weststar West Georgia Medical Center. IG handle: @deliveringjoymdChanel Stryker-Boykin is the owner of In Joie's Arms Birth Doula Services, LLC, and a Holistic Labor Support Specialist (Doula), Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, and a Community Childbirth and Lactation Educator in the Metro Atlanta area. For Resources/References, visit www.BirthrightPodcast.com Catch up on episode extras from season 1 and 2 on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE!Subscribe to be notified for new episode releases every Wednesday! Love Birthright? Leave a rating and review. Get full episode details and transcripts on www.BirthrightPodcast.com Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllersBirthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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 information.

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 became a viral advocate for reproductive rights of other trans males. Listen in!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

RESTORATION: Healing Black Birth Trauma  Birthright is about joy and healing in Black birth. In this special episode, we heal. Listen in to our live virtual event and special season finale where two Black moms, one who experienced disrespect and harm in her birth and another who lost her baby after a premature delivery, sit with a therapist and a healer to begin their restorative process.    Guests: Nneka Symster is a licensed Social worker who has two decades of experience helping individuals and families build and strengthen their relationships with themselves and others. Her work includes supporting diverse populations, including self -harming young adults and the LGBTQIA community. She also specializes in helping women and couples who suffer with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, miscarriage and loss. In her work, she uses multiple techniques to best serve her clients, including Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, interpersonal therapy and mindfulness. Ms. Symister received her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Urban Education from the State University of Albany. She is also EMDR trained. She is deeply involved in her community serving as member of state and national professional organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers, National Alliance on Mental Illness and The Links, Incorporated. Nneka Symister is the founder of My Local Therapist, LLC (@nneka_symister) where she provides mental health services in New York.Amissa Brewer-Hofmann, MPH, is a medical student who will be applying to radiology residency this fall. Amissa Brewer-Hofmann is a combined medical and public health masters student at Columbia University. She enjoys reading, pilates, warm weather, and a good picnic. Academically, she has an interest in radiology and wants to improve health outcomes for minoritized infants and birthing folks. Amissa lives in Washington Heights, Manhattan with her husband and 3-month old son, Henry.Jeneá Harper is a Child Protective Investigator for the Department of Youth, Children and Families in Rhode Island. Jeneá was born and raised in Providence, RI and graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. She has over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents and families in and out of her community. Jeneá uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to ensure the youth she works with are safe and their families are receiving any resources needed to be successful. Jeneá is inspired and motivated daily by her husband and 2 year old son. Jeneá’s philosophy is in the infamous African proverb “Oran a azu nwa” , it takes a community or village to raise a child. Mystique Hargrove, Instagram: @blackbirthhealer, Facebook: The Black Birth Healer Resources/References Learn more about Nneka Symister at her Website Mylocaltherapist.orgWatch episode extras on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE!Interested in having a doula for your pregnancy, birth or post-partum period? Resources for finding Black Doulas: National Black Doulas Association & The BridgeInterested in a home birth? Learn more at... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Compilation of insights from our host, Kimberly Seals Allers and guests 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) on www.BirthrightPodcast.com New episodes are released every other Wednesday! Subscribe now!  Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllers Birthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our Birthing Person: Carla Williams, MD Other Guests: Kiki Jordan, Midwife Episode Description (short/two sentences) What happens when a medical insider opts to give birth outside the hospital? For one, we should all pay attention. In this week’s episode, Dr. Carla Williams, a Black Latina OBGYN in New York, shares why she had her first birth at the hospital and never went back for baby number two, and as we spoke days before she was about to give birth to her third child, she was preparing for another home birth. Many people think home births are for the “crunchy granola” crowd but more and more mainstream mamas, including corporate types and even medical professionals have seen the in-hospital experience and choose to find their joy at home. Dr. Williams also shares tips for those considering a home birth and advice to her OB/GYN colleagues on what they can do to improve the birthing experience for Black people.     Resources/References Our Birth Story: Carla Williams, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN and holistic women’s healthcare provider serving patients in Westchester, NY. She attended medical school in the Dominican Republic and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in Bronx, New York. She offers patient-centered care with a dual approach: a focus on nutrition and movement for overall wellness coupled with conventional medical practices as necessary. She is a married mother of two who has personally experienced birth in both the hospital and in-home setting. She’s currently expecting her third child and preparing for her second home birth. , IG handle: @drcarlawilliamsLearn more about Kiki Jordan and Birthland midwifery at https://www.birthlandmidwifery.comWatch episode extras on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE!Interested in having a doula for your pregnancy, birth or post-partum period? Resources for finding Black Doulas: National Black Doulas Association & The BridgeInterested in a home birth? Learn more at The Black Home Birth InitiativeConsidering a doula for your pregnancy, birth or post-partum period? Resources for finding Black Doulas: National Black Doulas Association & The BridgeLearn 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 New episodes are released every other Wednesday! Catch up on the full season. Get full episode details and transcripts (posted by midday) on www.BirthrightPodcast.com Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllers Birthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Raising Rebels is a parenting podcast featuring courageous conversations with real parents. Parenting can be so lonely. Our work is to encourage children to be fully themselves in a society that doesn’t always celebrate them. On this Episode host Noleca Radway talks with adrienne maree brown about the special work of Aunties. IG: @RaisingRebelsPod. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Who: Kimberly Seals Allers Birth story Alma Seals, Kimberly’s mother Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens Dr. Neel Shah  Episode Description (short/two sentences): On this special episode, Kimberly Seals Allers interviews her mother to hear her own birth story, discusses the history of medical interventions, the role of feminist movements and the power of our matrilineal birthing line. Special guests, historian Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens and Harvard professor, Dr. Neel Shah, add powerful context to the birth practices in the early 1970’s and how the legacy of enslaved Black women still impacts birth outcomes today.  Resources/References Read more about the history of forceps in this article by our guest, Neel Shah, MD, MPP  How forceps permanently changed the way humans are born Learn more about Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens and her work on her website, https://www.deirdrecooperowens.comPurchase Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens’ Book Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American GynecologyClick to watch episode extras on BIRTHRIGHT’S YOUTUBE PAGE!Interested in having a doula for your pregnancy, birth or post-partum period? Resources for finding Black Doulas: National Black Doulas Association & The BridgeLearn more about home births The Black Home Birth InitiativeLearn 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) on www.BirthrightPodcast.com New episodes are released every other Wednesday! Subscribe now!  Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Twitter on Instagram: @iamKSealsAllersBirthright is funded by the California Health Care Foundation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.