This is Part 1 of the We Rise Series- a series dedicated to showcasing soulful decolonizing strategies. This episode is for all of those who are wanting to move from theory to action. TO SIGN UP FOR THE GATHERINGS: Consciousness Rooting in the Heart of Autumn Inspired by the legacy of Consciousness Raising circles from 1960s & 70s freedom movements, Consciousness Rooting is about: grounding & deepening ~ reflecting on our origins, our ancestors’ lineages & histories ~ storytelling & remembering as a form of resistance, to begin to heal and to help us navigate these tumultuous & transformational times… This work aims to inspire deep reflections, help us center through ongoing distractions & stresses, and support us as we face daily struggles & many frontlines. racialized as white circle Tuesdays 6PM-7:30PM PST pilipinx circle Wednesdays 6:30PM-8PM PST open circle Thursdays 6PM-7:30PM PST ~~~ by donation / no one turned way for lack of funds to register email: [email protected] by October 13th* *Please email us if the date has passed and you are still interested in registering! ABOUT OUR GUESTS: We Rise Production is a collective of cultural producers who engage creative collaborations to support the freedom movements of our time. Through multimedia, digital and live productions, We Rise challenges audiences to think critically about the systems that oppress us all, and uses community-driven art to inspire active solidarity. Our collaborators include Movement Generation, Palestinian Youth Movement, KPFA/First Voice Media, DiaspoRADiCAL, Mycelium Youth Network, Liberation Spring, Birth Bruja, Cal Shakes, TheatreFIRST, the Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective, and decolonial, feminist artists, educators, and organizers. We vision with ancestors and future generations in mind. IG: @weriseproduction TW: @weriseproducers weriseproduction.com FB: @weriseproduction Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/werise

This is Part 2 of the Black Diamonds Series: Journey of a Queer, Black Student Midwife. Rafeal joins us 1 month into her student midwifery journey and has a powerful & juicy report back! She speaks to navigating an education that centers the cis, white experience while grounding herself in her practice of self nourishment. We speak to the themes of healing & justice, Dharma and spiritual practice, the need to uplift our youth and our elders, how to have a sex life amidst a student midwife life, and SO MUCH MORE! Be a part of Rafeal's journey! Support their work by donating and including #BlackDiamondsSeries in the notes <3 Venmo: @cypressdoula Paypal: paypal.me/cypressdoula Cashapp: $cypressdoula Learn more: https://www.cypressdoula.com/midwifery Visit www.BirthBruja.com to access upcoming workshops & events <3 Producer: Catherine Petru of We Rise Production |www.weriseproduction.com |@WeRiseProduction Theme Song created by DiaspoRADiCAL Soundscapes @diaspoRADical

This is part 1 of the Black Diamonds Series: Becoming a Queer Black Student Midwife with Rafeal Newport. This 12 month diary will document the first year of Rafeal's student midwifery journey. In today's episode, we will meet Rafeal and dive into the how and why she found this work. We talk about ancestors, community, universal calling, the DIRE NEED for queer & trans black femmes to be doing this work and much more. Be a part of Rafeal's journey! Support their work by donating and including #BlackDiamondsSeries in the notes <3 Venmo: @cypressdoula Paypal: paypal.me/cypressdoula Cashapp: $cypressdoula Learn more: https://www.cypressdoula.com/midwifery Visit www.BirthBruja.com to access upcoming workshops & events <3 Producer: Catherine Petru of We Rise Production |www.weriseproduction.com |@WeRiseProduction Theme Song created by DiaspoRADiCAL Soundscapes @diaspoRADical

You are listening to episode 19, part 4 of the Supporting Survivors Who Birth Series- A dive into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork and what we can do to best be of support for survivors. In this episode, we speak with birthworker, single mother, and sexual assault survivor advocate Melissa Lucchesi, for powerful story telling of her hospital birth experience as a survivor of sexual assault. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to stop this episode and listen to the first two parts of this series so that you can listen with a strengthened ability to recognize the aspects of survivorship that surface throughout this birth story. Interested in learning more about supporting survivors? This series is in celebration of my upcoming training through Cornerstone Doula Trainings in December 2019 called Supporting Survivors Who Birth. It’s a 4hr online intensive with an anti-oppression based exploration into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork. In this training you will... *Deepen your understanding of the workings & impact of sexual violence *Unveil the ways in which trauma can manifest for survivors through birth, pregnancy, & postpartum *Embody these practices through role playing to FEEL what it can be like to provide support in the moment *Identify and strengthen your abilities to best be of support The first two parts of this series are a sneak peak into the training- go to BirthBruja.com to see a detailed description of what the course will cover. One final note before we begin- as with any topics related to trauma, please take gentle care of yourself. Press pause to take breaks, call to debrief with a friend, or spend some time moving your body to help process and integrate what you’ve heard. The music you heard in today’s show is entitled “ Quiet,’ by Milck. Deep gratitude to Melissa Lucchesi for joining me in today’s episode and to We Rise \ Productions for assistance in production. Go to BirthBruja.com to learn about upcoming trainings, mentorship circles, and more. Follow me on social media @birthbruja to continue the conversation.

You are listening to episode 18, part 3 of the Supporting Survivors Who Birth Series- A dive into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork and what we can do to best be of support for survivors. In this episode, we once again speak with somatic coach, rape crisis counselor, and birthing person, Tabitha Thomas, for candid story telling of her two birth experiences as a survivor of childhood sexual assault. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to stop this episode and listen to the first two parts of this series so that you can listen to this story with a strengthened ability to recognize the aspects of survivorship that surface in an otherwise common experience of birth and postpartum. Interested in learning more about supporting survivors? This series is in celebration of my upcoming training through Cornerstone Doula Trainings in December 2019 called Supporting Survivors Who Birth. It’s a 4hr online intensive with an anti-oppression based exploration into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork. In this training you will... *Deepen your understanding of the workings & impact of sexual violence *Unveil the ways in which trauma can manifest for survivors through birth, pregnancy, & postpartum *Embody these practices through role playing to FEEL what it can be like to provide support in the moment *Identify and strengthen your abilities to best be of support The first two parts of this series are a sneak peak into the training- go to birthbruja.com to see a detailed description of what the course will cover. The music you heard in today’s show is entitled “ Warrior,’ by Demi Lovato. Deep gratitude to Tabitha Thomas for joining me in today’s episode and to We Rise Cultural Productions for assistance in production. Go to BirthBruja.com to learn about upcoming trainings, mentorship circles, and more. Follow me on social media @birthbruja to continue the conversation.

You are listening to episode 17, part 2 of the Supporting Survivors Who Birth Series- A dive into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork and what we can do to best be of support for survivors. As some of you may know, I am a rape crisis peer counselor and a birthworker that specializes in supporting survivors through the birth experience. In this episode, I offer a step-by-step breakdown of some of the primary ways in which I offer support to birthing survivors. This is a sneak peak into my upcoming training through Cornerstone Doula Trainings in December 2019 called Supporting Survivors Who Birth. It’s a 4hr online intensive with an anti-oppression based exploration into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork. In this training you will... *Deepen your understanding of the workings & impact of sexual violence *Unveil the ways in which trauma can manifest for survivors through birth, pregnancy, & postpartum *Embody these practices through role playing to FEEL what it can be like to provide support in the moment *Identify and strengthen your abilities to best be of support The first two parts of this series are a sneak peak into the training- go to birthbruja.com to see a detailed description of what the course will cover. One final note on sound quality before we begin- I had family visiting and had to record atop our bed. As such, you’ll occasionally hear sounds of a rustling weiner dog’s collar along with whooshing sounds of her moving to cooler spots on the bed. #MomLIfe The music you heard in today’s show is entitled “Healer,’ by Sampa the Great. Deep gratitude to We Rise Production for assistance in production. Go to birthbruja.com to learn about upcoming trainings, mentorship circles, and more. Follow me on social media @birthbruja to continue the conversation.

You are listening to episode 16, part 1 of the Supporting Survivors Who Birth Series- A dive into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork and what we can do to best be of support for survivors. In this episode, we speak with social justice advocate, somatic coach, & rape crisis counselor, Tabitha Thomas, for an indepth exploration into the prevelence of sexual violence, common barriers survivors may face in in reporting & seeking support, what healing from sexual violence can look like, and what we can do to best be of support when someone discloses their survivorship. This series is near and dear to my heart as I’ve been a rape crisis peer counselor with San Francisco Women Against Rape for over a decade and as a birthworker, specialize in supporting survivors through the birth experience. I’m launching this series in celebration of my upcoming training through Cornerstone Doula Trainings in December 2019 called Supporting Survivors Who Birth. It’s a 4hr online intensive with an anti-oppression based exploration into the intersections of sexual violence and birthwork. In this training you will... *Deepen your understanding of the workings & impact of sexual violence *Unveil the ways in which trauma can manifest for survivors through birth, pregnancy, & postpartum *Embody these practices through role playing to FEEL what it can be like to provide support in the moment *Identify and strengthen your abilities to best be of support The first two parts of this series are a sneak peak into the training- go to birthbruja.com to see a detailed description of what the course will cover. One final note before we begin- as with any topics related to trauma, please take gentle care of yourself. Press pause to take breaks, call to debrief with a friend, or spend some time moving your body to help process and integrate what you’ve heard. The music you heard on today’s show is entitled “Healer,’ by Sampa the Great. Deep gratitude to Tabitha Thomas for joining me in today’s episode and to We Rise Production for assistance in production. Go to birthbruja.com to learn about upcoming trainings, mentorship circles, and more. Follow me on social media @birthbruja to continue the conversation.

You are listening to episode 15, part 3 of the Bookworm Series: Where we are reading chapters from Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy & Childbirth. Edited by Julia Chinyere Oparah & Alicia D. Bonaparte. In this episode, we explore “Birthing Freedom: Black American Midwifery and Liberation Struggles” written by Ruth Hays. This powerful chapter traces the history of black midwives in slavery, after emancipation, and during contemporary times. Hays explains that by reviving these community-building practices, black birthing women can benefit in a myriad of ways. There are SO MANY incredible chapters in this book! I struggled deciding which chapters to feature in this series considering there are so many that are noteworthy. If you are wanting to dive into this book with the support and accountability of a community to back you up- join me and Tabitha Thomas, a bi-racial politicized healer & somatic coach as we launch the first session of the Birth Bruja BookClub. Starting in September 2019, we will join with folks across the country to dive into the featured book of this series- Birthing Justice. Go to BirthBruja.com to learn more. Without further delay…let’s dive back in.. Music: “Lullaby’ by Tasha Follow @BirthBruja on Instagram and Facebook to continue the conversation <3

You are listening to episode 14, part 2 of the Bookworm Series: Where we are reading chapters from Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy & Childbirth. Edited by Julia Chinyere Oparah & Alicia D. Bonaparte. In this episode, we cover two chapters- the first is” Birthing Sexual Freedom and Healing: A Survivor Mother’s Birth Story” written by Biany Perez and the second is “A Love Letter to my Daughter: Love as a Political Act” Written by Haile Eshe Cole. One of the reasons why I love this book is because it includes various writing styles and perspectives that center the subject of placing black women’s voices at the center of the birth justice conversation. These two chapters are written in first person- thus, it is written as if the authors were speaking directly to us. This book- and especially these two chapters- moved me deeply to continue pondering my own role in fighting systemic racism and uplifting the voices of black women in this work. To create a place in which folks can gather and dive into such questions- I have joined up with Tabitha Thomas, a bi-racial politicized healer & somatic coach to launch the first session of the Birth Bruja BookClub. Starting in September 2019, we will join with folks across the country to dive into the featured book of this series- Birthing Justice. Go to BirthBruja.com to learn more. Without further delay…let’s dive back in.. Music: “Lullaby’ by Tasha Follow @BirthBruja on Instagram and Facebook to continue the conversation <3

You are listening to episode 13, part 1 of the Bookworm Series. We are reading chapters from Birthing Justice: Black Women, Pregnancy & Childbirth. Edited by Julia Chinyere Oparah & Alicia D. Bonaparte. This book is a collection of articles that place black women’s voices at the center of the conversation around what should be done to fix the violent maternity system of this country. By placing black women’s agency at the foreground of the emerging birth justice movement, we are best able to identify the ways in which systemic oppression contribute to the modern birth experience within the US and what we can do to change the horrific Black maternal and infant mortality rates. This book- and especially this episode’s chapter- is a MUST READ for any and all birthworkers. Birth affirmations and hip squeezes aren’t going to do shit in changing oppressive birth culture unless we pair it with critical thinking and action. To support this process, I have joined up with Tabitha Thomas, a bi-racial politicized healer & somatic coach to launch the first session of the Birth Bruja BookClub. Starting in September 2019, we will join with folks across the country to dive into the featured book of this series- Birthing Justice. Go to BirthBruja.com to learn more. The chapter covered in THIS episode is the opening to the book- entitled “Beyond Coercion & Malign Neglect: Black Women and the Struggle for Birth Justice. Written by Julia Chinyere Oparah with Black Women Birthing Justice. It begins with the birth stories of two black women, a journey through history to outline the racist, sexist, & classist origins of obstetric medicine and the ways in which these systems have shaped todays birth culture, and continues with an exploration of the birth justice movement. Without further delay… let us begin. Music: “Lullaby’ by Tasha Follow @BirthBruja on Instagram and Facebook to continue the conversation <3