values
our commitment to anti-racism
Manhattan Birth is committed to being anti-racist and inclusive by centralizing reproductive justice in our work.
We are actively working towards reversing the racist structures that our society and the birth world has been built upon. Black, indigenous and people of color have had their land stolen, generations of labor erased, as well as lost heritage because of societal structures and systems that have continued to take their wisdom and oppress them.
This oppression continues to be present and is evidenced in the birth world through systemic, structural and institutional racism in addition to abysmal maternal + neonatal mortality rates.
Manhattan Birth stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter organizers and those in protest of the systemic racism that led to the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Flloyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, and numerous others. Due to the inequities in caring for BIPOC birthing people we have also carelessly lost the lives of: Amber Rose Isaac, Kira Johnson, Shalon Irving, Erica Gardner, Stephanie Snook,Chaniece Wallace, and too many more.
Manhattan Birth is committed to:
- Accessibility: providing scholarships and free classes/mentorship to BIPOC birthing people and birth workers. Providing reduced cost childbirth education + parenting classes for these communities in addition to making doulas accessible through our Sponsor a Family fund. Doulas will be funded by the community FOR the community to make it possible for black, brown and indigenous people of color’s families to be taken care of in a system that does not care for them. Manhattan Birth acknowledges the privilege it has and is dedicated to serving the BIPOC community by uplifting and amplifying their voices and needs.
- Representation: we are dedicated to making sure we are kept accountable. We are doing so by hiring faculty, staff and mentors who are informed in how to help people who have been affected by racism. When our faculty, staff and students bring anything to our attention, we LISTEN & acknowledge our privilege.
- Education: As part of our training for our faculty, staff and mentors (as well as members of our mentorship program for doulas) we bring in experts in the field of anti-racism + health care disparities, cultural appropriation from BIPOC communities.
We promise to use our platform and privilege to uplift and amplify the voices of those unheard, oppressed and marginalized.
Our Values // Inclusivity
