What We Do

1. Movement Building

BWBJ is building a grassroots movement to end birth injustice and empower Black mamas and birthworkers. We do that by educating the community, lifting up the voices of Black mamas and birth justice advocates, and using the power of social media to spark change.

For more information, read our blog
To learn more about Birth Justice, click here

2. Research Justice & Policy Advocacy

BWBJ believes that storytelling can be a powerful basis for social change. We conduct grassroots, community-based research by and for Black pregnant people and mamas. We use a research justice approach that asserts that the people directly impacted by an issue are the most qualified to determine what research should happen, how it should be conducted and how the findings should be used. Our research is action-oriented and provides concrete solutions to the crisis in Black maternal health care.

We document Black women’s and birthing persons experiences of pregnancy and childbirth so that we can demonstrate factors contributing to positive pregnancy outcomes and postpartum physical and mental health. We provide a space for women and birthing persons to tell their stories about the maternal health system so that we can heal collectively and so that our stories can drive social change.

Click here to read about our books
Click here to learn about our #liberateblackbirth campaign goals

3. Education and Training

BWBJ brings our analysis and experience of Birth Justice work to numerous audiences, from policymakers to health care professionals and college students to trainee doulas, through training, workshops, consulting, books, essays and blogs. To invite a BWBJ collective member to offer a presentation or training, or to consult on a project, click here.

4. Supporting Black Mamas

BWBJ creates spaces for Black mamas to share about their pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum experiences. Our Battling Over Birth and the Birthing Justice books were not only written for health care and birth professionals, but they were intended to be read by both birthing people and their families, to empower them with tools needed to understand their options and navigate the healthcare system.

5. Supporting Black Birthworkers

The Black Birthworker Forum is a sacred space for Black Birthworkers to come together to network, share experiences, information, gain support for ourselves, and engage in client support strategizing.  

• Conducting workshops and trainings on birth justice, at conferences and community gatherings.  

• Conducting research giving Black Birthworkers a place, in academia, to voice their concerns and advocate for the needs of the birthworker community and the clients we serve.  

• Collaborating and supporting community doulas

  • Frontline Doula Hotline Covid-19 Initiative- A collaboration with BWBJ and Frontline Doulas to provide financial support to Black doulas serving Black families in need, during Covid-19.  The initiative included a Black Doula Award, Frontline Doula Hotline and Postpartum Meal Deliveries through Mothers for Mothers Postpartum Justice Project.