Why a Sunflower?

I became a doula not only to dispel my own taboos about pregnancy and childbirth but to bring back power to women of color, especially at a time when we are supposed to feel most powerful, during pregnancy, childbirth and through motherhood. Women are powerful and capable of almost anything! Childbirth is just one example of the power that we possess. The fact that we are capable producing life within us and can endure everything that comes with bringing life into this world is phenomenal. More times than often our power is overlooked. As an African American woman, at times I have felt that my power was worthless in this world. I want to empower women, especially women of color and help them reclaim their power. I want to bring life back into childbirth and motherhood and fight against black birth mortality rates. I am focused on working with but not limited to teenage and young women of color, especially those who have experienced sexual abuse or trauma. My purpose is to provide physical and emotional support during a time when many of their traumas could resurface. I want to help them to advocate for themselves so that they feel heard and are empowered. I want to provide a meaningful and happy experience opposed to one that could seem intrusive and invasive, like their own traumas. I want to provide comfort and understanding not only to those specific clients but to all my clients. I want to make women feel like they are in control of what is happening with their bodies and feel confident enough say “no I want differently” when they do not feel like they aren’t in control. I want to make women informed so that they can trust that they are making the right decisions for themselves, their health and the health of their baby. I want to bring back a woman’s right and power to the one thing she should have power and control over, her body and her ability to birth a child.