SPEAKERS
Marilyn Abrahams (she/hers), NATAL Parent Storyteller (Episode Five), Session Four: NATAL Parent Storytellers // Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and raised in New York, Marilyn Abrahams is a wife and mother of three. A designer at her core, prior to becoming a mom, she held a career in retail merchandising and today is an event planner and interior decorator. Marilyn is a strong advocate of intergenerational storytelling, and shared one of her birth stories, including a stillbirth experience, in Episode Five of NATAL.
Angela D. Aina (she/hers), Interim Director, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Opening Reflections // Angela Doyinsola Aina, MPH is a Co-Founder and the Interim Executive Director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, where she works to convene Black Maternal Health professionals and community-based organizations to develop trainings, programs, quality improvement initiatives, research projects, and black feminist advocacy strategies to advance holistic maternity service provision, policy, and systems change in global public health. She has over 14 years of public health experience, working in different capacities on projects focused on: incorporating health equity strategies into reproductive and maternal health initiatives; strengthening strategic planning and community-based workforce development; and data collection. Ms. Aina has served as a Public Health Analyst, Health Communications Specialist, and a Public Health Prevention Service Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for over 5 years, working on Zika and Pregnancy, scientific program management, and 2014 Ebola response staffing. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in International and Women’s Health from Morehouse School of Medicine where she conducted a sequential mixed-method analysis of the reproductive health attitudes and behaviors of Nigerian-born immigrant women in the U.S., and a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University in Psychology and African-American Studies. Angela’s expertise and perspectives on Black Maternal Health has been featured in media outlets, such as the Huffington Post, The Atlantic, the Root, and HLN/CNN. She is passionate about and committed to work that seek to achieve: the self-determination of women of African descent; the elimination of violence against women; the promotion of Black and African women’s rights and leadership; and womanist solutions to social and economic injustices. In her spare time, Angela enjoys singing, dancing, sewing, and dabbling in all things science fiction and fantasy. Instagram & Facebook @blackmamasmatter | Twitter: @blkmamasmatter
Congresswoman Alma Adams (she/hers), D-NC, Co-Chair, Black Maternal Health Caucus, Session One: Birth Equity Advocates // Dr. Alma S. Adams was elected to her third full term representing the 12th Congressional District of North Carolina on November 6, 2018. Representative Adams holds several leadership roles in various committees; one of her outstanding legislative accomplishments is the enactment of the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act that permanently provides funding of $255 million a year for all Minority-Serving Institutions, including $85 million for HBCUs. She is also a part of the Women’s Caucus, Diabetes Caucus, Autism Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Progressive Education Caucus, Historic Preservation Caucus, AIDS/HIV Caucus, Hunger Caucus, Medicaid Expansion Caucus, and the Art Caucus. Representative Adams has promoted quality education for all students, spearheading numerous pieces of legislation to boost funds for HBCUs and introducing legislation to provide nutritious breakfast in schools and increase pay for teachers. For 40 years, Dr. Adams taught at Bennett College where she led the effort to increase student civic participation and organized annual marches to the polls. As a former educator, Rep. Adams has dedicated her career to improving the lives of young people and her community. In 1994, Dr. Adams was appointed to the North Carolina House where she rose to become the chair of the state’s Legislative Black Caucus and was instrumental in passing legislation that improved the climate for quality affordable health care in the state.
Araya Baker (they/them), Mental Health Advocate, Mindfulness Session // Araya is a therapist, writer, and educator, who is known for synthesizing activism and mental health. For nearly a decade, Araya has been deeply involved in transformative mental health advocacy initiatives aimed at empowering underserved communities––from contributing to the formation of the city of Houston’s first public mental health survey, to serving as a crisis counselor for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as well as The Trevor Project, the leading crisis lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth. In a number of articles, essays, and interviews featured in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Huffington Post, The Good Men Project, and other publications, Araya has explored how to develop social justice-informed counseling frameworks and interventions, and ways to dismantle systemic barriers to quality mental healthcare for minoritized populations. In 2018, The Mighty recognized Araya, alongside Demi Lovato and Lady Gaga, as a Mental Health Hero. Araya earned an Ed.M. in Human Development and Psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an M.Phil.Ed. in Professional Counseling at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Instagram & Twitter: @arayabaker
Dr. Sinmi Bamgbose (she/hers), MD, Psychiatrist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Session Two: Care Providers // Sinmi Bamgbose, MD is a consultation-liaison psychiatrist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. She has a special interest in reproductive psychiatry and is committed to ensuring that all women have access to timely and cost-effective mental health care throughout their lifespan. Dr. Bamgbose obtained her medical degree at Morehouse School of Medicine and completed her residency training in adult psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, with a distinction in Women’s Mental Health. Instagram: @drsinmibamgbose
Shellie Blackson (she/hers), NATAL Parent Storyteller (Episode Four), Special Educator, Los Angeles Unified School District, Session Four: Parent Storytellers // A Los Angeles native, Shellie Blackson is a special needs educator and advocate. Upon graduating high school, she attended Florida A&M University, having completed her undergraduate studies in Business Economics at Cal State University Dominguez Hills. Her graduate studies have earned her two masters: Special Education and Education Counseling. Currently, Shellie teaches in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where her work has spanned over two decades. During this time, she has guided and educated secondary students with autism and intellectual disabilities. Shellie has also worked in the capacity of Dean of Students and Master Teacher. Prior to LAUSD, Shellie taught middle school students with severe emotional disturbances. Her work with vulnerable populations helped establish her foundation for supporting those who are disenfranchised, under-represented, and overlooked by society. This line of work helped Shellie identify herself as being a voice for those who are perceived as not having one, or those who might be afraid to use theirs. The proud mother of Miles & Davis, Shellie loves spending time with them listening to their favorite music, experiencing the arts, playing Chinese checkers, and watching football and basketball on TV (of which, mind you, she knows nothing about!). Instagram: @shellieblackson
Tiara Darnell (she/hers), NATAL Editor, Session Three: NATAL Production Team // Tiara is a freelance writer, and audio and visual content creator based in Buffalo, New York and Portland, Oregon. She is the host and executive producer of High, Good People, an independent “potcast” that explores the relationships between people of color and cannabis in the new age of legalization. Tiara is an alum of the inaugural Spotify Sound Up Bootcamp for emerging women of color podcasters, as well as the Transom Storytelling program (Seattle). Tiara's freelance writing covers cannabis and social equity, travel, small business development, food and more. Her work has appeared in Portland Monthly, Broccoli Magazine, Willamette Week, Travel Portland and Travel Oregon, and elsewhere. Tiara is a graduate of Bishop McNamara H.S. and the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds dual master's degrees in Strategic Communication and Multimedia Journalism from the University of Oregon. Twitter & Instagram: @theartspj
Jamille Fields Allsbrook (she/hers), Director of Women’s Health and Rights, Center for American Progress, Session One: Birth Equity Advocates // Jamille Fields Allsbrook is the director of women’s health and rights with the Women’s Initiative at American Progress, where she oversees policy development and strategic planning related to advancing and defending women’s health and rights. Prior to joining American Progress, Fields Allsbrook was a senior policy analyst at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, where she worked to improve reproductive health care access for low-income people, women, and young people across the country. Specifically, her portfolio focused on health care reform, including Affordable Care Act implementation and defense, private insurance, refusal clauses, and patient confidentiality, among other issues. Additionally, Fields Allsbrook previously held a clinical fellowship at the Harvard Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation, a teaching law clinic, where she supervised students while maintaining a portfolio focused on health care access and social determinants of health for people living with chronic illnesses, such as HIV. She is also a recipient of the If/When/How Reproductive Justice Fellowship. Through that fellowship, she worked at the National Health Law Program to increase health care access for low-income populations and improve public and private coverage of reproductive health care. Twitter: @capwomen, @amprog | Instagram: @americanprogress
Charles Johnson (he/his), Founder, 4Kira4Moms, Session One: Birth Equity Advocates // Charles Johnson has suffered an unimaginable tragedy that strikes too many families – and has made it his life’s mission to save others from the same fate. In April 2016, Charles’ healthy and full-of--life wife, Kira, gave birth to their second beautiful child. But Kira immediately began struggling in ways that the hospital staff could not explain, even as Charles watched and implored the staff that something was horribly wrong. Kira died within hours. Charles was understandably overcome by grief – grief that turned into outrage. He channeled his pain and his passion into founding a nonprofit, 4Kira4Moms, that is dedicated to changing systems to better prevent birth-related deaths. 4Kira4Moms advocates for improved maternal health policies and regulations; educates the public about the impact of maternal mortality in communities; provides peer support to victims’ family and friends; and promotes discussion of maternal mortality as a human rights issue. Charles has shared his story and advocated for change through countless live events and media appearances all over the country, including at the March for Moms rally in Washington, D.C., last year. Last September, he testified before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health about the need to pass the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act of 2017 – which, as you know, was indeed passed by Congress and signed into law. When he is not advocating to improve maternal health practices, Charles is busy raising his two sons, Charles V and Langston. Instagram: @4kira4moms
Trish Jones (she/hers), NATAL Parent Storyteller (Episode 8), Mother and Doula, Dudula Birth Care, Session Four: NATAL Parent Storytellers // Trish is a Memphis native and certified birth and postpartum doula. She is the principal doula at Dudula Birth Care in Dallas, TX. Her passion for birth justice began during her undergraduate studies at The University Of Memphis. She is passionate about childbirth education, reproductive justice, and committed to providing care without bias. When she is not doing birth work she enjoys gaming, graphic design, and trying new restaurants. Trish is the proud mom of a son, EJ. Instagram: @dudulabirthcare
Jess Jupiter (she/hers), NATAL Sound Designer + Engineer, Session Three // Jess is a Brooklyn-based producer whose work crosses several mediums including: visual, audio, and performative. Jess’ production work includes podcasts such as Netflix’s Strong Black Lead, The Stoop, and The New York Times’ Still Processing, as well as video production for the progressive media company, Act.Tv. Jess also served as the producer and creative associate for Walking with Water, a three day performance series at Center for Performance Research, which explored black folks’ relationship to water and environmental injustice. Jess is committed to fostering and creating stories that focus on gender and sexual identities in queer communities, as well as elevating stories by and for black women. Twitter: @jupitersaidwhat | Instagram: @mylastnameisaplanet
Erica McAfee (she/hers), Founder of Sisters in Loss, LLC, Ask a Doula! // Erica M. McAfee is the founder of Sisters in Loss, LLC, a grief and fertility coaching company that helps black women replace silence with storytelling around pregnancy loss and infertility. Sisters in Loss provides birth and bereavement doula services and infertility and grief coaching to help women step beyond anxiety and fear and into trust and peace. Sisters in Loss goal through courses and conferences is to help women Minimize regrets, Maximize memories, and Manage their life after loss. It’s self-titled podcast is the first and only podcast that spotlights resilient black mothers who share intimate details of their journey to motherhood through painful loss and infertility stories. Sisters in Loss has been featured on Black Enterprise, Women’s Health, and Glamour as a resource to heal, gain clarity and peace, and find hope in life after loss and infertility. Launched in August 2017 the podcast has a community of 10,000+ sisters in loss. Erica is a Birth and Bereavement Doula, Grief and Fertility Coach, First Lady of Gaskins Chapel A.M.E. Church, and Mom to two angels in heaven and one rainbow baby Maxwell also known as Super Mighty Max. She is an alumnus of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Twitter & Instagram: @ericammcafee
Brittany Patterson (she/hers), Doula, Ask a Doula! // Brittany Patterson is a mother, doula, and certified lactation educator. She received holds a B.S. in Human Development & Family Studies from Kent State University. She is the founder of Birthwrite Diaries Storytelling Group and a member of the LA County African American Infant & Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative (SPA 1, 2). Brittany was a storyteller for Maternal Mental Health Now's 2020 virtual Story Hour series, and has been featured in several podcasts, including NATAL. She is currently leading the Breastfeed LA planning committee’s efforts to honor Black Breastfeeding Week (August 25-31, 2020). Instagram: @birthwrite_
Jamila Perritt (she/hers), MD, MPH, OBGYN, Advocate, and Activist, Session Two: Care Providers // Dr. Jamila Perritt is a fellowship-trained, board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a comprehensive background in Family Planning and Reproductive Health. She provides on the ground, community-based care focusing primarily on the intersection of sexual health, reproductive rights, and social justice. In addition to her work as a clinical provider, she serves as a reproductive health care consultant where she develops, organizes, and facilitates health workshops and outreach events to diverse communities and community partners. Dr. Perritt collaborates with various organizations to provide ongoing support and subject matter expertise on reproductive health, family planning, and reproductive justice. Dr. Perritt’s work as a passionate advocate for reproductive health, rights, and justice has allowed her to work closely with many organizations. She is a member of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) and a writer with Echoing Ida, and a founding member of the collective Centering Equity and Racial Literacy in Family Planning (CERCL-FP).Dr. Perritt serves via Mayoral appointment to Washington DC’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee. She is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a member of the Society of Family Planning and serves as Chair of ACOG’s Committee for the Health Care for Underserved Women. Twitter: @reprorightsdoc | Instagram: @JamilaPerritt
Tanya Smith-Johnson (she/hers), Midwife and Policy Director, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition - Hawaii, Session Two: Care Providers // Tanya is the Policy Director at Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition - Hawaii. She served as the VP of Californians for the Advancement of Midwifery and President of California Families for Access to Midwives, working with California stakeholders and legislators to help the passage of key legislation to increase access to licensed midwives. Tanya served on the board of directors of the Midwives Alliance of Hawaii as the Vice President and Oahu representative helping to get midwifery licensure passed in Hawaii. She is the former VP of the Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery. Tanya is a strategist and the newly appointed Director of Outreach, Advocacy, and Education for The Big Push for Midwives, where she works on a national level to help states work on advocacy, policy, and legislative change to incorporate and integrate midwives on a national level. Tanya is a member of the Hawaii Women’s Coalition and the Hawaii Commission on the Status of Women’s Feminist Covid-19 Response Team and co-authored the nation’s first Feminist Economic Recovery Plan in response to COVID-19. Tanya holds degrees from Hampton University, and received her midwifery training from Midwives College of Utah. She currently resides in Honolulu with her husband of 20 years and six children. Instagram: @tanyasmithjohnson and @glimpseinthehive
Kimberly Seals Allers (she/hers), Maternal & Infant Health Strategist, Founder, Irth app, Session One: Birth Equity Advocates // Kimberly Seals Allers is an award-winning journalist, author of five books, international speaker, strategist and advocate for maternal and infant health. A former senior editor at ESSENCE and writer at FORTUNE magazine, Kimberly is a leading voice on the socio-cultural and racial complexities of birth, breastfeeding and motherhood. She is the founder of the Irth app , a “Yelp-like” review and rating platform for physicians and hospitals, designed by and for Black women, to address a root cause of the Black maternal mortality and morbidity crises—racism and bias in care. She previously served as editorial director of the Maternal and Child Health Communication Collective, a national consortium of over 80 organizations working collectively to shift the narrative of maternal/child health, funded by the W.K Kellogg Foundation. In 2018, Kimberly was named one of “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” for by Women’s eNews for her decades of media advocacy work for women and children. A frequent contributor to The New York Times and Washington Post , Slate and others, Kimberly’s fifth book, The Big Letdown—How Medicine, Big Business and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2017. A graduate of New York University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Kimberly is a divorced mother of two who lives in New York City. Twitter: @iamKSealsAllers | Instagram & Facebook: @iamKSealsAllers @theirthapp
Latham Thomas (she/hers), Founder, Mama Glow, Session Two: Care Providers // Latham Thomas is the founder of Mama Glow, a global maternal health organization prioritizing birth equity and doula education to improve birth outcomes. Mama Glow is committed to supporting birthing people along the childbearing continuum. Mama Glow also offers a globally recognized doula immersion program, attended by aspiring and practicing birth workers from all corners of the USA and 6 continents. With training hubs in NYC, LA, Miami, and Paris, they educate doula-trainees from around the world to become the next generation of birth workers that will transform the modern health care system for birthing people and babies. Having cultivated partnerships with some of the nation's leading health organizations, Mama Glow is deeply committed to education, advocacy, and impact. Instagram: @MamaGlow, @glowmaven
Jhodie-Ann Williams (she/hers), NATAL Producer, Session Three // Jhodie-Ann is a Brooklyn-based reporter, editor and producer (but her favorite role is mama!). Her work has appeared in the New York Amsterdam News and on CNN.com. Originally from Jamaica, she's always been fascinated with exploring the cultural differences and connections between the African Diaspora in the US and the West Indies. In 2017, she joined the You Had Me at Black team and is thrilled to be a part of helping Black storytellers share important, nuanced moments in their lives with listeners. Jhodie is a graduate of Brooklyn College. Instagram: @natural_jho
MODERATORS
Martina Abrahams Ilunga (she/hers), Executive Producer, NATAL Martina turned a lifelong passion for stories into a career in marketing, and then media. Raised in a Haitian and African-American household, she grew-up frustrated by the discrepancies between the Black stories she read and watched and the lives of her family and friends. In 2016 she and her sister founded You Had Me at Black with a mission to reclaim the Black narrative by passing a microphone to regular people to share stories and create a multimedia archive of Black life. To-date their team has recorded almost 100 stories, 80+ of which are published on their podcast (downloaded over 500k times by listeners in 31 countries), and brought the show to life on a five-city tour. You Had Me at Black’s stories have caught the attention of For Harriet, Saint Heron, and XONecole. In a past life, Martina worked in product and marketing at tech giants like Google and Square. She graduated from Georgetown University and is an avid lover of soca music. @m_ _tina
Gabrielle Horton (she/hers), Executive Producer, NATAL Podcast showrunner, host, and producer Gabrielle Horton left Democratic politics to pursue a different type of activism -- one that centers Black lives, Black communities, and Black stories at its very core. In 2019, Gabrielle launched The Woodshaw, a boutique production house dedicated to telling and sharing stories for us, by us. She currently serves as the lead podcast producer for Hear to Slay and The Black List. In addition to her work in audio, the Inglewood, CA native is a birth equity advocate, birth and postpartum doula trainee, and a 2020 Reporting Fellow with USC Annenberg’s Center for Health Journalism. Gabrielle is a graduate of Harvard-Westlake School, Spelman College, and the University of Michigan. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @gabhorton for all things politics, pop culture, and, well, food. @gabhorton
ASL Interpretation Provided by: Kaylee Teixeira (she/hers) and Vernice Williams (she/hers)
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