37 | Bringer of Light - Anique & Ali Russell

The theme of this year's Black Maternal Health Week is, Centering Black Mamas: The Right to Live and Thrive - we feel that Anique and Ali's birth story aligns beautifully. When they found out they were pregnant, Anique and Ali wanted this birth experience to be different. From the birth of their son resulting in an emergency c-section, the length of time it took for them to conceive, and Anique having suffered from postpartum blues, they were holding on to fear that the second time around would be the same. To shift that, they both knew they would need to walk through this with a stronger sense of autonomy.

They became intentional about their preparation. Researching birth outcomes for black women, being clear on Anique's health, receiving support from a black care provider, and support from a black doula. That intentionality provided them the tools and confidence to find power in their voices and their family's story.

We are genuinely passionate about our storytellers being the complete voice for their stories. One way we carry this through is by asking them to create the titles for their episodes, asking them to reflect on what name is evoked from their experience and how they want the world to recognize it. "Our daughter's name means Bringer of Light. During my second pregnancy, I gained peace with my birthing process. I learned so much information regarding black maternal health, what it means to have a doula, my body, and a wonderful breastfeeding journey thus far! I feel I have a light that I am ready to pass on to other mama's!!" - Anique

We are grateful for the sponsorship of this episode and other ROOTT activities this week. We would also like to acknowledge the Black Mamas Matter Alliance and all the Kindred Partners and collaborators for dedication to Black Mamas and families.

Resources:

Black Mamas Matter Alliance |Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance. Centering Black mamas to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.

Too Good Eats | gourmet frozen pops

Sponsors:

ROOTT | Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) is a collective of concerned Black families, community members, advocates & interdisciplinary professionals dedicated to decreasing Black maternal & infant mortality in Ohio. ROOTT’s mission is to comprehensively restore our collective well-being through collaboration, resource allocation, research & re-empowerment, in order to meet the needs of Black parents & families.