Announcing: the Birthing Advocacy Doula Training Blog
Hello Birthing Advocacy Doula Training friends and family,
We are so excited to announce that we are expanding our work to include a blog! Welcome; we are so glad to meet you here! In this space, we intend to co-create dialogue with you and other educators, birthworkers, and badass humans.
What You’ll Find on the Blog
The Birthing Advocacy Doula Training (BADT) Blog will cover topics that we hold near and dear. Furthermore, it will feature the work of the BADT team and teachers, as well as guest blogs from folks whose work whose work aligns with and expands on our values. Topics we look forward to exploring include:
our core values as a training organization
reproductive health and birthwork
current events
social justice and anti-oppression
community care
We believe that doulas are instrumental members of society-- people who engage in advocacy and community care. People have served their communities in this way for all of human history, both formally and informally. This role has held many names from one cultural and historical context to another, and still does today. What remains consistent, though, is this: In order to show up fully for this work, you need an open heart and mind, and the ability to think critically and compassionately.
Thus, our blog will focus on broadening and deepening our understanding of humanity. Together we can grow our capacity to show up for equity and justice.
Our Commitments to Our Community
Reflecting our mission, this blog will be socially conscious, culturally appropriate, diverse, and action-oriented. We are committed to this mission in all that we do-- from our trainings, to our direct work with birthing people, to our collaborations with other professionals, to the content we put into the world.
That said, the language you will find in our articles will be inclusive of all birthing people. If ever you come across words or ideas that cause harm within our work, please hold us accountable to doing better. We care deeply about the impact of our work, so while we have intentions to bring folks together, we are also aware of the fact that this intention is not enough.
Again, we are honored to host and curate this space, and it is only in community that this work is powerful and purposeful. We value your experiences, reflections, notice, and needs.
Birth Work is Political and Expansive
Sister Song’s definition of Reproductive Justice is one that drives our work: “Reproductive Justice [is] the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.”
This means that we will cover topics that are focused directly on reproductive health and birth work, AND, as stated above, we will invite our community to think and show up more expansively. Reproductive and social justice require a commitment to anti-oppression and healing on all levels. This is not neutral work; it IS political and dynamic.
Additionally, our work is always emerging. New needs, calls to action, resources, and connections will inform the way our work grows and transforms over time. Our curriculum and content, then, is always emerging. We will stay rooted to our values, while responding to what emerges.
Stay Connected
In our first few blogs, we plan to speak to our BADT values, which you can find here. Please stay tuned and connected by subscribing to our mailing list below. We look forward to building this space with you!