For the second consecutive year, birth workers and their supporters are invited to the beautiful island of St. Lucia to revel in the fullness of all we are and to welcome in a rebirth of spirit and purpose by participating in CARNIVAL; basking in the CULTURE of a Black island nation; becoming renewed by NATURE; pouring into our well of knowledge as we LEARN from local healers; and cultivating both JOY and individualized REST.

Birth work for Black people is about reclaiming the rich and deep wisdom of our ancestors, some of whom led the charge in the fields of midwifery, caregiving and herbalism across the diaspora.

Carnival holds similar symbolism in that it serves as the highest form of expression where resistance to colonial influence and oppression are concerned. Carnival is the opportunity our ancestors created to shed the burdensome trauma of enslavement and usher in the rebirth of a spirit healed and anew.

The maternal death rate in the United States is disproportionately higher than that of other developed nations, and Black birthing people are 4 times more likely to suffer a fatality than are white people.

Doulas and midwives serving Black people are intimately aware of this statistic because our clients have been made to fear for their life at a time that should be joy-filled. We are also often identified as the solution to these bleak disparites. In truth, doulas nor midwives can can single-handedly shoulder the burden of fixing structural racism.

In fact, this type of pressure to 'save the day' without the supportive infrastructure needed to do so has led to widespread burnout among Black doulas and midwives.

Throughout the retreat, birth workers will be invited to share their oral histories with the event organizer and oral historian, Nicole JeanBaptiste.

This collection of oral histories will be donated to St. Lucia's national archives in an effort to contribute to the rebuilding of this resource, which was lost in a recent fire.

We estimate the total cost of this experience to be $100,000. This covers the cost of airfare, participation in carnival, hiring a production crew to document this moment; daily meals; hotel accommodations; learning opportunities led by local practitioners; and in-country transportation for 20 birth workers.

Healing justice is in order for the birth workers who have endured vicarious trauma as a result of the maternal mortality crisis disproportionately impacting Black people.

Will you invest in our vision of healing today?

Revel & Rebirth: St. Lucian Carnival as Healing Justice for Birth Workers

By Sésé, Birthing Freedom

Revel & Rebirth: St. Lucian Carnival as Healing Justice for Birth Workers

Team Members