Black Lives Matter.
Our mission since our inception has been to create a unifying, inclusive, statewide professional organization for all doulas. Due to current, overt racist practices in this nation against Black people, we have shifted our focus to support the Black Lives Matter movement and heightened our efforts to amplify the voices and needs of Black families and Black Doulas.
ODA will center anti-racist practices within the Doula profession and emphasize Black Maternal Health through education, professional development, and sustainability of the doula role - specifically growing Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) membership and leadership.
The Oregon Doula Association was formed to improve maternal and infant holistic health outcomes, ensure healthcare equity and cultivate culturally appropriate and humanistic maternity care for Oregon families. (bylaws G).
Call to Action:
Further efforts in radical and systemic change by training, recruiting, and sustaining Black birth workers. This will improve pregnancy and birth-related health outcomes in the Black community. Within our scope, we will address the life-threatening inequities faced by Black birthers and their Black newborns in the childbearing year.
Transform the fundamentally racist and oppressive healthcare system by working collaboratively with local hospitals, maternal clinics, and birthing centers. This will help create personalized, culturally accommodating maternal care plans that significantly improve the experience of Black birthers throughout their childbearing years.
Promote and implement culturally specific models of care, community-based emotional support, trauma-informed care approaches, and advocacy as set forth by the Traditional Health Worker Doula guidelines.
Join us in our Antiracist Initiatives, start conversations with us in our forum, access resources, or donate to our efforts and become a member.
Oregon Doula Association
Board of Directors