Nurse Midwife In The Making

I was recently accepted into an accelerated nursing program at the University of Rochester which will allow me to receive my BSN in 12 months. Unfortunately, lack of financial coverage for tuition is an obstacle in my pursuit of attending nursing school. In May 2018, my sister and I were in a serious car accident due to the negligence of another drive. Since then, I have been unable to return to work due to injuries resulting from the car accident. Due to my lack of income, I do not meet eligibility requirements in order to apply for a private student loan. 

I have desired to become a maternal health care provider since the age of thirteen. While attending college, I learned about racial health disparities that exist within maternal and infant mortality rates. After conducting several years of research throughout my undergraduate career, I made it my life’s goal to become a Nurse-Midwife and fight to reduce racial health disparities. I became a certified doula while obtaining my bachelor’s degree in Public Health from the University of Rochester and used these skills to benefit my community. I've hosted community workshops on topics including the Black Maternal Health Crisis in the United States, the benefits of doula care, nutrition and food insecurity, and tips for improving the physical and mental well-being of mothers, babies, and families. These activities have provided real life exposure to the urgent nature of health issues impacting under-resourced communities. Most recently, I hosted a Black Healing Expo where attendees were able to meet healthcare and wellness providers serving the Syracuse area and receive a reference list of providers who were unable to attend the expo. The purpose of the expo was to raise awareness on reputable providers who offer compassionate and culturally competent care to the community. Nursing is more than a career for me, it is a vehicle to give back to marginalized communities vulnerable to health issues. Obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing will assist in my personal mission to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes by revolutionizing healthcare delivery.

In 2017, I was forced to pass up the opportunity to attend NYU's Accelerated Nursing Program due to a lack of financial aid. I do not want to let this opportunity to further my education to pass me by again.  The sooner I can become a Certified Nurse-Midwife, the sooner I can move back home to continuing serving Black women and birthing individuals from marginalized communities, who have always remained my priority. Syracuse needs more Black midwives. We need more maternal health care providers who understand the impact structural racism has on our lives before, during, and after we give birth. In the future, I hope to use my doula and social justice background to build a midwifery practice which will foster positive, holistic, affirming birthing experiences. 

I am asking all those who believe in my vision to become a Nurse-Midwife to donate to this fundraiser which will assist me in paying for tuition. Donations can also be made via cashapp ($Doula4aqueen), venmo (@Sequoia-Kemp), or paypal.me/SequoiaK. You can also sign up to make recurring donations through patreon to provide me with ongoing financial support as I pursue my nursing education! Set up monthly donations at: https://www.patreon.com/doula4aqueenThanks in advance for the support! 

You can read and listen to the following links to learn about the work I've done in my community since graduating from the University of Rochester with my bachelor's degree in Public Health. 


(December 2018) Tea with Queen and J Podcast: http://www.teawithqueenandj.com/pay-black-women


(March 2019) My Southside Stand: Local Advocates Work to Lower Death Rates Among Black Mothers https://mysouthsidestand.com/more-news/local-advocates-work-to-combat-death-rates-among-black-mothers/


(April 2019) Nowell & Associates Counseling Firm Radio Show: How A Doula Can Help Your Pregnancy and Your Quality of Life: http://web-extract.constantcontact.com/v1/social_annotation?permalink_uri=2KyU95w&image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmlsvc01-prod.s3.amazonaws.com%2F954faee9001%2Fea2b0ed1-e074-4b0a-91b1-3359b06168f6.png%3Fver%3D1554923167000&fbclid=IwAR3lBbKjducqs3CVvJmZh07WjEbmHmXNudFNXeWuZYxMF2H2KkwtK3h3aWw


(May 2019) 

Royal Treatment: Creating a safe space for women of color throughout pregnancy 

https://issuu.com/medleymagazine/docs/medley-fa-2018-pages-final_5adda822ecb504?fbclid=IwAR367rKo83ZI_3qjGU2AtdC3D6lS1Zw8UX0eVUTTGWbhZIKBfNJaRl7eHK8


(May 2019) All Things Mommy Podcast: https://anchor.fm/yaschia/episodes/Get-you-a-Doula-e40ugo


(June 2019) City Limits: A Poverty Project: https://www.waer.org/post/city-limits-doula-care-syracuse-working-decrease-maternal-health-racial-disparities