Aloha Y'all! Thank you for your love and support!

I’m Jasmine Aleese Merritt. I’m a 29 year old black woman living in Hawaii and working full time as a birthworker during this pandemic. I’m asking for your donation to fund BIPOC birth-work. Black birthing folks suffer higher rates of death and negative outcomes during their birthing experiences. I believe we need black birthworkers supporting BIPOC people during birth while we close this gap. This is what made me decide to become a doula. Now I'm seeking to expand my birth support services and studying to become a Certified Professional Midwife at The National College of Midwifery.

In 2017, I graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in Public Health. Roll Tide Roll! I got into birth work because of the infant and maternal morality rates that plagued my community.  Originally, I am from Sweet Home Montgomery Alabama. Though recently I have found myself more than 4,000 miles away from home in the middle of the Pacific Ocean residing in the beautiful close knit community of Honolulu.  Alabama is ranked #3 in maternal and infant mortality in the United States : https://www.al.com/news/2020/02/alabama-has-third-highest-death-rate-of-mothers-in-the-nation-new-federal-report-says.html Over the years, I have seen how structural racism and bias has affected my community.


 I come from a long history deep-rooted in love and service! My goal is to honor and preserve the traditional and ancestral birth practices of our beloved black granny midwives and to take part in solving the crisis of the black maternal mortality & morbidity. I continue to serve because I have seen first hand the power of family, community, and connection to make a difference. 

I knew I wanted to serve my community. I also knew that this meant I would need to make a huge sacrifice to find a preceptor who could teach me the traditional practices of midwifery and that I would need to relocate. In 2018, I decided to relocate from Alabama to begin my midwifery journey in Hawaii due to the lack of legal midwifery at the time in my home state. 

(So honored to support this beautiful Ohana during their birth journey! This little baby was my first catch as a student midwife)

Believing it would be worth while and anticipating change in the Alabama legal policy around midwifery in the years to come, I took that leap of faith. I went to Hawaii to get started on my journey. I spent countless of days and hours praying, manifesting, and believing I would find a black preceptor who I could learn from. Finally, I was connected to one of the only black certified professional Midwives in Hawaii, Selena Green, CPM, LM, Owner of Halekealaula Midwifery, LLC www.halekealaulallc.com . It is because of this amazing woman and her willingness to take me under her Midwifery wing that I have the opportunity to learn, grow, and serve the families of Oahu. As of today, I’ve been living in Hawaii for almost 3 years working to complete my midwifery degree.




Midwifery is a form of advocacy that is powerful in improving the outcomes of Reproductive health. I began my practice as a doula in the Deep South because of the alarming rate of black women dying during giving birth in in my home state of sweet home Alabama. I believed strongly in the importance of supporting pregnant women from conception to postpartum as a solution to these inequities in health care. During undergrad,I learned BIPOC women suffer disproportionate rates of negative health outcomes related to childbirth across the nation. I also learned that in general BIPOC and women's issues in health receive less attention. I knew that as a black woman I had to respond to the needs of my community.

I am passionate about birthwork’s power as a form of advocacy that changes health outcomes for BIPOC folks. My dedication to justice in reproductive health has aided me in understanding the power of the birthing person's body and it has shaped my love for birth work. My passion to serve my community has propelled me to dive into midwifery head on.

Still it is imperative that when doing community work, you ask for the support of your own community, and FAM I truly need your support. 

 

HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS: 

Your support will allow me to continue my mission and fully be immersed in my midwifery education as I finish the certification in its final phase-Phase 3. Each donation and share will help support my practice as a black birthworker and uplift the families I serve in this community.

Since I am currently paying for midwifery school out of pocket, every donation you  make will go towards tuition, books, supplies, and other items needed to help me finish my goal of becoming a BLACK MIDWIFE! Without you, this would not be possible. It is with you that I can be able to stand in my purpose as a student midwife and soon become a midwifery care provider flattening the curve for maternal mortality!

I hope you will support my work as a black midwife.

What your support helps: 

Tuition
Housing
Books and Fees
Narm Exam 
Birth Supplies
Midwifery Supplies
Certifications 
Clinical Preceptor Remuneration

 

Additional Donations Can be sent:

Cash App: $Essenceofbirth
Venmo: Jasmine-Merritt-6
Paypal: [email redacted]
Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2UXW4AOT5TW2O?ref_=wl_share 

As a black woman I strongly feel we must protect birthingfrom inequality in health care during labor. Help me as I work to decrease mortality as well as negative health outcomes especially among BIPOC birthing persons and babies. I know that through your support, I can accomplish my goal and achieve this next step in my journey. 

Thank you so much for your love and support! 

Jasmine Aleese Merritt, Your Future Midwife