The Birth Talks Mai Ngo

According to the Association of Ontario Midwives and Ryerson’s Midwifery Education Program: of the nearly 1000 midwives that are currently registered in Ontario less than 30 self-identify as Black.
The lack of diversity in the field of midwifery is a concern for midwifery care across Canada. In this final episode of the Black Births Matter series, Trish chats with Black midwives Althea Jones and Vincia Herbert about what it means to be a Black midwife.
Althea Jones is a registered midwife in Toronto and founder of Womb and Wellness, an organization aimed at addressing the gaps in maternity care. She is also the founder of Ancestral Hands, an initiative to create a midwife-led maternity program that is focused on the Black community.
Vincia Herbert is also a registered midwife in Toronto, and is involved in many initiatives that promote community building, anti-discrimination, equity and inclusion.

Trish chats with Tumaini Lyaruu, Cheyenne Scarlett and Cassandra Thompson about their work as activists in education, advocacy and activism for Black communities. 

Cassandra is a birth centre aid at the Toronto Birth Centre, as well as a doula. She is also a founding member of the Ocama Collective, a community-directed group of birth workers of colour living and working in Toronto. 

Tumaini is a midwifery student at Ryerson University and has worked alongside her peers to create the Learn More Ontario Midwifery initiative, a project that presents public information about midwifery care in Ontario. 

Cheyenne is a childbirth educator and has conducted research in the Greater Toronto Area about Black women’s experiences throughout their pregnancy. Through her research, Cheyenne has recognized the strong need for childbirth education for parents and anti-racism training for providers. She is also a co-founder of The Baby Planner, a consulting and education based business that is guided by person-centred and trauma-informed care.

In today’s episode, Trish looks at Canadian Midwives of Colour, a project led by Dr Karline Wilson, Dr Karen Flynn and Dr Cyrus Sundar Singh. The revelation of these stories highlights a part of Canadian history is not known. We discuss the representations of midwives of colour, the importance of their existence in the historical context, and how this knowledge empowers racialized midwives and midwifery students. The process of mining for facts and truth, unveils amazing stories of resilience and advocacy in Canada's earliest racialized immigrant and refugee communities. The project is consequently an act of social justice or healing for the racialized midwifery community.

This is a continuation of the birth stories from episode one. We will complete our segment by hearing from Shanel Smith, a young mom and content creator, and Kawsar Yassin, a solo parent and midwifery student.

The Birth Talks Podcast launches a new series Black Births Matter with host Trish Langley Frempong. In this episode, we hear directly from five Black parents who navigated their pregnancies and care in the hospital, in the birth center and at home. We hear from Black women and gender diverse folk including Simone Carpio, an inclusive and accessibility activist, Ingrid Palmer, an intersectional storyteller and Patice Romeo, executive director of Birth Mark. These stories will deepen your understanding in the world of pregnancy, birth and parenting for diverse Black communities.

"Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come." Rumi

It is with a full heart that Mai thanks all those who listened to the podcast, all those who shared their stories, and all those who supported her in this creative project. May we never forget to strive for the freedom of all.