Mamas In Color Jessica Reña

**DISCLAIMER: Trigger Warning**

In this episode, my co-host for this season Tranita Excellent Turner and I discuss early pregnancy loss, how it changes relationships in your life, how to navigate loss and create boundaries.

Pregnancy loss affects 1 in 4 birthing people. That is a very high statistic and yet, the discussion surrounding loss is still not normalized in our communities. You can find resources and more information about pregnancy at the links below: 

https://sistersinloss.com/
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
https://nationalshare.org/


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In this episode we chat with NYC/Harlem native Tiffany Cheatham, mama bear of four, property management company owner and more. We discuss how motherhood and martyrdom has become so synonymous. The ins and outs of parenting multiple children while also managing step-motherhood before entering into your own version of motherhood. Tiffany touches on the importance of doing what makes you happy so, you can produce healthy children into society, 

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In this episode, we talk with Vante Gant about fatherhood as a black man. We touch on parenting through current events and the pressures of being the perfect dad as a black man. Vante touches on how it is okay to feel weak or depressed as a man and what you can do to seek help. He touches on leaving important artifacts for our children to know who we are as people and not just parents. 

Follow Vante: 

IG: dont_talkmy_way
FB: Vante Gant 

**I planned to edit a lot of things out of this episode as to make it more presentable and decided against it, once listening to the audio multiple times. Vante was his authentic self and honest about his feelings and opinions as was I and I will not be editing this to clean up anything for ears who do not care nor are meant to hear what he is saying.


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Last week we touched on the #AhmaudArberry story - if you have not heard or read about this look it up or listen to the previous episode. This week we discuss #GeorgeFloyd and raising black men in a society that has been intertwined with white supremacy from it's core and trying to figure out how our black boys/men can survive in a world meant to murder them. We talk with Lauren Rodger's a mother of two, raising an 8 year old black boy in today's society and how she plans to make sure he keeps his life. 
Lauren touches on how leprosy in the bible is what people of European descent are today. You may find this in 2 Kings 5:27. 


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*TRIGGER WARNING - Racial tensions, slurs, murder is discussed in this episode*

As the Ahmaud Arberry story broke on social media around America - it resonated with me, that in 2020 we are still having to have conversations with our sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, etc about how to stay safe and what to do when encountering entitled angry racist people and steps to take to possibly save their lives. It dawned on me with Ahmaud's story particularly that there is no way to make sure you are not killed by the hands of a racist white police officer or an angry entitled white man. In part one of this segment. we listen to doula, childbirth educator and tax slayer Tequila Grant decipher how she plans to teach her sons the difficulties they may face just due to skin color. We touch on gentrification, racism in the birthing world and in hospitals that lead to the disproportionate deaths of POC. 

To follow Tequila: 
IG: TMarie_G & Mama.2.Mama

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**DISCLAIMER, POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING - RACIAL SLURS** 

This episode was recorded on 12 April 2020. Prior to this recording Tiara nor myself had any inkling that the doula she and her family carefully chose as an advocate for her birth, had previously made racial slurs against black people. It came to both Tiara and my knowledge on 04 May 2020, that said doula had made an announcement that she had previously used racial slurs against black families in the years prior and has since, issued an apology and has been working on herself. As birth is such an intimate setting, home birth specifically - I felt it our duty to acknowledge this issue and make other families of color aware; as they are choosing a doula. I am passionate about informed consent and one cannot make true and genuine decisions without all the information. With women of color, black women more specifically being 2-3x more likely to die during birth or due to birth related causes - it is especially important to have all the information when choosing a birth provider. To those whom presume to be allies and yet, make disparaging remarks about women of color in your circles or the comfort of your own home and still go on to "serve" our communities - please know that you are wrong. We do not want nor do we accept those of you posing as allies in hopes of erasing the racist remarks or tendencies that embody your being. 

In this episode we will hear from Active Duty Navy sailor, wife and new first time mom Tiara Perry. Tiara discusses her pregnancy and what made her choose home birth even though Tricare (military insurance) would not cover her birth due to being active duty. I shared her beautiful birth video on our Instagram page and it has been shared on different platforms in the birth community. We discuss how we should be lifting one another up during pregnancy and birth, instead of sharing fears and how we as a community should be more open to speaking and sharing positive experiences. 



To watch Tiara's beautiful birth video or follow her on social media: 

IG: TiaraLashae.p


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