Growing abundant community birth infrastructure for generations to come.
We are creating a world where every community has access to a birth center and midwives, families, and communities of color thrive.
NEWS
Impact Highlights 2024
Birth Center Equity (BCE) works to ensure that every community has access to safe, loving midwifery care, by investing in birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, people of color.
In 2024, BCE Network birth centers brought excellent health care – beyond birthing – to 58 communities across the US. 100% of BCE Network birth centers offer or plan to offer services beyond birth care, including lactation support, sexual and reproductive health care, well-person care, doula support, mental health care, childbirth education, pediatric care, family planning, and primary care.
Expanding community midwifery grounded in community birth centers is key to solving the nation’s birth care crisis.
Most families in the US – particularly Black, Indigenous, families of color – lack full access to safe and culturally-reverent midwifery care. In fact, among economically advantaged countries, the US ranks at the bottom in perinatal health care.
Community birth centers – the only health care facilities based in the midwifery model of care – are bringing forth health care systems that are family centered, midwife-led, community held, and where all people are respected and valued.
To birth a just and bright future, we must invest at scale in the leadership, wisdom, and services of birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, people of color.
BCE is a national catalyst growing community birth infrastructure, resources, power, and innovation, grounded in a network of nearly 60 birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, people of color, spanning 26 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.
How We Work
Discover the ways we’re creating impact.
Catalyst
We are an accelerator for BIPOC community birth center leaders to lead advanced resource and investment model development and strategies.
Capital
We support BIPOC-led community birth centers to access new resources to ensure their collective vitality, sustainability, and growth.
Community
We strengthen the collective leadership and self-determination of BIPOC community birth center leaders to access resources at scale.
Watch Our Birth Center Stories
Birthing Powerful State Policy: Birth Center Week 2023
Session higlighting the innovative policy work in Colorado and in Michigan to inspire and inform organizing in every state. Speakers: Indra Lusero, Elephant Circle; Lyz Riley Sanders, Elephant Circle; Nicole Marie White, Birth Detroit; Leseliey Welch, Birth Detroit.
Ask the Midwives! Pregúntale a las Parteras! Birth Center Week 2023
A session for those curious about birth center care but not sure who to ask. Learn from a panel of experienced midwives! Midwife Panel: Stephanie Murillo, Luna Tierra Birth Center, El Paso, TX; Ebony Marcelle, Community of Hope, Washington DC; Trinisha Williams, Midwife In the City, Brooklyn, NY; Nikki Helms, San Diego Community Birth Center. (Recorded 9.16.23)
Birthing Justice Video Launch: Birth Center Week 2023
The virtual release of a new animated video (produced by the award winning artistic team at (Sharp As Knives) evoking the power and beauty of a world where Black, Indigenous, people of color live in safety, abundance, and liberation, creating a pathway for safety, abundance, and liberation for all. Speakers: Cessilye R. Smith, Abide Women's Health, Dallas, TX; Leanne Levers, PUSH for Midwives; Tara Lawal, Rainier Valley Birth Center, Seattle, WA; Anjli Hinman, Altanta Birth Center.
Lanzamiento Partir a la Justica: Birth Center Week 2023
Una celebracion del lanzamiento virtual de un nuevo video animado (producido por el galardonado equipo artístico de (Sharp As Knives) que evoca el poder y la belleza de un mundo donde las personas Afrodescendientes, Indígenas y de color viven en seguridad, abundancia y liberación, creando un camino hacia la seguridad, la abundancia y la liberación para todes. Presentadores: Vanessa Caldari y Paloma Hernandez, Centro MAM, San Juan, PR; Lina Garcia, Luna Tierra Casa de Partos, El Paso, TX. (Gravación 9.15.23)
Parir a la Justicia - Semana del Centro de Parto 2023
Parir la Justicia es un nuevo video animado producido por Birth Center Equity en colaboración con el galardonado equipo artístico de Sharp As Knives (www.sharpasknives.com). Parir la Justicia evoca el poder y la belleza de un mundo donde las personas Afrodescendientes, Indígenas y de color viven en seguridad, abundancia y liberación, creando un camino hacia laseguridad, la abundancia y la liberación para todes. Birth Center Equity se enorgullece de lanzar Parir la Justicia como parte de la Semana del Centro de Parto 2023. Narrado por partera Marinah V. Farrell.
Midwifing Justice - Birth Center Week 2023
Midwifing Justice is a new animated video produced by Birth Center Equity in collaboration with the award winning artistic team at Sharp As Knives (www.sharpasknives.com). Midwifing Justice evokes the power and beauty of a world where Black, Indigenous, people of color live in safety, abundance, and liberation, creating a pathway for safety, abundance, and liberation for all. Birth Center Equity is proud to release Midwifing Justice as part of Birth Center Week 2023 (www.birthcenterweek.org). Narrated by midwife Marinah V. Farrell.
Birth & Beloved Economy Session Birth Center Week 2023
Wisdom and practical steps toward building a fully resourced, community-owned and powered care infrastructure where the wisdom, leadership, and lives of Black and Indigenous people are valued and centered. Facilitator: Leseliey Welch, Birth Center Equity/Birth Detroit. Speakers: Taj James, Full Spectrum Labs; Stephanie McLemore Bray, Orchid Capital; Maymangwa Flying Earth, Birthing Sovereignty; Nikia Grayson, CHOICES Center for Reproductive Health. (9/14/23 Recording)
Birth Center Equity: Safety, Abundance, Liberation
Safety. Abundance. Liberation. These are the values that drive Birth Center Equity to create a world where every community has access to a birth center.
Birthing World Anew in South LA: Kindred Space LA
“There should be a midwife or a birthworker on every corner,” says Kimberly Durdin. Durdin and Allegra Hill co-founded KindredSpace in South Los Angeles, where they are building anew “the world that works for us.
Birth Center Sankofa Story: A Mother's Choice Midwifery in Colorado Springs
Hear the “Sankofa Story” of BCE member Demetra Seriki bringing Black-led midwifery to her Colorado Springs community through A Mother’s Choice Midwifery
Culturally Reverent Birthing in South Seattle: Rainier Valley Birth Center
Hear the story of BCE member Tara Lawal and Rainier Valley Birth Center as they gather South Seattle residents to envision and open a safe, cultrually reverent, freestanding community birth center.
Birth Center Justice: Abide Women's Health - Dallas, TX
BCE is proud to introduce Cessilye R. Smith of Abide Women's Health Services in Dallas, TX. Hear Cessilye’s story and her vision for opening a freestanding community birth center in South Dallas.
Black Midwives Breaking Barriers: Haven Midwifery - Brooklyn, NY
Black midwives are breaking through economic barriers to open community birth centers, like Trinisha Williams of Haven Midwifery Birthing Center in New York City. Watch Trinisha’s story.
Community Centered Birthing: Neighborhood Birth Center - Boston, MA
By listening to BIPOC communities “we create birth centers that work for everyone”, says Nashira Baril of Boston’s Neighborhood Birth Center.
Equitable Community Care: The Birthing Place -
Bronx, NY
Bronx, NY
A BIPOC-led community birth center is coming to the Bronx, NY! Listen to the story of The Birthing Place BX and how Nubia Earth Martin, Myla Flores, and Bruce McIntyre are making sure their community has “access to equitable care by people who look like them & understand them.”
Let's Birth the Future Together!
BCE CEO and Co-Founder Leseliey Welch shares our mission to make birth center care accessible to all, ensuring safety, abundance, and liberation for every birthing person and their families.
Our Partners and Investors
Donate today to make sure every community has access to birth center care.
To date, we have raised nearly $1.5 million in funding for BIPOC-led community birth centers’ COVID rapid response, general support, and financial model and infrastructure development.