Growing abundant community birth infrastructure for generations to come.
We are creating a world where every community
has access to a birth center.
Writing Us Back Into The Birth Story Trans Birth Fund
Birth Center Equity and Orchid Capital Collective are thrilled to announce the Writing Us Back Into The Birth Story Trans Birth Fund, providing grants of $10,000-$20,000 to uplift BIPOC Trans*, Intersex, and GNC-led birthwork and family building through small-scale funding, strengthening movement intersections and building solidarity inside of the BIPOC-led Birth Justice movement.
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.
Less than 5% of birth centers in the US are led by people of color.
This leaves most Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities without access to safe and culturally reverent care that is a key solution for reversing the maternal health crisis.
Racial inequity in funding and investment is a barrier to Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) opening and sustaining community birth centers.
To birth a just and bright future, we must fund and invest in BIPOC-led community birth centers at scale.
We support Black, Indigenous, people of color birth center leaders to access resources to improve birth outcomes and generate community birth center infrastructure that benefits everyone.
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.