EBB 141 - Birthing and Disparities in Minnesota with Rhonda Fellows and Dr. Jennifer Almanza

Today is a special day, as we are starting a 3-day podcast focus on the amazing work being done by the Minnesota Healing Justice Network!

In today's episode, I am joined by EBB instructor, Rhonda Fellows and Dr. Jennifer Almanza to talk about birthing and disparities in Minnesota.

**TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode, we talk about racial violence and Black and Indigenous maternal health disparities.**

Rhonda Fellows is a Certified Birth Doula and Evidence Based Birth® Instructor who has 20 years of working with youth and families in the nonprofit world as an after-school program director, co-director of an overflow homeless shelter, tutor and counselor of high school students, teen mission trip facilitator, and healthy relationships guest speaker in health classes.

Rhonda serves family in the Twin Cities Area, and she loves teaching childbirth education classes to help parents realize their rights, options, and feel empowered to advocate for themselves. She is also a teacher of the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class. In addition to birth work, Rhonda is a founding member of the Minnesota Healing Justice Network.

Dr. Jennifer Almanza has her Doctorate of Nursing Practice and is a Certified Nurse Midwife. Dr. Almanza's work amplifies health equity through endorsing physiologic birth, helping clients maintain their agency and power, providing evidence-based care, and pushing reproductive justice via policy and research activism.

Dr. Almanza believes in building the body of research done by, with, and for Indigenous Black, Latinx, multiracial, and other people of color. Dr. Almanza practices with women's health specialists at the University of Minnesota Physicians. Dr. Almanza is an adjunct clinical faculty at the University of Minnesota Medical School for the School of Nursing department, as she teaches in the Doctorate of Nursing program in Midwifery.

We talk about the events of George Floyd’s murder and the COVID-19 pandemic, and how both events affected Black maternal health in the Minnesota community. We also discuss the importance of decolonizing birth and acknowledging Indigenous birth working practices and cultural traditions.

Learn about Rhonda Fellows via Oily Doula MN here (https://www.oilydoulamn.com/) and follow Oily Doula MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/oilydoulamn/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oilydoulamn/).

Learn about the Minnesota Healing Justice Network here (https://www.mnhealingjustice.com/).

Follow Minnesota Healing Justice Network on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mnhealingjustice) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mnhealingjustice/).

Learn about Autumn Cavender-Wilson, CPM and Yellow Medicine Midwifery here (https://yellowmedicinemidwifery.org).

Follow Minneapolis Indigenous Breastfeeding Support Circle on Facebook.

Learn about Britt Jackson and Metro Home Birth here (https://www.metrohomebirth.com/) and follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/metromidwiferymn/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MetroMidwiferyMN/).

Learn about Resmaa Menakem's book, "My Grandmother's Hands" here. 

To learn more about Sabia Wade (The Black Doula) and Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings here (https://www.badoulatrainings.org/). Follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/birthingadvocacy/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/birthingadvocacy/).

Learn about Roots Community Birth Center here (https://www.rootsbirthcenter.com/). Follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rootscommunitybirthcenter/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rootsbirthcenter/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.