08/09/2021
My final clients of 2020 serendipitously gave birth in early March, just before lockdowns and hospital visitor restrictions. I had planned some time off for family commitments and travel, and it turned out to be perfectly timed (well…not the travel part!). I had been quietly working on my degree for a few years, and I focused my energies on my classes and took the opportunity to think carefully about my path forward, which led me to consider a significant shift in focus.
It has been an honor to serve so many wonderful families during the past twelve years since I completed my doula training! I have learned so much and been deeply grateful to be a small part of the intimate and profound experience of birth. My work as a doula served as a catalyst to learn more about feminism, power structures and the layers of oppression experienced by marginalized groups in our society. After spending this last decade supporting and advocating for my clients, I will be building upon that knowledge and work by attending University of Baltimore School of Law this fall. Through law school, I hope to acquire skills that will allow me to engage in a broader level of patient-rights advocacy. I will be taking an indefinite leave of absence from doula work in order to focus on this new endeavor.
Thank you to each and every family who allowed me in their birth space, to every birth worker who has been a part of my journey, and to my family and friends who provide endless support and encouragement, and will surely see me through these next three years as I take on the new challenges of law school!
