Doula Lab

04/04/2026

⏰ Last call—registration closes tomorrow, April 3!

Join us for the 3rd Annual Centering Joy in the Black Birthing Experience Conference, a powerful day of learning, healing, connection, and celebration.

🎤 Keynote Speaker: Kay Matthews, founder of the Shades of Blue Project and Black Maternal Mental Health Week

🖤 Centering joy
🌿 Elevating Black birth workers & families
✨ Advancing better birth outcomes together

📅 Saturday, April 11, 2026
📍 SIUE Health Sciences Building | Edwardsville, IL
🕘 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

🎟 Spots are limited—this is your final chance to register.
👉 https://whova.com/portal/registration/dgIvNOXL3YSY-Izj4-dv/
, Doula Lab Missouri PQC Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Affinia Healthcare Care STL Health Family Care Health Centers Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Centers Saint Louis County Department of Public Health City of St. Louis Department of Health WashU Medicine SLU School of Medicine Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH)

03/14/2026

Yall see it! The lovely Kay Matthews-Williams Shades Of Blue Project
will be in the building! Regitration will close April 1st! did we mention this conference is free! calling all who want to be apart of the change as well as celebrate with us. We are Centering Joy in the Black Birthing Experience!!!

03/03/2026

03/02/2026

🎉 Tickets Now on Sale! 🎉
Join us for the Pre‑Conference Stakeholders Mixer — April 10th, 2026!
✨ Step into an evening of joy, connection, and culture at the 1st Annual Centering Joy in the Black Birthing Experience Stakeholders Mixer!
📍 The Venue Arcade – 2801 Locust St., St. Louis, MO
🕔 5 PM – 9 PM
🎟️ Tickets: $25.00 + tax (sales close April 1st)
💫 COCKTAIL ATTIRE REQUIRED
🌌 Afro‑Futuristic style encouraged!
🎤 Featured Speakers:
✨ Lucinda Canty, PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM, FAAN
Nurse midwife, scholar & maternal health advocate
✨ Shafia Monroe, MPH
Midwife, educator & cultural preservationist
Together, they will lead an intimate Midwife‑to‑Midwife Conversation: Centering Joy, Spirituality & Postpartum Healing — a powerful dialogue exploring ancestral wisdom, cultural grounding, and holistic practices that uplift Black birthing experiences.
🕡 Discussion Time: 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
💛 What to Expect:
🌺 A welcoming space for Black birth workers & community stakeholders
🌺 Insightful conversation on joy-centered birthing practices
🌺 Networking with leaders, innovators & advocates
🌺 A celebration of culture, community & holistic care
👉 Get your tickets today for just $25.00 + tax!
Don’t wait — this inspiring event will set the tone for the entire conference!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1980331368432?aff=oddtdtcreator Registration for the Pre-Conference Mixer, Tickets are now $25.00

02/26/2026

🌟 Exciting Announcement! 🌟
We are thrilled to welcome Kay Matthews as the Keynote Speaker for the 3rd Annual CIBBE Conference!
🗓 April 11, 2026
⏰ 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Keynote Address)
📍 SIUE School of Health Sciences – Edwardsville, IL
🎨 Theme: “Ain’t I A Woman”
Kay Matthews is a nationally respected leader in Black maternal mental health and the visionary founder of the Shades of Blue Project. Her powerful keynote will highlight community-centered solutions, healing, advocacy, and the urgent fight for equity in Black maternal health.
If you're passionate about making meaningful change for Black birthing families, you don’t want to miss this moment.
✨ Register. Share. Show up.
Together, we rise for Black maternal health.


• Conference Registration: https://whova.com/portal/registration/dgIvNOXL3YSY-Izj4-dv/

02/22/2026

Sunday, March 1st, 2026
1 PM – 3 PM
📍 The Doula Lab
6606 W. Main St.
Belleville, IL 62223

History isn’t just what happened to us, it’s what lives in us.
Join us for an afternoon of connection, learning, and community healing.

What to Expect:

Soul food refreshments
Meaningful conversation
Supportive community learning
Helpful information for families and caregivers

We’ll explore the deep roots of Black maternal health, the role of history in our present experiences, and how community stories can shape healing journeys.

Registration Deadline:
February 26, 2026

Questions?

Call 618-213-6800

Email admin@thedoulalab.org
This event is open to the community. Contributions are welcome but not required.

02/20/2026

Please check your emails if you were recently interviewed for our Perinatal Health Worker Program. We sent out acceptance letters Monday. Thank you for your time and consideration! We look forward to seeing you all in the next steps.

02/16/2026

❗️UPDATE❗️
JOIN US ON MARCH 1st
FROM BETTER TO BEST
Hey moms, this is a safe place to converse, express, and start the journey of healing your maternal and postpartum mental health experiences.
Food, fun, fellowship, and sisterhood all hosted by the amazing Ronda Smith-Branch.

Register below:
https://doulalab.org/event1/from-better-to-best-remembering-the-roots/

02/12/2026

Virtual events every Thursday into April!!
We hope to see you online tonight!