Birth in Color in the Press
Press Release
Sheriff’s Office Partners with Birth in Color Group for Female Individuals in Custody in Detention Facility
ARLINGTON, Va., March 28, 2024 —
The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Richmond-based organization Birth in Color. This collaboration, the first in the state of Virginia, aims to provide pregnant female individuals in our custody with options for doula support during their birth experiences and to train female inmates in becoming community-based doulas themselves, enhancing their skills and opportunities for the future.
Eastern Shore Post
Effort afoot here to recruit, train local pregnancy counselors
Published: May 26, 2023
Birth in Colo RVA is expanding to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Eastern Shore residents live on average about 200 miles away from the nearest women’s healthcare practice. By bringing community-based doulas of color trained in cultural humility and professional birth support to the Eastern Shore, we are hopeful that the experiences of residents during their reproductive health journeys is supported and protected.
Virginia Mercury
Virginia lawmakers ask for study on requiring insurers to cover doula care
Published: January 30, 2023
Studies have shown that doulas, who are nonmedical professionals trained to provide a broad range of support services during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period, significantly improve birth outcomes, especially in low-income and minority populations. Despite this, two bills in support of coverage for state-certified doula care by private insurers in Virginia were not passed by lawmakers due to wanting a deeper study of the bill proposal. The United States has one of the highest rates of maternal death and Black women are nearly three times more likely than non-Hispanic white women to die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
VPM News
Birth in Color doulas work with expectant parents to deliver care
November 28 2022
Birth in Color RVA doulas are culturally trained; the specially designed training prepares doulas to provide exceptional care and exceptional advocacy for their clients. The maternal mortality crisis in the US affects Black women 3-4x more than white women. A majority of the complications that lead to maternal death are avoidable, and doulas are proven to improve birth outcomes.
NBC
Non-profit tries to reduce Black maternal mortality rate in Virginia
Published: Nov. 5, 2022
Doula services through Birth in Color RVA have now expanded to Roanoke, Virginia. Expansion of the Doula Project to new cities in Virginia is Birth in Color’s response to the maternal mortality crisis. Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, birth intervention rates have risen across the US. Birth in Color doulas are trained to provide professional birth support, as well as prenatal support and education in addition to the postpartum support they provide their clients. This start-to-finish approach is designed to ensure that birthing people are prepared for all of the possibilities that can come up during pregnancy, birth, and in their postpartum recovery.
Virginia Mercury
Doula services now covered under Virginia Medicaid expansion
Published: October 10, 2022
Doula services in Virginia can now be covered by Medicaid. Virginia is the fourth state in the US to adopt this policy, and it comes in the midst of the maternal mortality crisis happening in the US. In this article, Kenda Sutton-EL shares about the growth she sees happening in the near future as more Birth in Color doulas become Medicaid providers and a Birth in Color RVA doula shares why she became a community based doula.
The Richmond Times Dispatch
Column: Provide culturally-centered support to improve Black maternal health outcomes in Virginia
Published: October 1, 2022
Kenda Sutton-EL shared in the Richmond Times Dispatch about the maternal mortality crisis. Culturally-centered support can make a positive impact on birth outcomes, avoid life-threatening complications, and create safer environments for birthing people of color. A person of color is 3 times more likely to die during childbirth than a white person, regardless of education or socioeconomic class. The maternal mortality rates in the US are 37 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births — in Norway, Poland and Italy the maternal mortality rate is 2 for every 100,000 live births.
Venture Richmond
New Businesses on Broad Street in Downtown Richmond
Published: September 8, 2022
Venture Richmond partnered with the Metropolitan Business League (MBL) to help recruit existing small, women, and minority (sWaM) and immigrant-owned businesses and awarded ten new tenants, including Birth In Color RVA, $10,000 each for moving in and opening business. Here Sutton-El opens up about Birth in Color RVA and what it’s all about. It was important for the business to be located near Broad Street’s Art district and Jackson Ward because it’s community based, it needs to be accessible to the community. More importantly, the neighborhood represents celebration and honor to the deep roots in the Black community.
WSLS News 10
‘It starts with us’: Roanoke organizations teaming up to combat Black maternal mortality crisis
Published: August 24, 2022
Kenda Sutton-El shares about her first experience saving a mothers life during a birth. In the US, being one of the most dangerous places in the developed world for a woman to give birth, there is a steady increase in pregnancy related deaths over the past 35 years. This is especially prevalent for Black and American Indian/ Alaskan Natives who are 2-3 times more likely to die during pregnancy due to pregnancy related causes. Birth in Color RVA has expanded to Roanoke to address the maternal mortality crisis.
In Our Own Voice
A Spotlight on State Leadership: Reproductive Justice State Enhancement Initiative
Published: August 17, 2022
Women & Politics VA Blog
Women & Politics: Women & Community Leadership
Published: August 11, 2022
Women & Politics brings women together to discuss their engagement in the community and what representatives can be doing to help our communities. Founding Director of Birth in Color, Kenda Sutton-El, was featured in an episode that is available for streaming on the Women & Politics VA Blog. During the episode Sutton-El discusses the importance of fighting for maternal justice, encouraging people of color to get involved with their communities, and shares all the resources available at Birth in Color RVA.
CBS News 6 Richmond
After overturn of Roe v. Wade, what does the future of birth control look like?
Published: June 28, 2022
In June, the Supreme Court ended the constitutional protections for abortion. Justice Lawrence Thomas' opinion of reconsidering all of the substantive due process present made people fear what else may be changed like birth control. Kenda Sutton-El spoke about the many uses for contraceptives outside of preventing pregnancy and how restricting access to birth control would strip people in need from already so few options. Birth in Color RVA, Planned Parenthood, and the Virginia Department of Health are going to continue to help people gain access to birth control.
ABC 7
Health advocates say SCOTUS abortion ruling could hurt Black women the most
Published: June 27, 2022
Black women are 3x more likely to be affected by maternal mortality. “When there’s an issue like this happening, this person is not going to be able to get an abortion.” Kenda Sutton-El feels that Black Women would miss out on other services without an abortion doula, a service provided by Birth in Color RVA. Being forced to continue through with a pregnancy could also negatively affect mental health, which is also peaking with maternal mortality.
Chesterfield Observer
Mother’s helper: Doulas work to ensure a safe birth experience for women of color
Published: May 25, 2022
Tameka Robinson shares her traumatic first birth story, one she made sure wouldn't happen again as she felt the doctors rushed her into agreeing to a cesarean section. When Tameka found out she was pregnant for the second time, she made sure to start weighing her birthing options to avoid repeating the same experience. Fortunately, Tameka ran in to Kenda Sutton-EL while interviewing at a radio station while still pregnant.
NBC 12
Maternal health organization fears leaked anti-abortion legislation’s impact on marginalized groups
Published: May. 4, 2022
Birth in Color RVA Founder and Executive Director, Kenda Sutton-El, discusses Roe v. Wade and filling the gap for those who are a part of marginalized groups and face systemic disparities. Pregnancy care centers serve a purpose in our community and Birth in Color RVA is working towards connecting with more resources to make sure everyone can access the services they need to close that gap.
Virginia Mercury
Birthing while black: African-American women face disproportionate risks during pregnancy
Published: Mar 15, 2022
Each year in America, there has been a steady increase in the ratio of maternal death rate since the late 1980s. At Birth in Color RVA, we have a network of doulas that provide culturally centered support to families and the community. Substandard care and racism in the medical industry has created a healthcare system in which everyone does not receive the same experience. The Birth in Color RVA panel had women speak about their experiences as health care providers and how they’ve witnessed the differences.