SANKOFA  Birth Ambassadors

Sankofa Birth Ambassador (SBA) Workshops prepare participants to support women throughout the childbearing year, equipping Sankofa Birth Ambassadors to function as birth and postpartum support, advocate within their communities, and/or provide assistance to family and friends. These workshops emphasize connectedness to African cultures and the Black American historical context, while also navigating the challenges of modern birth culture. 

BEFORE THERE WERE DOULAS... there were mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends who supported the mothers in their lives during the their childbearing years.  Before we received assistance from others, we did what we needed to do to HELP OURSELVES, to HEAL OURSELVES and to SAVE OURSELVES. But so much has changed and so many of our ways have been abandoned. In times past, when our mothers saw that their daughters were in danger they sought to EDUCATE THEM, EQUIP THEM and PREPARE THEM for the challenges they might face. Women of African descent have become more vulnerable during childbirth than ever before. WE ARE BEING CALLED to care for our daughters, nieces and sisters once again. Let's  restore relationships that can promote intergenerational healing.
​
ARE YOU READY to answer the call?
YOU are who our ancestors prayed for...
YOU are who they hoped would come…
YOU ARE THE ANSWER for our daughters...
YOU ARE THE ANSWER for your sisters...
YOU ARE THE ANSWER for our legacies...
YOU ARE THE ANSWER!​
Let me help you ANSWER THE CALL!

REGISTER FOR A WORKSHOP NOW!

OCTOBER 2019 SBA Workshop A
SATURDAY Live Video Sessions 
October 5, 12, 19 & 26
10 AM (CST)

OCTOBER 2019 SBA Workshop B
SUNDAY Live Video Sessions 
October 6, 13, 20 & 27
4 PM (CST)

I have been thinking about you… Seriously, I have.

Everytime I receive an email with someone asking me where they should start to learn more about birth… And every message I receive about someone feeling “drawn to birth” and desiring to “answer that call”…. And everytime I connect with a woman by phone who says, “Can I be real with you? I love everybody, but I want to connect with someone who looks like me... or is at least a woman of color.”

I have heard you…

I have crafted this workshop to meet the unique needs that have been expressed to me by countless women of African descent and diverse cultures. There is no single path to begin birth work and there is no role that is more noble than another. When you gain knowledge about birth and gather the information you need, you can find the right fit that allows you to answer your call to improve the experiences for your loved ones and other families during the childbearing year.

​I understand the uncertainty because birth culture has changed a lot over the past 50 or 60 years. Back then, if a Black woman felt called to help pregnant women there would have been plenty of women of African descent who could guide her. Since our ancestors were brought to these shores, we have been responsible for the knowledge and skills required to sustain ourselves and our existence in unfavorable environments. 

After recent decades of scarcity and invisibility, women of African descent and diverse cultures are “reclaiming their birth rites” and their place in birth culture. We are becoming involved again. We are losing the fear that had overtaken us through efforts to assimilate into society and understanding the role we must play in healing ourselves and saving ourselves. 

What is one of the major changes that occurred since Black women integrated into the the modern healthcare system? Besides Black women and babies dying at alarming rates, it is the absence of Black women caring for other Black women as they once had.  The same can be said about other cultures. We can do something about that. 

As I have answered the call I heard to "reclaim our birth rites", I hope you will do the same. 

~ Dr. Doula

 

About Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshops

Mission
The mission of Sankofa Birth Ambassador (SBA) Workshops is to support women of African descent and diverse cultures in their efforts to know birth, know their place in birth culture, know their options within birth culture, and know their support systems with those who have a track record of supporting diverse women’s autonomy. Participants can also expect to find community and support as they pursue their unique traditions in birth culture.

Objectives
Through SBA Workshops, you will:

• Be introduced to birth so that you understand the basics and can begin to offer support to people in your life 
• Learn how to avoid the pitfalls that many Black women and diverse cultures face when seeking to get involved in birth culture
• Be shown your options to find your place in the “birth world”
• Be pointed in the right direction, toward like minded individuals who will have your best interest in mind​

 What You Get
•  Four (4) 2 hr LIVE Video Group Sessions 
•  Four (4) Session Intensives 

1. 20 Prenatal/Labor/Postpartum Birth Basics
2. Navigating Birth in Modern Culture
3. Deciding How to Serve and Choosing Your Position
4. Finding Your Allies in Birth Culture

•  Weekly Session Notes
•  Q&A Sessions
•  Resource List and Documents
•  Weekly Mentor Engagement 
•  Interactive Assignments
•  Certificate of Completion
•  Organization Recommendations

After completion of SBA Workshop Requirements
•  Access to "Maximizing the Connection" Audio Series from www.WeBuildLegacy.com ($94 value)
•  One 30 min private monthly "Mentoring Chat" with Dr. Doula for the first 3 months after workshop ($120 value)
​•  Discounted private consultations for Sankofa Birth Ambassadors 
​•  Membership to "Daughters of the African Diaspora" Alliance (D.O.A.D. Alliance) and its benefits, which includes LIFETIME ACCESS to the "Africa to the Diaspora" Birth & Postpartum Project ($100 value)

REGISTER FOR A SBA WORKSHOP!

​STEP 2 - Pay for workshop registration
(See workshop options below.)

MAKE IT A "FAMILY AFFAIR"

Invite your grandmother, mother, aunt, sister, daughter, niece and/or friend to take the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop with you. Receive discounts on the Workshop Fee (WF) for early registration and registering as a group that will share the Workshop Resource (WR).

REGISTRATION FEES 
1 Participant: ​$325 WF + $150  WR
2 Participants: ​$275 WF (per person) + $150 WR
3 Participants: ​$250 WF (per person) + $150 WR
4 Participants: ​$235 WF (per person) + $150 WR

INVEST NOW

The Workshop Fee (WF) is due in full in order to reserve a spot(s) in the workshop.
​The Workshop Resource (WR) is purchased separately. 

Workshop Map

• Before the Workshop
  • Deliverable: Pre-Workshop Survey
    
  • Video - "The Black History of Birth in America"
• Week 1 Session - KNOW BIRTH
  • Deliverables: TBA
• Week 2 Session - KNOW YOUR PLACE
  • Deliverables: TBA
• Week 3 Session - KNOW YOUR OPTIONS
  • Deliverables: TBA
• Week 4 Session - KNOW YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
  • Deliverable: Post-Workshop Survey​
• Certificate of Completion​​

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register for a Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop? (See section above.)
STEP 1: Submit the SBA contact form to confirm availability.
STEP 2: Pay the workshop registration fee.
​Additional information will be provided once the registration fee has been paid.

Where are the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop Sessions held?
The Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshops are live video sessions. 

How long is the workshop?
Each workshop involves 4 virtual live video sessions over 4 consecutive weeks. Each session lasts approximately two (2) hours.

Is the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop a doula certification program?
No, the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop is not a doula certification program. However, participants do receive a Certificate of Completion and recognition as a Sankofa Birth Ambassador be featured on DrDoula.com.

SBA is answering a bigger need than only training Black doulas. Sankofa Birth Ambassador workshops were created EQUIP BLACK WOMEN TO BECOME WHAT WE NEED FOR OURSELVES ONCE AGAIN. In order to change our situation, we need Black women to be what we were when we were excluded from institutions. We ALL need to have knowledge and skills so that we can lose the fear that has taken hold of us about birth. We ALL need to be reacquainted with birth, whether it is chosen as a career or not. 
​
Can you tell me more details about the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop?

• The Sankofa Birth Workshop Sessions are virtual group sessions. (Private consultations are also available.)
• The workshop involves a Pre-Workshop survey and a Post-Workshop Survey at the the end of the 4 weeks.
• Session notes are provided for each weekly session. 
• Each session is live video conference call. (Videos will be available to view the replay for 24 hours in cases where there is a time conflict.)
• There is a required resource that must be purchased for the course. (It is included in the total cost of the course.)
• There are short assignments after each session. ​​

​Is there a payment plan available? 
The workshop participation fee is due to reserve a spot in the SBA workshop, however, purchase of the required resource has a more flexible timeline. Purchase of the required resource and completion of the associated assignments are required in order to receive the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Certificate of Completion. 

How much time is given to complete the workshop assignments?
The SBA Workshop assignments are designed to be completed during the four weeks of the virtual sessions. You are able to participate in the workshops without the required resource, however, the resource workshop assignments must be completed within a month of the final workshop session in order to receive the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Certificate of Completion.

Can I take the workshop without purchasing the required workshop resource?
Yes, you can take the workshop. However, there will be portions of the sessions that are based on the resource. Additionally, you will not be eligible for the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Certificate of Completion if you do not complete the portion that includes the workshop resource.

Are there any scholarships available for the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshop?
There are no scholarships available for the Sankofa Birth Ambassador Workshops, however, there are Early Bird Specials for every Workshop.