BIRTH JUSTICE PROGRAMS

In the wake of COVID-19 and through the continued attacks on Reproductive Justice, many people are being forced to give birth without access to doulas and in some cases even their partners. Labor Support Training is a SisterSong offering that prepares the birthing person’s support partner to stand in the role of doula. There are many reasons why some have limited access to doulas, ranging from financial limitations to physical location. 

What We Do

SisterSong’s Labor Support Training is a three-hour training that covers pregnancy basics, the early labor through the early postpartum period, how to navigate the birthing process as a doula would, and provides a variety of comfort measures to use. Labor Support Training serves as one of many elements in SisterSong’s broader vision of comprehensive, community centered care that not only addresses the immediate needs of birthing people but also works to dismantle systemic inequities and advance Reproductive Justice for all.

How to Get Involved: To sign up for a training visit, [link.]

We Outside/We Inside is a set of programmatic offerings that address the needs of a pregnant person to get adequate nutrition and exercise, and provide the necessary educational components as they pertain to the dynamic nutritional needs of a pregnant person. These two programs offer an alternative to the often minimal, expensive, and often nonexistent options for marginalized birthing people to truly address a key element of their birthing needs due to systemic gaps created by the healthcare system.

We Outside

The We Outside series is a direct response to health disparities that can arise for pregnant people as a result of inadequate information about nutrition and exercise. Held monthly from June through September, We Outside gathers folks in the Metro Atlanta area to join SisterSong’s Birth Justice Team for activities and excursions to soak up Vitamin D, learn about pregnancy nutrition and exercise, and have fun in community. This series centers pregnant people, but all are welcome. That means if you are in the preconception phase, postpartum phase, breastfeeding, a doula, or a lover of pregnancy nutrition and exercise, we invite you to join us outside!

We Inside

We Inside, an extension of We Outside, is an educational initiative that seeks to fill in the gaps created by the healthcare system, due to minimal discourse about perinatal nutrition. This series was born out of the recognition that nutrition for pregnant people is rarely addressed during doctor visits, often resulting in the occurrence of medical issues that could easily be avoided through critical conversations and education about nutrition. We Inside not only provides education to communities but also fosters a broader conversation about what true perinatal nutritional support looks like, the responsibilities of medical institutions to provide it, and the environmental and healthcare policy changes needed to improve overall outcomes.

Why It Matters

This work matters because access to accurate information, consistent support, and culturally-relevant education around nutrition and movement during pregnancy can be the difference between a healthy birth and a preventable crisis. Health conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and iron deficiency anemia disproportionately affect Black and Brown birthing people, often due to the healthcare system’s failure to provide comprehensive care and information. By offering both community-based education and joyful, accessible spaces for movement and connection, We Outside/We Inside directly challenge systemic neglect and contribute to the broader fight for Birth Justice and health equity.

BIAW

Black (in)Fertility Awareness Week (BIAW) is a bold and necessary call to action rooted in reproductive justice and human rights. Now coming up on its third year, BIAW brings together Black communities, thought leaders, clinicians, advocates, and storytellers to spotlight the realities of infertility, reproductive challenges, and family building across the African diaspora. Spearheaded by SisterSong, the National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, BIAW2025 uplifts the voices, experiences, and rights of Black people seeking to grow their families-because creating a family is a fundamental human right.

BJCF

The Birth Justice Care Fund, an initiative of SisterSong’s Birth Justice Team, is a needs-based program serving residents of Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida. This fund addresses the maternal mortality crisis in the United States by supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) birthing people, particularly those in marginalized communities, throughout pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. The fund provides free, full-spectrum doula support, maternal mental health therapy, lactation assistance, and essential baby items. It also offers direct support to BIPOC birth workers who are exclusive partners of the fund. In a country facing a maternal mortality crisis, especially in the South, this fund ensures that marginalized communities have access to the care, resources, and advocacy they need to experience safe and supported births.