Speaking Up: Asian Voices for Birth Equity

The Asian Birth Collective is proud to present a first-of-its-kind event dedicated to shedding light on birthing experiences within the Asian diaspora. Moderated by Deepa Philips, a Certified Nurse-Midwife, this powerful gathering will bring together community members, birth workers, and experts for an engaging panel discussion on birth equity, the impact of racism on maternal health, and the disparities revealed through disaggregated data.

Through storytelling, shared wisdom, and expert insights, we will explore both the challenges and the resilience within Asian birthing communities. Inspired by our personal stories, journeys and interactions with birthing folks in the Asian diaspora, community midwife, Anjali Sardeshmukh, conceived of the idea for this event - one where our people could come together to share our birth stories, learn about the research being done & how we can make change happen.

Featured speakers include:

• Anjali Sardeshmukh, Certified Professional Midwife
• Dr Hazel Benigno, Clinical Psychologist
• Amulya Aradhyula, Researcher + Birthworker
• Cherie Seah, Asian Birth Collective Co-Founder + Birthworker
• Christine Morton, Stanford Research Sociologist

Our speakers will lead the conversation, followed by an open Q&A session, providing space for meaningful dialogue and collective learning. As with all Asian Birth Collective events, we will have time at the end to connect with folks over delicious food and beverages.

Who is invited:

Everyone! People of all identities, nationalities, ethnicities and backgrounds are welcome to join us for this event. This event gives you a chance to connect with folks who are interested in continuing the conversation about equity in the birth world and how it impacts the Asian diaspora. Parents and parents-to-be are also welcome to join.

Who we are:

Asian Birth Collective is a volunteer-run, community platform for Asian birthworkers, providers & parents to connect, share their offerings, and receive understanding and support within the Asian community around reproductive & parenting experiences. Aligning ourselves with the Reproductive Justice movement and using a decolonization lens, our goal is to celebrate and share the culture and traditions rooted in our ancestory and promote having deep conversations about our identities in society.

Toward this vision, ABC brings together Asian-identifying birthworkers who strive for reproductive justice in our communities. Based on Ohlone lands in the Bay Area, CA, our collective work trains each other in ancestral care practices, shares communal resources, and collaborates with existing health systems to bring about safe and culturally relevant care for families.

Fee:

This event is free to attend. We will be requesting donations at the door between $10-$50 to help cover the cost of running this volunteer-based event. Any excess will go to running our website and future events and will help us continue to make our events accessible for all.

If you are unable to attend this event, please consider making a donation to help sustain our collective's vision in connecting with our community and our roots.

PLEASE REGISTER SO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING.

Please note that the Asian Birth Collective and all its events are explicitly inclusive of Queer & Trans folks, immigrants of all backgrounds and diverse identities. We will not tolerate any anti-trans/anti-LGBTQIA+ or racist dialogue or conversation.

Info: Anjali Sardeshmukh (She/Her) is a certified professional midwife (CPM) and IBCLC based in Huichin territory, Oakland, California. Her mother's story of birthing her younger brother in India with Amma, her mom, by her side, inspired her to become a midwife.

Info: Deepa Philips (she/ they) is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Nurse Practitioner who attends births and provides full-spectrum reproductive healthcare in a hospital setting in the East Bay. Deepa has worked in health equity and education since 2005 and became a birth and abortion doula in 2015. She has recieved a Masters’ in Public Health from Columbia University and a Masters’ of Science in Nursing from UC San Francisco. Deepa was born in Goa, India and raised on the East Coast. In their spare time, you can find them cooking, reading fiction, or walking in the redwoods.

Info: Dr. Hazel Benigno (she/they/siya) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, 1.5 generation Pinay, and an academic-artist-activist. Amulya (she/they) is queer desi person, trained as a labor and postpartum doula and is in the process of becoming a midwife. Christine Morton, PhD (she/her) is a research sociologist at the California Maternal/Perinatal Quality Care Collaboratives at Stanford Medicine, two statewide programs with the goal of improving care to birthing people and babies cared for in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Cherie Seah (they/she) is a queer birth and postpartum doula, photographer, and co-founder of the Asian Birth Collective. Rooted in traditional Chinese postpartum practices, they specialize in holistic care, nourishing meals, and ancestral healing to support new parents in their transition into parenthood.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

510 Firehouse, 815 Alice Street, Oakland, United States