Indigenous Birthwork Resources
Indigenous Peoples’ Day, observed on the second Monday in October, is a time to honor the original stewards of this land and to recognize the resilience, diversity, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples across the Americas. It stands in contrast to Columbus Day, which erases the violence and dispossession caused by colonization. Instead, this day invites us to reflect on truth, remember the harm inflicted, and celebrate the survival and strength of Native nations. For doulas and birthworkers, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is also a reminder that reproductive justice is inseparable from land, sovereignty, and cultural survival. Colonization has shaped every aspect of health care, including birth and family life, yet Indigenous peoples continue to carry and protect powerful traditions of care. The Indigenous birthwork resources below highlight Indigenous-led organizations, birthwork initiatives, and educational platforms across the U.S. They offer ways to learn from Indigenous knowledge, support sovereignty, and participate in justice-centered care.
Birthwork & Reproductive Justice
Center for Indigenous Midwifery (Washington State)
Website: indigenous-midwifery.org
Founded by a Cowlitz midwife and herbalist, offering doula training, childbirth education, and culturally rooted family care.
Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services (Washington State)
Website: hummingbird-ifs.org
Exclusively serves Indigenous babies and families from zero to three with the mission of healthy Indigenous babies being born into healthy Indigenous families being supported by healthy Indigenous communities.
Navajo Birthworker Community (New Mexico)
IG: instagram.com/navajobirthworkercollective/?hl=en
Community of Navajo doulas and birthworkers reclaiming traditional knowledge and offering culturally responsive care.
Ttáwa x t Birth Justice Center (Yakama Nation, Washington)
Website: ttawaxt.org
Non-profit organization centering the wisdom of Indigenous life-givers and protectors by offering pre and postnatal care, reproductive healthcare, breastfeeding support, childbirth education, cultural classes, plant medicine, and other support for families.
MOMS Indigenous Doula Training Program (Montana)
Website: mtmoms.org
Program created to connect rural providers to obstetrical/gynecological, perinatal, mental health and substance abuse specialists to build competency and consistency across perinatal providers.
Oneida Indigenous Doula Services (Wisconsin)
Website: oneida-nsn.gov/parenting-programs/
Strengthens families and cherishes children by providing families with an educational and culturally based parenting program that give helpful strategies to further the positive overall growth of children and families.
Jamaa Birth Village (Missouri)
Website: jamaabirthvillage.org
Preserves African Indigenous midwifery practices while centering reproductive justice, healing, and advocacy for Black and Indigenous families.
Where to Donate or Amplify
Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA)
Website: nativepartnership.org
Nonprofit organization committed to championing hope for a brighter future for Native Americans living on remote, isolated and impoverished reservations by providing consistent aid and services for Native Americans with the highest need in the U.S.
Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center (NAWHERC)
Website: nativeshop.org
Provides direct services to Native women and families in South Dakota and advocates for Native women at the community, national, and international levels to protect their reproductive health and rights
National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC)
Website: niwrc.org
A Native-led nonprofit providing resources to protect Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people from gender-based violence while advancing health and sovereignty.
IllumiNative – Every Child Matters Campaign (U.S.)
Website: illuminatives.org/everychildmatters
A Native woman-led organization dedicated to challenging stereotypes, increasing the visibility of Native peoples, and advancing accurate education on Indigenous cultures and histories across the U.S.
Indigenous Birthwork Resources: Uplifting Voices Through Action and Community
As birthworkers and community members, we can choose to uplift Indigenous voices, donate to Indigenous-led initiatives, and commit to unlearning colonial narratives. Each of the organizations listed here is part of a broader movement of cultural persistence, healing, and reclamation. By engaging with these resources, we take a step toward honoring the strength of Indigenous peoples and weaving reconciliation into the fabric of our everyday practice.
By Aunjrya Fleming, EDI Lead, Doula School International
About the Author: Aunjrya Fleming
EDI Lead, Doula School International
Aunjrya is the EDI lead for Doula School. She is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with a deep commitment to reproductive justice. She brings years of experience working with racialized, refugee, and 2SLGBTQIA+ families as a maternal health navigator, educator, and advocate. Aunjrya is passionate about building equity-informed spaces that center safety, dignity, and agency for all birthing people.