Flow Freely

Flow Freely is now accepting Pennsylvania Medicaid! 👏🏾

I'm here to serve families in our community with nurturing, grounded care. That's the mission!

https://www.flowfreely.space/book-online

The American College of Nurse-Midwives mourns the devastating death of Dr. Janell Green Smith, CNM, who died from complications of childbirth. Dr. Smith was a respected midwife, scholar, and advocate whose life and work reflected a deep commitment to respectful, evidence-based, and equitable care.

That a Black midwife and maternal health expert died after giving birth in the United States is both heartbreaking and unacceptable. Her death underscores the persistent and well-documented reality that Black women—regardless of education, income, or professional expertise—face disproportionate risks during pregnancy and childbirth due to systemic racism and failures in care.

We grieve Dr. Smith’s loss and recognize it as a profound failure of the systems meant to protect birthing people. In her honor, ACNM commits not only to reaffirming our values, but to intensifying our actions to dismantle racial inequities in maternal health, strengthen accountability in care systems, and work alongside Black midwives, clinicians, and communities to prevent future tragedies.

We extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Smith’s family, loved ones, and the midwifery community. We carry her legacy forward with urgency, humility, and resolve.

Happy Tuesday!

Today, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by PhD candidate for a study about q***r and q***r-centering doulas and midwives in the U.S., exploring our experiences, knowledge, and ways of knowing in birthwork. 🌈✨

One thing I realized? I really LOVE being asked about my experiences and sharing what it means to support birthing people as a doula.

There’s something so powerful about holding space, guiding, and witnessing growth and healing. 💛

for the Parents and Caregivers of students who attend the Erie's Public Schools.

Your experiences matter.
Your voice matters.

EPS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS:

Maybe you have questions or concerns but haven't felt seen, heard or understood.
Maybe you have great ideas for our future but don't know when or how to share them or believe they'll be taken into consideration.
We get it - and it's why we're inviting you to join a boots on the ground movement that we like to call .

Superintendent Dr. Natalyn Gibbs has been on a Listening and Learning Tour, holding engagement sessions for our staff, teachers and administrators, getting to know our district and what they think is great about EPS, what our biggest challenges are, and where we can find future opportunities for success.

Now it's YOUR turn to be heard.

Please join us at any of three upcoming Listening and Learning Engagement Sessions, held in partnership with our community centers:

*July 14: Booker T. Washington Center, 1720 Holland St.
*July 15: MLK Center, 312 Chestnut St.
*July 21: JFK Center, 2021 E. 20th St.

All sessions will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. and will offer the same programming. In partnership with the UECDC, we're also holding a session especially designed for English Language Learners on July 10 at McKinley Elementary School starting at 3:30 p.m. Please choose whatever date works best for your schedule and help us elevate ALL voices.

Please be safe! Stay hydrated!

Extreme heat can cause illness—and even death. Know the signs + symptoms of heat exhaustion & heat stroke: