Birth Workers of Color + Utah Doula Association Meeting 6/10/2020

BWOC demands for the UDA

The UDA needs to make a new, public statement.

  • FIRST, we demand that you remove any statement (anywhere) made about bringing awareness or working with marginalized or under-served communities, especially the most current one. Anything to do with BIPOC communities needs to be erased- including pictures.

    • Reasons why:

      Performative Allyship: The UDA has NEVER done anything for BIPOC communities or birth workers- especially for the Black community.. They are not allowed to use our communities in their posts if they have not built those relationships. Do not use us to make your organization look better. It’s inauthentic and dishonest.

  • SECOND, we demand that on top of that the UDA makes a statement (to replace the BLM post) saying that they have been dishonest, that have not done anything for parents or birth workers of color. That they can’t call themselves allies if the work hasn’t been done. The UDA has an opportunity towards repairing some of the damages that their org has created.

    • We want to see this post on their website.

  • THIRD, any new post going up about marginalized communities needs to acknowledge that the UDA hasn’t done anything for these communities and is working towards repairing some of the damage that it’s done. It is the only appropriate way for the org to post anything about our communities or else they’re making false statements.

  • FOURTH, we want to see a new mission statement AND “About” section on the website.

    • If you really want to make these changes within the UDA, then your mission statement and website needs to reflect that. It needs to state that you acknowledge that you’re not currently an ally (and state why) and that you are doing the work to repair some of the damages done by the UDA to birth workers of color. 

Allocate $$ to doulas of color without any requirement that they collaborate with the UDA. Fund independent doulas of color.

  • A good example of how to do this is with the Black woman who has reached out for the doula scholarship. Give her options - including doulas of color that aren’t in the UDA.

  • In order for us to trust you, we need to know that these interactions are not transactional. That you truly care about our communities and understand why birth workers of color are crucial - and why we don’t trust the org just yet to join.