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Divin Geri Endijen - doula support for BIPOC

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Divin Geri Endijien - Divine Indigenous Healing - provides doula support for BIPOC and marginalized clients and centers around avoiding trauma and removing the trauma ties associated with being non-white and non-gender conforming. "We not only provide birth and postpartum services but we also provide Reiki and healing and massage therapy to the birthing person," explains Jeaonna Hodges, co-founder and CEO. "Our goal is to sever bonds of trauma so that the next generation is born whole and not traumatized."

Hodges says that racism is the biggest issue in Pittsburgh. "In this city, there is no representation in the birth space at hospitals, very few black pediatricians, very few black OB-GYNs. I'm interested in in epigenetics and how it determines birth outcomes and overall health of the birthing person and the baby." She sees a possible collaboration with Pitt Public Health in identifying birthing persons at highest risk to connect them with appropriate doula services and to inform policies around insurance coverage of homebirths and doula services. 

The OBOC takeaway: understanding how detrimental these issues are for BIPOC and marginalized clients in order to push for policy reform. 



2/15/2021
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