Celebrating New Doulas!

I’m thankful, blessed, excited, passionate, and just overwhelmed with community. Tewa Women United provided such a powerful, and impactful program. I have so much pride to have been able to take part in the doula training they facilitated. I cannot wait to see where this journey takes me. I’m so thankful to all the wonderful women, and people who I have held space with and been vulnerable with. It’s the first time I’ve been a part of such a loving and supportive space and I hope to continue to find, help nourish and create more spaces like this in my community.

– Jenneka Montoya

On Sunday, August 28, 11 amazing and fierce students completed our five-month Yiya Vi Kagingdi Full Spectrum Doula Training and are now ready to serve their communities. The graduation was a beautiful event with our Sayaain (Circle of Grandmothers) blessing each student in front of their families and support people in a moving final ceremony.

This training–for the third cohort of students who have gone through the program–was taught as a hybrid model with most of the seven weekend sessions held virtually, and three held in person. The training includes over 90 hours of instruction using a comprehensive curriculum that we designed with the intention of upholding cultural and community values. Topics covered include: Caring for Substance Using Families, Healing/Trauma, Body Sovereignty Informed Care, Decolonization of Birth, and Perinatal Mental/Emotional Health. All YVK students benefit from mentorship during the certification period and an established community of birthworkers, a student Facebook page, and connection with local providers. To learn more about the training, visit this page.

Our students come from all walks of life and brought so much fire and passion to each session. Here are the 2022 Graduates:

• Alexis Cordova-Roth
• Ariel Maldonado
• Freyr Marie
• Jenneka Montoya
• Julia Martinez
• Leslie Saree Abraham
• Luzero Velasquez
• Melodie Begay
• Natalia Rico
• Shileah Benally
• Veronica Aymacana

We are truly honored to bear witness to the start of their journey(s) as birthworkers. We are currently having conversations with several of our students to become TWU community doulas! Our trainers for this cohort were Kim Talachy, Aspen Mirabal, and Jessica Lujan. Pilar Trujillo served as support staff.