Diné Birth Keepers
History & Identity
The Diné Birth Keepers are an intergenerational touchstone group that uses Diné healing concepts as they relate to sustainable reproductive healthcare for Indigenous people and providers. This group is made up of Indigenous doulas, their mothers, and their daughters. As a part of healing, DBK members want to intentionally engage in topics around Indigenous reproductive health experiences as a culture shift in the Diné community.
“I envision a world where our Indigenous communities can have safe care through prenatal, labor and postpartum.”
Why We Support Doulas
For years, Bold Futures has supported and uplifted the role of doulas in advancing positive maternal and infant outcomes. We were instrumental in the creation of the New Mexico Doula Association and continue to work closely with them. While research has demonstrated that doulas are extremely effective at improving perinatal outcomes, doula services continue to be largely out of reach for the communities that stand to benefit the most from doula services. Bold Futures considers supporting Diné doulas a strategic priority, given the long and rich history of Indigenous birth workers the way in which their knowledge has been sidelined by the medical system, and the crisis in perinatal outcomes that disproportionately impacts Indigenous communities.