Today we’d like to introduce you to Charity Bean.
Hi Charity, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always loved birth work. Even as a child I told everyone I’d be a doctor and help mommies and babies. Well, that didn’t happen lol. I got pregnant with my son January of my senior year of high school. I had my son at 18 years of age literally 4 months after I graduated. That experience opened my eyes to the process of not only childbirth but pregnancy as well. If I knew what I know now I would’ve done so many things differently.
My experience as a teen mom who was still finding herself while navigating being an adult and a mom at the same time was mentally exhausting. The pressure I put on myself to become more than just a statistic led to many disappointments and depression. I was suffering from postpartum depression and didn’t even know it. Let alone the effects on my life it would have in years to come.
I have worked in the medical field now for 13 years and counting. I am a certified medical assistant, certified nurse assistant, and now a student RN with Chamberlain College of Nursing.
I have been a unit secretary and patient care tech at Memorial Hospital East in the Family Care Birthing Center for 6 years. I have experience in primary care, Trauma, Psych, ER, and obstetrics. I am also a community activist for black lives matter and Black Maternal and infant Health advocate.
Over the years I have gone back and forth with nursing school. It’s hard to be a single mom, head of household, work and be a student. After failing out of nursing school in the past I was completely crushed. I’d lost myself and my way. Depression took over and I found myself in a dark place but trying to make it day by day. One day my previous boss Stacy Mauch asked me would I go with her to an event she found online at a place called Jamaa Birth Village in Ferguson, Mo. I said sure and when we got there I was completely floored with the women in the room who looked just like me, Women of Color. I remember hearing Brittany Ferrell speak, and then came Okunsola M. Amadou, CPM (formerly known as Brittany “Tru” Kellman). When I heard her story of how she started Jamaa Birth Village and why I was so moved and honestly when I went home that night I cried. She inspired me and from that day forth and made me believe in myself again because of how incredible she was and her aura and energy was so pure. That was 2018 I believe and from that day on I researched doulas and how to become one. Summer of 2019 Jamaa announced fall training and I applied for a scholarship they had and won!! I trained Nov 2019 and my life has never been the same since that four-day training. It saved me to be honest from myself and depression and I’m forever grateful to her and the world she’s done.
From there, Doula Bean (Okunsola actually gave me that nickname) was created and I began this journey of becoming a better birth advocate and black maternal and infant health advocate. I’ve been featured on IHeart radio speaking on issues black women have faced during and after birth in this broken system built on systemic racism.
I never thought in a million years becoming a doula would open so many doors for me. I’ve been able to attribute to the creation of the IL doula bill to have Medicaid cover doulas, I’m on a fetal mortality case review team and so much more I wouldn’t have room in one article to tell.
I support and advocate for BLACK LIVES MATTER and the BLACK MATERNAL MORTALITY CRISIS. When I finish school with my BSN, I plan to go on and receive my MPH specializing in Maternal and infant health. I’ve held many community events including two “Doula Community Baby Showers” centered on spreading the word of doulas and how we help create better birth outcomes and are a part of the birth team.
Doula Bean maternal care, LLC was created to help educate, advocate and empower every birth no matter race, gender or financial class. We strive to be a community-based small business that is truly a part of and for the community. By providing detailed and custom childbirth and postpartum classes that include the entire support system. We are here to truly explain the ends and out of childbirth as well as complications that can arise. I want everyone to know that their birth matters. Especially people of color. I am fighting to put an end to fear-based maternal care and the maternal/infant mortality rate that is continuing to rise in the black communities.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not at all. It’s actually had many ups and down but that’s life. As one of my inspirations use to say “You’ve got to have faith in what you’re doing and not take no for an answer.” – Nipsey Hussle
COVID was rough when every shutdown and doulas weren’t allowed in hospitals. It also taught me a new way to doula. Not only virtually but I realized the need for childbirth education that empowered the birthing families and not that teaches how to be a good patient. It allowed me to get creative and expand. I had a client in France. It was a beautiful experience and I was honored to be their doula.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
A childbirth doula is a person who educated, advocates, supports, and empowers families during their journey to parenthood and beyond. We are a vital part of the birth team and we make a huge impact on positive birth outcomes as well as decrease c-sections rates and save lives with our knowledge and hands-on support of a birthing person.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
I’m always looking to spread the word of doulas and I’d love to network with more hospitals and help them understand the importance of doulas and the role we play. I also am looking to expand into a bigger space so I can provide more services to families. My mom and dad support groups (moms need love too and what about the fellas) have grown and we need more space so people can attend and to hold them more often. As well to hold more community events around maternal and infant health. Including more group classes of childbirth education. I have a bigger vision for this and I’d like those who truly need this support to have access to it. Donations are welcome and always accepted.
Contact Info:
- Email: Doulabean@gmail.com
- Website: www.doulabean.com
- Instagram: Doula_bean_BB_advocate
- Facebook: Doula Bean Maternal Care
- Youtube: Doula Bean
Image Credits
Esther Moore Hefler
Charity “Doula” Bean
