Today on The Mag we’re thrilled to be featuring Laurel Gourrier and Danielle Jackson. Danielle and Laurel are the founders of Birth Stories in Color, a podcast for Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino and Multiracial individuals to share their birthing experiences. With over 70 episodes featuring all different types of birth experiences, it’s the perfect podcast to binge (trust me, I’ve been listening all week!). Learn more about Birth Stories in Color, how Laurel and Danielle met and what inspired them to start the podcast, why BIPOC representation matters so much online and much more!

Photo credit: Marcella Cua Homan Photography

Tell us your story! We’d love to hear a little bit about yourselves, your families, your blog/podcast and mission.

Laurel is a reproductive justice and family advocate. With a masters in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Laurel began her journey of supporting families as a special education teacher/family advocate, specifically serving children diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. The birth of her first child led her to begin her work as a doula. Laurel provides families with information and tools to help them feel empowered by their own birthing experiences, as well as holding space as an ally to birth inclusivity through a reproductive justice lens. The core value of uplifting autonomy is the root of her practice. She currently supports families in Columbus, Ohio as a birth/postpartum doula and co-host of the podcast Birth Stories in Color. She and her co-host Danielle were led to create a platform honoring the art of storytelling and the voices of families of color.

Danielle is a wife, mother, and reproductive justice advocate. Her work has lead her into labor rooms as a birth doula and behind the microphone as half of the podcasting duo hosting Birth Stories in Color. Danielle seeks to empower women to birth without fear through remembrance and confidence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and worked as a Family Specialist to help families recognize their strengths and build healthy support systems. Danielle focused her skills to doula services in 2016. Issues in our community have drawn Danielle to be a change agent in the ongoing fight for birthing justice in Columbus, OH. Birth Stories in Color grew from a shared experience with her co-host Laurel Gourrier at a Doulas of Color training as they quickly realized that women of color felt liberated to speak their truth and could not stop sharing their own experiences with birth.

Birth Stories in Color is a podcast for Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latino, and Multiracial individuals to share their birthing experiences - a space that specifically celebrates, mourns with, and supports them and their transformation through birth. Birth Stories in Color also emphasizes the role of storytelling as a way to equip future parents. Listening to real birth stories is one way to discover the expected and unexpected parts of the journey. We realize that there are birth stories not being heard. Our hope is that all who share and listen find this platform to be a community near and far, and an invaluable resource for navigating their own journey.

Which came first - the idea of the podcast or knowing you wanted to work together?

They came at the same time. The birthworker world is large but small at the same time, we were connected by another birthworker via social media and kept in touch. We finally met at a baby expo that we were both presenting at and immediately hit it off. Soon after we attended a doula of color training together. There were points during the training that were consumed with people just wanting to share pieces of their stories and connect with other stories. So much so, I think there were moments where the trainer just had to forget the content and just let us all share in that space in that way. During a break, we were chatting and both expressed the same realization, people of color needed a space to share their birth stories! Not knowing much about podcasts, but knowing that they were one platform where you could create and share what you wanted - we did some research, were able to get in contact with a sound engineer and recorded our first episode. We are still amazed by home much we have learned, but also being able to create and be in community in this way.

Why is BIPOC representation in modern motherhood online so important?

It’s important to see ourselves to know the possibilities of what OUR motherhood can be. Many of the parenting skills and views we see becoming more popular are rooted in BIPOC traditions. Our voices and faces should be included in the conversations about modern motherhood online as we strive to be a more inclusive world and honor the cultures that have contributed their traditions that have helped us all in our motherhood journeys.

What are three of your favorite small businesses?

We are huge lovers of plants, self-care, and food! Our three favorite black-owned businesses Yelo Aple, Ilera Apothecary, and Chef Nikki cover all those bases for us!

Anything else you want to add?

Share your truth! No matter your story, when you are ready to, share it. Your experience is valid. It is real, and it is essential. If not sharing it for your own healing, processing, or reflection. Share it because there’s someone out there who may and will connect with it in some way.

And finally, where can we find you?

o Website: www.birthstoriesincolor.com

o Instagram: @birthstoriesincolor