Every birth has a story. Yours matters.
Let’s come together to tell the truth about birth—the messy, beautiful, powerful parts we don’t always talk about.
Now Seeking YOUR Raw and Unfiltered Birth Stories
-
![]()
Calling for Positive Stories, Traumatic Stories and Everything in Between
We want to hear it all and every detail.
-
![]()
BIPOC - Black, Indigenous, and people of color
Whether race played a role in your birth experience or not, we want to hear your story.
-
![]()
LGBTQIA+ Stories
We want to hear your perspective, whether your sexual orientation or gender identity played a role in your birth story (or not!).
-
![]()
C-Section Stories
We’d love to hear your cesarean birth story.
-
![]()
Rainbow, Stillborn, and In Between
We would be honored to hear your story.
Presented by
Made possible with generous support from
A living legacy of Arizona’s Birth Story Workshop series
Elevating personal narratives around childbirth, with a focus on community healing, empowerment, and advocacy.
Living Legacy | AZ Birth Stories |
Living Legacy | AZ Birth Stories |
Let’s get real about birth talk
Our community creates space for families to share their raw birth stories.
We're on a mission to demystify birth and solve our maternal health crisis in the United States that disproportionately impacts Black and Indigenous communities.
Arizona Birth Stories Workshops
-
![]()
Developed in collaboration with The State of Black Arizona, South Phoenix Healthy Start, and PSI-Arizona (Postpartum Support International – Arizona Chapter) the series centered the emotional and mental well-being of Black birthing people—fostering real, raw, and restorative conversations.
-
![]()
Each event featured a moderated panel with Black parents, birth workers, and mental health experts, and birthing people sharing stories and expertise. Together, we aimed to equip families with tools to advocate for themselves, support one another, and reshape the public narrative around birth.
-
![]()
This series blended in-person and virtual events, and was made possible through the generous support of Dignity Health and Mercy Care.
-
![]()
The series reflects The State of Black Arizona’s ongoing commitment to advancing maternal health equity for all Arizona families.
-
![]()
South Phoenix Healthy Start is a family service program providing access to high-quality services, case management, and education for the whole family.
-
![]()
The panel featured perinatal mental health providers certified by Postpartum Support International - Arizona which promotes awareness, prevention & treatment of perinatal mental health care in Arizona.
Workshop Recaps
-
Hosted July 22, 2025 at South Mountain Community College Library, Phoenix, AZ
An honest conversation about birth expectations versus reality—and the emotional processing that follows. A cis couple and their doula share how communication, support, and mental health practices shaped their story.
Panelists
Moderator: Natassia Williamson, PMH-C — Family Nurse Practitioner, founder of Aurora Maternal & Family Healthcare, and author of ABC D is Ability: Getting to Know Kids with Disabilities
Amelia Garcia — Community Doula and Coordinator, South Phoenix Healthy Start
Naila Abdul Hakeem & Khalid Qadafi — Parents and advocates
Dr. Pam Barnes-Palty, PsyD — Licensed Psychologist specializing in perinatal and postpartum mental health
-
Hosted September 24, 2025 (Virtual)
A thoughtful discussion on medically complex births. Participants reflect on informed choice, surgical experiences, and building trust between families and providers.
Panelists
Dr. DeShawn Taylor, MD, MSc, FACOG — CEO/Founder, Desert Star Institute for Family Planning
Tandie Myles, LCSW, IMH-E®, RPT/S, PMH-C — Therapist and Owner, Anchored in Hope Therapy Services, LLC
Brittney Taylor, MSN, FNP-C — Family Nurse Practitioner and birth storyteller
-
Hosted November 19, 2025 (Virtual)
A powerful session on trauma, survival, and resilience. Attendees learn how to hold space for grief and fear while embracing recovery—and how to advocate for safety and accountability within healthcare systems.
Panelists
Moderator: Dewanna Cuthbert — Perinatal Mental Health Specialist and Founder, Moonside Wellness
Nicole Cathey — Doula Educator, South Phoenix Healthy Start
Shaundrea Vesey — Birth storyteller, HR executive, and founder of the Lillian Faye Foundation
-
We invite you to share your birth story. Share yours here.
We’d love to hear your birth story
Birth isn’t always easy to talk about—but every time someone shares their truth, it helps others feel seen, supported, and less alone.
Whether your story is joyful, complicated, or still unfolding, it deserves space here.
Add your story to our growing community of parents, doulas, and birth workers working toward something bigger: collective healing.