Baby Yams Birth Future Foundation Grant Recipient

Graphic announcing “I Am a Grantee!” featuring the Birth Future Foundation and Baby Yams logos, with the text “Watering the Seeds: Midwifery Care and Capacity Building.” Firework-style bursts appear in the background. At the bottom right, two smiling women stand side by side, identified as Tatyana Ali of Baby Yams and Tanya Smith-Johnson of Birth Future Foundation. At the bottom left is a photo of colorful Baby Yams quilts folded in a basket.

I’m excited and deeply grateful to share that I have been awarded a $500 grant from the Birth Future Foundation (BFF) through their Watering the Seeds: Doula Edition Grant.

This grant holds special meaning because it is Birth Future Foundation’s first grant specifically created for doulas, a powerful acknowledgment of the essential role doulas play in shaping the future of birth, families, and communities.

Why This Grant Matters

Birth Future Foundation is dedicated to advancing the midwifery model of care, birth justice, and equitable access to compassionate maternity care. To be recognized by an organization so deeply aligned with my values is both affirming and motivating.

In their words, BFF shared that they were moved by my commitment to uplifting:

Midwifery-led and community-based care
Birth justice and reproductive equity
A future where families are supported, respected, and empowered

That kind of recognition reminds me that this work, often done quietly, behind the scenes, and in deeply personal moments....matters.

How This Support Will Be Used

This grant helps me continue investing in:

Community-centered doula care
Education, training, and professional development
Sustainable models that support families before, during, and after birth

Every dollar goes toward strengthening the care I provide and expanding access for families who deserve support but are often overlooked by traditional systems.

More Than Funding — It’s Affirmation

For many doulas, especially those rooted in community work, funding is not just financial support, it’s validation. It says:

Your labor is valuable
Your vision is necessary
Your work is shaping the future of birth

This grant feels like a collective “yes” to the path I’ve chosen and the communities I serve.

Gratitude

I’m incredibly thankful to the Birth Future Foundation for seeing, valuing, and investing in doulas. I’m also grateful to every client, mentor, colleague, and community member who has trusted me, supported me, and walked alongside me in this work.

We are watering seeds that will grow into safer births, stronger families, and a more just birth future.

With gratitude,
Shekita Long, CHW, CPST, CBE(in-training)

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