Community Highlights: Meet Cassey Mapp-Ahmed of Village Sis Doula

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassey Mapp-Ahmed. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Cassey Mapp-Ahmed is the CEO/Founder of Village Sis Doula, LLC, a company dedicated to improving the Black Maternal and Infant Health Crisis. Cassey has over 20 years of experience in Minority Health Research with a master’s in public health and B.S. Honors degrees in Biochemistry/Biology, along with numerous certifications. We are dedicated to providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support along with education to birthing individuals to support an empowering birthing experience. We believe that utilizing a community asset-based approach to provide the love and support of our Village (community) collectively would lead to solutions to reduce Black Maternal and Infant Mortality. IT TRULY TAKES VILLAGE!

Cassey has over 5 years experience as a birth doula, postpartum doula, bereavement doula, and fertility doula. She also has over 20 years experience as a community advocate for minority health and wellness initiatives. Through her years of experience and training, she has mentored numerous birth workers to expand the Village efforts to reduce Black Maternal and Infant Mortality. Research states that black birthing individuals are 3-4 times more likely to die due to childbirth complications in comparison to white birthing individuals. Those deaths have also been stated to be 60% preventable and not dependent on socioeconomic status.

Her passion to build Village Sis Doula, LLC birthed from her own lived experience from 5 years of fertility challenges, motherhood, and awareness of the complexities of minority health disparities. She has learned the significance of Village support along with education to advocate for your personal health/wellness through different stages of life, especially while carrying life in your womb. Her journey has led to the motto, “IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE.”

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My journey into maternal health grew from my own personal growth, awareness, and self-worth journey to heal my womb of what does not serve me. For years I seeked the approval from others by striving to achieve their goals and expectations of who and what I should become. As a smart young black girl from humble beginnings in the mountains of North Carolina, I thought the most prestigious career was to become a doctor, and for me to become a doctor would prove that I am worthy and enough… However, I quickly realized that this was a fulfilling passion for others, but I persevered through with high academic achievement to make others proud.

In private, I suffered depression, anxiety, and panic attacks that might be referred to as high functioning. Then I learned that being busy is a trauma response and being still is a necessity for growth and healing. However, the unhealed version of me submerged deeper into obtaining academic achievement, caring for my siblings and those around me, while depriving myself of what it is I truly need… happiness. Unknowingly, I was feeding into the unhealthy narrative of being strong by depriving my own needs and desires. Then as I pursued corporate careers, I quickly realized that I was expected to take on many roles without the recognition or proper financial compensation as those around me. Through time it became apparent to me the impact of weathering on the black womb-man to work harder in her career, without the recognition and proper pay, consistently supporting those around you without considering your own personal needs-all while appearing, you are happy and strong. This narrative had to stop! God sometimes forces you to be uncomfortable for growth and to empower you! It was time for me to leave corporate to feed what fulfills my spirit and heart, along with continuing my journey to heal me!

It is not only doula work and maternal health for Village Sis Doula; it also consists of the wellness of the black womb to change the unhealthy narrative that America has placed on us as womb-man. The time to heal is now for us to birth life in many forms from our womb, not only the physical, but also the manifestation of self-love and spirituality to be emotionally healthy and fulfilled. The healing journey at its core within our wombs is an ongoing process and it truly takes a village. Therefore, it will truly take a Village to heal our wombs and to change the narrative of black maternal health. Black maternal health is not only womb health, but empowerment of our environment and mindset.

We’ve been impressed with Village Sis Doula, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Village Sis Doula, LLC has the mission to reduce the health equity gap related to the black infant and maternal mortality crisis in the United States with culturally sensitive doula care. The demand for doulas has increased, especially due to the World Health Organization (WHO) statement that every birthing woman should have a doula. Doulas are equipped with the knowledge base and trained time investments to support birthing clients. Research shows that there are multiple reasons why Black birthing individuals are 3-4 times more likely to die of childbirth complications compared to White birthing individuals, such as structural racism, implicit bias, and differences in quality healthcare treatment. Therefore, we provide doula service with a community asset-based approach to address the social determinants of health with collective community support to reduce the disparities of black maternal health. Our active engagement with community key stakeholders and community members assists with the overall reduction of the health inequities of black maternal health through program and policy integration to address racial microaggression, explicit/implicit bias in the medical system, and racial discrimination in the healthcare system.

Our doula services provide culturally sensitive doula care to address the social determinants of health that impacts the black maternal health crises in the United States with providing various doula packages (fertility, antepartum, birth, postpartum, bereavement, mentorship, educational seminars, and more), along with supportive programs to best fit the clients/community need. Additionally, we provide telehealth services/support to improve access to culturally sensitive care. Compounding these issues in black maternal health is the complexity of maternity care access in many rural areas-over 50% of rural counties are without a hospital with obstetric care services. We allow flexibility of care to lower travel/logistic challenges to improve doula support access.; Partnering with insurance companies/innovative payment models to cover the doula services provided to increase access to care. Our partnerships with medical coverage, especially Medicaid, allow our services to be obtainable for more clients-over 60% of black births are covered by Medicaid.

As a black mother who had a traumatic birth experience, I came to realize the reality of the impact structural racism/implicit bias in the medical system and weathering to the black womb man has in our community. As a public health researcher/community activist, I began to hear countless birth stories/experiences similar to mine, which led me to make an influential impact WITH my community for sustainable change. Even Senator Alma Adams stated that racial disparities in maternal health have not improved in 3 decades. This is what motivates our company to take action collectively with our community now to save the wombs, mothers and babies in our community! IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE!

What do you think about happiness?
Wow! What TRULY makes me happy came from really sitting with myself to understand me outside of what I thought I should be. I am still growing and healing to relearn myself and truly understand the meaning behind what makes me happy. Happiness for me is true freedom of mind and spirit. To have the internal empowerment to know and own my inner strength. What comes along with that is being empowered to truly listen to my body, my inner voice and knowing I have choices. One of the biggest choices we have as womb man is to say NO to what does not serve us. I am still growing and relearning what and how to release what does not serve me to allow happiness to open up within me. The journey to release is not easy; however, your body will allow you to know when it is time to release to prevent bodily dis-ease. There is a season for everything, with lessons learned along the way! So, I will say what brings me happiness is standing in my power to know I AM ENOUGH, I AM POWER, and I AM LOVE! Happiness for me is knowing, loving, and embracing the power within me to allow happiness to serve me in many ways throughout my life!

Pricing:

• Platinum Birth Doula:$1,1999 Prenatal Sessions, Text/Email Support, 2 Postpartum Sessions, Postpartum Plan/Holistic Postpartum Plan Resources, Tailored Education Materials, Birth Plan/Natural Pain-Relaxation Measures, Village Sis Doula Care Package, Discounted Village Sis Doula Services, 10 Hours Active Labor Doula Support
• Silver Birth Doula: $999 7 Prenatal Sessions, Text/Email Support, 2 Postpartum Session, Postpartum Plan/Holistic Postpartum Care Resources, Tailored Educational Materials, Birth Plan/Natural Pain Relaxation Measures, Village Sis Doula Care Package, Discounted Village Sis Services Access, 6 Hours Active Labor Support
• Bronze Birth Doula: $699 5 Prenatal Sessions, Text/Email Support, 1 Postpartum Session, Postpartum Plan/Holistic Postpartum Care Resources, Tailored Educational Resources, Birth Plan/Natural Pain Relaxation Measures, Village Sis Doula Care Package, Discounted Village Sis Doula Services, 4 Hours Active Labor Support
• Postpartum Doula: $399 5 Postpartum Session-Hour in Length, Option for Virtual or In-Home Support, Tailored Supporting Materials, Email/Text Support, Mindfulness and Meditation Session
• Fertility Doula: $599 6 Hourly Support Sessions, Evidence-Based and Holistic Resources, Mindfulness and Meditation Session, Ongoing email/text Support

Contact Info:

• Website: villagesisdoula.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villagesisdoula
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Villagesisdoula
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/VillageDoula
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@villagesisdoulallc7369 

Image Credits
Jodie Brim Photography
Tumaini Johnson Photography