Today we’d like to introduce you to Re+Birth Equity Alliance.
Re+Birth Equity Alliance began because of a need that other birth organizations were unwilling to fulfill. There is a lack of acknowledgment of implicit bias in care work and the founders, Jen Sarduy and Lynne Evans, sought to bridge that gap. During the pandemic, in tandem with the civil unrest, we recognized a need from our communities that expanded beyond birth work.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many organizations, there is no smooth path to building a foundation. We spent the first year or so building a presence in the community, engaging with other organizations for partnership, and working on consistent and sustainable programming that we can offer to further the work of reproductive justice. The second year has been cornerstone work. We have been hosting educational workshops in Texas and across the country, community building with mutual aid and virtual gatherings, and hosting screenings that engage people in meaningful dialogue about systemic racism in maternal health.
However, we’ve worked through board member changes, equitably distributing the work of the organization across our volunteers, and finding time to meet in the midst of balancing our personal lives. Now, we are running an organization that thrives on in-person contact amidst a pandemic, which is no easy feat.
Re+Birth Equity Alliance – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Re+Birth Equity Alliance is focused on inspiring, protecting, and building community with BIPOC and LGB TGNC+ people and their bodies. We have four main programs, along with our engagement and partnership in the community on various projects, screenings, and events. The new program we are very excited about is Tested + Rested. It is a monthly event where we distribute free, rapid response HIV and hep C, glucose, and pregnancy screens. We also give our harm reduction and safe sex supplies. As more and more health centers are unable to provide these services to our communities, it is imperative we take ownership in keeping our communities healthy and safe. Second, our training on implicit bias and systemic racism in maternal health is provided both online and in-person across the nation to challenge birth workers to understand the disparities in health care due to race and evaluate their own biases. We hope this program can forward progress on the issues of maternal and infant mortality.
Our third program is the Mobile Mental health clinic, where once a quarter, we bring together licensed clinicians and provide free mental health services to the community. We know that mental health access is limited and often not affordable and with our clinic, we can help assist in starting therapy. After our clinic, we provide the community with resources for low and no-cost counseling services to continue their emotional healing. Last but not least, our free sex education program, Carnal Knowledge, helps people learn about their bodies, healthy relationships, consent, and more. What sets us apart from traditional sex education is that our topics are LGB TGNC+ inclusive and sex-positive.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We’re proud that our programs are managed by women and gender-expansive people and we center the needs of femmes through this work. We are following Black women’s leadership and meeting our community where they are. We are also focusing on healing together, work that is largely rooted in the feminine spectrum, and providing empowering literature like books and zines that explore gender, sex, and body.
We are aiming for improved conditions for the bodies of Fort Worth, for better understanding that healing and pleasure and restoration has value and that everyone deserves to have space for it.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3000 S Hulen St Ste 124 PMB 2040 Fort Worth, TX 76109
- Website: www.rebirthequity.org
- Phone: 972-589-3508
- Email: hello@rebirthequity.org
- Instagram: @rebirthequity
- Facebook: facebook.com/rebirthequity
- Twitter: @rebirthequity
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