Dear Future NBD Members and NBD Advocates:
My name is Kris Elle and I am the Founder of Mother of Ease - a Black Maternal and Family Health Company whose principal focus is the birthing experiences of Black folk. My private practice is rooted in Charlotte, NC, with a travel-spread nationwide for bespoke reproductive support. I approach my work with fifteen years of embodied navigating along the childbearing continuum. I breathe and live this work for my people. I am a Black-American Mother of Five, Certified Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor®, and Novant-Verified Doula.
I believe that Black, Indigenous, and of-color doulas and Black, Indigenous and of-color women and birthing people deserve visibility - in so many ways - and I am dedicated to ensuring access to avenues and platforms that promote connection to and support for one another. This is why I created the Novant BIPOC Doula site. Here, NBDs can step into a thoughtfully-crafted light, shining their presence for the community that needs them most. Each day in North Carolina, a mother-of-color is welcomed at a Novant Hospital, and each day, the invaluable skills of a Novant-Verified BIPOC doula are necessary.
More than just a website, NBD serves as a virtual sanctuary where potential clients effortlessly connect with its members and a wellspring of information -
it empowers and encourages folks to make informed choices by providing insights; ranging from the fundamental definition of a doula, to guidance in choosing a birth doula that resonates with their unique and valid needs.
In anticipation of your impactful presence within the NBD community, I extend my warmest welcome to you. Your membership is not just a joining, your advocacy is not just speech, but a vital contribution to the collective power of Novant-Verified BIPOC Doulas and the people they serve. I look forward to witnessing new connections, collaborations, and the impact we'll collectively have on the birthing and birth working experiences of our community.