At a time when America’s maternal healthcare system is in crisis, one Brooklyn-based organization is offering a powerful, community-led solution. We recently sat down with Kathleen W. Guyton, founder of Sankofa Doula Circle, to discuss her organization’s mission—and celebrate its recent grant award from the America Heart Investment Committee.

Grant Committee (GC): Kathleen, congratulations on receiving full funding for your project through our committee. How are you feeling?

Kathleen W. Guyton (KG): Thank you! Honestly, it’s humbling and energizing. This grant means we can continue expanding our mission to ensure that pregnant, postpartum, and parenting people of color have access to high-quality doula care—regardless of their ability to pay. It’s a game changer for our community.

GC: What inspired you to start Sankofa Doula Circle back in 2008?

KG: It started with my own story. When I was pregnant with my first child, I was deeply dissatisfied with the traditional medical system. I found a Black doula who supported me through a homebirth experience that was respectful, informed, and empowering. It opened my eyes. I realized everyone deserves that kind of care—and so many people, especially people of color, weren’t getting it.

GC: The maternal health statistics in the U.S. are heartbreaking—especially for Black and Indigenous women. How does Sankofa Doula Circle help address these disparities?

KG: We’re addressing it by meeting people where they are—with culturally competent care. Four out of five pregnancy-related deaths in this country are preventable. Doulas are proven to improve outcomes. We serve those at the intersections of racial injustice, housing and food insecurity, intimate partner violence—people who’ve been left behind by the system. Our doulas don’t just provide physical and emotional support. They restore dignity and bring humanity back to the birthing experience.

GC: Your organization trains a remarkable number of doulas each month—around 60, right?

KG: That’s right. Training doulas became my life’s purpose. And the people we train share the background, culture, and language of the clients they serve. It’s community care, by the community. I always ask trainees, “Are you ready to be a doula? Are you ready to serve your community?” Because this work is about love, respect, and justice.

GC: You’re also doing a lot of policy advocacy. Can you tell us more about that?

KG: Absolutely. Emotional and physical care is just one part of this work. We’re also fighting for structural change. We advocate for Medicaid reimbursement for doulas and broader maternal health policies at all levels of government. Right now, we’re urging Congress to pass the Momnibus Act—a package of 13 bills that would address the maternal health crisis head-on. Every policy we push for is rooted in the lived experiences of the families we serve.

GC: That’s incredibly powerful. Why do you believe the work of Sankofa Doula Circle matters now more than ever?

KG: Because people are suffering—and we don’t have to accept that. The 2022 Dobbs decision made things even harder for people to access reproductive care, especially in marginalized communities. But just as people have built systems that harm us, we can build new ones that heal us. Sankofa Doula Circle is part of that new system. We’re showing that it’s possible to deliver care with compassion, equity, and respect.

GC: We’re proud to stand behind your mission. It’s an honor to fund a project that brings both immediate impact and long-term change.

KG: Thank you. With this support, we’ll keep training doulas, supporting families, and fighting for a healthcare system that works for everyone. This is what birth justice looks like.

Sankofa Doula Circle is more than an organization—it’s a movement. With full funding now secured, this Brooklyn-based group is set to expand its reach and deepen its impact at one of the most urgent moments in U.S. healthcare.

Learn more about how you can support or get involved: ahiggrants.net