Ep 25: Are Black Women Safe in the Delivery Room? ft. Cleopatra Robinson

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Cleopatra Robinson, founder of A Home from Shana Foundation, to talk about the Black maternal health crisis—and the work she’s doing to change the narrative.

We discuss the alarming disparities Black women face during pregnancy and postpartum, the lack of support in underserved communities, and how her foundation provides emergency housing and holistic support to mothers in crisis.

Cleopatra shares the personal story that birthed the mission, the reality behind the statistics, and how A Home from Shana is building safe spaces for healing, advocacy, and change.

If you care about maternal health, justice, and purpose-driven work—this conversation is for you.

🔗 Learn more about A Home from Shana Foundation: https://homefromshana.org/

#BlackMaternalHealth #AHomeFromShana #TammyCapri #MompreneurHuddle #BirthJustice #SupportBlackMoms

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to another episode of the Malprono Huddle where Motherhood and Aspenore Shimmy so we talk about everything in the street.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Good is the boss bar. Baby girl is the work, girl is the boss bar. Make it everything worth the girl is the boss bar. Yeah, I like that right there.

unknown 0:26

I like that right here.

SPEAKER_02 0:34

Today I have an amazing, phenomenal guest with me today, Mrs. Cleopatra Robinson of A Home From Shauna Foundation, all the way from Philadelphia. What's up, girl?

SPEAKER_03 0:44

Hey.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

Hey. How are you?

SPEAKER_03 0:46

Good.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

You good? Yeah. So this is a special episode because Cleo and I do know each other. It's my homegirl. It's my homegirl. Thank you for coming. Thank you for inviting me. Of course. You know, I wouldn't have it any other way. I've been I've been telling her to come down to the show for how long? How long have I been inviting you? I want to say a year, but that may be too long, right? A few months.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

No.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

A year, but a year. Yeah, yeah. But I'm here now.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

Yes, yes, and I'm glad you're here. So welcome. Welcome, welcome.

SPEAKER_02 1:15

How are you enjoying your time in Atlanta so far? Um, Atlanta is a vibe. Uh it's quiet. Quiet, where? In your neighborhood, it's quiet. Oh. Yeah, but I mean, I like that it kind of reminds me of Philly. Like if you want a vibe, you know where to go. If you want some a quiet piece, a quiet space, you know where to go.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Yes, yes. It's cool. Atlanta is definitely a vibe.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

So well, again, welcome. Now, I do want to go ahead and jump into this episode. Now, I am extremely uh proud of Cleo.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Um, she honestly single-handedly started a movement after uh a traumatic situation that happened to us um in 2019. Um, can you tell our audience about um what you do, who you are, and why you started your foundation?

SPEAKER_02 2:06

Sure. So I am a birth doula. I became a birth doula in 2020 after almost 10 years um incorrections. I did not want anything to do with the medical field, with blood, with hospitals, with um specifically labor and delivery, anything that had to do with women, children, babies, that was not my thing. Um intentionally, like I that that just wasn't my interest. Um so going from a uh type of law enforcement and corrections to birth doula was to say a task all in by itself would be an understatement, but it was almost like a call-in, like a shift change. So um, as you mentioned, tragedy hit. I became a birthdoor, and with that work, I became to um understand and learn about other social determinants that actually affect positive outcomes, especially in black and brown communities when it comes to childbirth and pregnancy. So break it down for our audience, because um you started a foundation. I did start a foundation. Yeah, foundation.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

A Home From Shauna Foundation. Tell us a little bit about A Home from Shauna.

SPEAKER_02 3:23

Um, a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 3:25

A lot of bit.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

A lot of it. I mean, we got time. Of course, we got time. Get the context behind it, because I know. Okay, right, but there's a lot of people who want to watch that don't know. So, um, yes, I I am the founder and the executive director of A Home from Shauna Foundation. We are a 501c3. Um, a Home from Shauna Foundation was created to not only honor the life, but to uplift the legacy of Lashauna Gilmore. And as you mentioned, that was our um sister. We don't really say best friend. And excuse me because I I I still don't say was whatever um talk about. I'm talking about Shauna. And that's something I, you know, obviously I need to work with one because we're talking it's like, okay, well, she's it it's it really was. Um, but Shauna was our best friend. Um, and unfortunately, she became one of those um preventable deaths when it came to um the maternal health crisis in our city. Yeah so as of right now, um, other than raising awareness of the black maternal um health crisis, a home from Shana Foundation recently recently lost uh labor, recently launched labor live love, with which will be an emergency intake center for um pregnant and expected moms.

SPEAKER_01 4:45

Nice. And this is just in Philly, though. For now, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Yeah, so we will basically um provide emergency housing and 24-7 dual care.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

Let me ask you this question. Um, and I am not, I I talk about Shauna in previous episodes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:02

Um, and I don't want to dig down that road too much right now. Okay, but I I am curious before that happened, how much awareness did you have about that social issue? Like how I didn't hear anything. Absolutely none. So, and and and that's the thing. So it's crazy because, and I it sound it still sounds crazy saying that. I didn't even know women was so dying from childbirth, right? From childbirth. Right. But it's like because of this incident, because of what we experience, um, the trauma that even I experience, that everyday women experience, not only black and brown women, of course, you know, we have it more, but it's it's it's almost like we're so accustomed to what we think is normal. So it's like when that happened, that was a traumatic experience. You mean they gave you a pat on your back and said, try again if you had a miscarriage? That's a traumatic experience.

SPEAKER_01 5:59

You hit something that it may have gone over some people's head.

SPEAKER_02 6:04

I don't want to skip over that part. We think it's normal. Right. We've accepted that level of care or neglect. Because of lack of knowledge, because of lack of knowledge, right? But oh my gosh, imagine like all of the cases that, and I and I remember um the video that you did when when it first happened, when you first started your foundation, and we were at the launch and there was a video, right? And you were running down the numbers. I was shocked. I was shocked, and then it honestly it made me a little nervous to get pregnant and have a baby. Like it put that fear in me because it's like it could have been any one of us, it could have been anybody, right? How do you and and you didn't have a background in any of this? Was like God said you gonna do it and you gonna do it.

SPEAKER_03 6:56

Right.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

She was just a vehicle, or she was that motivation behind you doing it. Um how do you start that? Like dealing with your own emotion, your own, you know what I'm saying? Because you're going through a trauma. Right. So how do you find the strength to say I gotta do this? I'm still finding um the strength to say I had to do it in in the beginning, like in you mentioned the launch, right? Even at that launch, I wasn't even sure of my vision. I just know what I wanted to do. Really? I promise you. Do y'all don't remember the speech? There was barely a speech. I don't remember a speech at all. I don't know. Right. So it was like, hey, we're launching, and it was like, I just know I wanted to make sure everyone knows Shauna's name, her story, that she's not forgotten, that her story is told, and that in some way, shape, form, or fashion, I want to help women during pregnancy. Yeah. I don't know how we were gonna do it. I don't know what direction it was gonna go. Um, and it's crazy because every time I think about it, I always think back to the launch. And it's like, I remember we launched and it was we know what we wanted to do, but there was no specific vision. Like there wasn't, you know, we we didn't have direction. We just know what we wanted to do. And I know what Sam was like, well, how do you know what you want to do, but you don't have the vision? There was no vision. Right. Um, but the vision is is is so broad now, and it's not only broad, but it's actually making an impact. It's taking a life of its own. Oh my gosh. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

Like it's taking a life of its own. And in all fairness, though, I don't think any entrepreneur, nonprofit, um, CEO, a founder, there's we we all experience that.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

There's an idea, but we don't know what the vision actually is. We just know we gotta do it. You know what I mean? So I'm gonna answer your question because you just said it. And as cliche as it sounds, um, even with with being a doula, no one wakes up and says, you know, I want to I wanna be a birth doula. Right? Um, it's not one of those multimillion paying jobs. Yeah. Um, it's time consuming. Um, you're basically on call, usually the the week before, the week after someone's due date. Yeah. Um, you miss birthdays. You honestly really do. You're tired afterwards, it's stressful. It takes a toll on your mental health, especially for me. Um, this may be my first time actually saying this publicly, but my first birth, in-person birth, was actually at Lankinall Hospital. Because I received my doula training at the end of COVID. Um, so while other doolas were like, you know, they actually were trained and COVID was their first time actually doing virtual um birth, I was the opposite.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Okay, so wait, we're winding back though, because everybody don't know what Lincoln Hospital is.

SPEAKER_02 9:51

So Lincoln Medical Center is where um Lashana Gilmore um gave birth.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:58

That's where And that was where you first that that that was my first live in-person um childbirth serving as a birth doula.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

How long after the incident did you deliver your first um in person?

SPEAKER_02 10:17

In person, yeah. How long after? Like what was the gap? So I I became a doula in 2020. And this was June 2021. Okay. Where was where was your mind at? Born Juneteenth at that. Born Juneteenth. On Juneteenth. Where was your mind at? Oh, I wasn't going. Really? I wasn't going. I was um Yeah, so I was actually supporting this mom. And so I knew I did not want to be at her birth.

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:41

Um, and we made that clear. Um, I told her I would support her her husband up until that point. Now I did know she was delivering at Langanol, so I knew that's why I didn't want to be at her birth. Um, but her husband also had a new job, a new position. And he wasn't, there was a possibility. So whenever we have our doula um appointments, we actually include at least two visits with the father to, you know, go over pressure points and some comfort measures. So we were prepared for him to either be at the birth or not at the birth. So we were actually vending, and I believe this is maybe our first, our first uh vending event. Like we set up a whole resource table at the park, and she called me and she said, Hey Cleo, I think I'm in active labor. And I was like, Well, I know you're not an active labor because you're talking on the phone. You were an active labor, you won't be talking. So, you know, we're going back and forth. Um, I go to the house and she's like, Well, can you at least follow me to the hospital? And I'm like, All right. Um, I will follow you and your mother to the hospital. Girl, we go to the hospital. Um, and at this time, I was like so anti-certain hospitals. I didn't want to. I mean, you know, it was we didn't want to drive past it, we didn't want to see it, we didn't want to hear it. So all of those feelings, um I'm lying, they were there, but they wasn't coming up yet. Okay. And that's because I know I didn't really have the pieces. I know I I wasn't going to the hospital. When I tell you um this young lady gave birth, um, not only in the hospital, but in the room that we were in. Did I ever say that? No, I did not know that. Okay. So I go. Wait a minute. So, okay. Wow. So we were actually in the room um where where we were when we heard the commotion. So I stepped outside of the room. I gotta keep going.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 12:34

I gotta keep going, all right. So when we went and so I called my husband, I slept outside the room, and I said, yeah, I said, I don't think um actually I called him to say, I think this is the room. And as I'm as I'm telling him that, um I see the glass that I actually punched on July 26, 2019.

SPEAKER_03 12:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:53

And he was like, Cleo, what is going on? I'm like, baby, I cannot do this. And I'm looking at the desk of the, I don't want to say, I guess they were like the um, I don't know, they were the nurses. Whoever was there, whoever they were, yeah. Yeah um but at at that time, honestly, there wasn't even no, I'm lying. There there were nurses there when I was there for the young lady. But at that night, I don't remember anyone being at that um desk. Okay. And I'm telling him, I'm like, I don't think I can do it. I said, matter of fact, I I don't have to, because this wasn't part of the plan. They didn't even pay me to be here. So then at the same time, her mom is coming out, she's like, Yeah, so-and-so isn't gonna make it, the husband.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

God was setting every scenario, and and as you're telling, and this is the first time that I've had.

SPEAKER_02 13:41

I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

First time I've told you, but no, but oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 13:47

So he was setting the scenario. That moment, that was the shift. It it I think it was definitely the shift. And that was only one incident, honestly. Like we had but the first that's important, yeah, that was just a render moment to that calling, no matter what what barriers you know what I'm saying? Girl, girl, yeah, no, yo, and I and I and I stayed there. She did this girl, um, she envisioned and delivered the exact way she wanted to. And everything that I that I learned about, everything that I, you know, not teaching, but everything that we discussed, it was like, oh, this is real, like this can really happen. She can really have an unmet an unmedicated birth. She can actually, it was in the hospital. And and don't get it twisted, like, we're not against hospital birth, but this young lady was in the hospital, and everything she said she wanted to do, it happened. And she uh she allowed me to support her. Wow. And I was oh goodness, the anger went away. Yes, I was I slept for like 72 hours after that. Um, I put my little head tie on, and I was like, all right, let's go. Like her mom was a little older, so she was a little nervous, and she was like, Listen, you gotta get the upper door. Like, we we can't do this. And she was like, I'm not doing it. And I reminded her about the ring of fire, like what's gonna happen when it comes. And she was like, It's gonna come. I'm ready for it. She didn't, she don't, she don't even know what the ring of fire is, right? No, okay. So coming to yes, I know. This is my first time hearing this. But they were actually telling her, and I see, and when I say young girl, I mean young. Like she was she she was a young mom. Not in her 20s, but she was no, not that young. Oh, okay. But she was a young mom, um, and she had just experienced some uh trauma herself before that. It was it was just like like doula work is so amazing. Well, I can imagine you have to be, that has to be your calling. It has to be. We call it hard work. Yeah, it's hard, but it's all for me, like you know me. Yes, you're not nice. I know you're not gonna look at that. I guess. But what do I have like but even my mama's like you're gonna be able to do that? But this is how you know. This is how you know when God pulls you in a direction, yeah. This is how you know because you were in corrections, beating people up, taking people down. You know what I'm saying? Like, and now it's like that had to have, but do you imagine can you imagine how many people that you're you're going to help and save through what you're doing? Now, honestly, yes, now I'm really um I'm accepting it.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:29

Not saying I was running away from it, but it was like, girl, like this is your calling. Yes. And sometimes I think like, well, and and and I and I and I struggle with anger because it's like if Shana was here, I won't be doing none of it. Like even the stuff that comes my way, it's like, yo, I really don't have to go through this. Or I shouldn't be going through this. And if she was here, I wouldn't even be going through it. Ooh, the bad stuff.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

I'm about to tear. But no, it's fine. It's okay. It's okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

It's okay. But right after that anger, oh, if she was here, I wouldn't be going through this. It don't last long. It don't last long because God blesses you with what He done opened doors and positioned you. Yeah. You get what I'm saying? Yeah. You get what I'm saying? Like, but it's building you. That's why I said that's that's the shift. Yeah. That is the shift. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Oh my gosh. All right, okay. That's what you're just a bit. That's what you let's switch up to. Let's talk about Cleo the mom.

SPEAKER_02 17:29

Now, because your baby is about to be a grown-up. 18 in December. Yes, yes. What do you think? What do you think that the um um you like what? What do you think that the foundation or just the startup of the foundation, what do you think that is doing for you as a mom? What is it teaching you as a mom? Oh my goodness. Um violence. Hmm. Uh does that exist in the middle of the house? And time management. It should. And and and oh, I don't, is it's funny that you're asking because now with the space, we have a we have a property where we're going to be housing moms. Okay. Oh, wait, wait, wait. Don't just jump over. Okay. You talking to me like like we just talk. I know the better, but you get get some context behind it. Don't just get we have a space. Not just a space. This got a whole house. It is. No, we ain't gonna downplace it a space. All right, it's a whole house. It's a beautiful uh four-bedroom home. Yes, uh, with three, four-bathroom office space where we are going to provide the most uh safe and warm environment for expected mothers. Yes, not to give birth, but to support them if they're experiencing any type of unstable or um insecure housing.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

Live in situations, yes. And I'm so proud.

SPEAKER_02 18:46

I'm so proud of you. You brought a mess. But so back to the house. So I would find myself um at the house until like nine, ten o'clock at night. And my son, who was about to be 18, um, he's like, you need work hours. And I would tell him, like, bro, I take you to school every morning. Whenever you need me, I'm there. Like, I don't have to say I have to work. You don't hear that from me. You haven't heard that from me in almost two years. So if I want to stay here until 9 or 10 o'clock at night, let me do so. That's how you feel? Yeah, me? What if you're saying that you need me, I'm there. But what if it wasn't what if it wasn't him saying that? What if that was from God to say for and not for him, for you? Because, and I'm only speaking from experience of experiencing burnout from the many businesses I had start that way. You know what I mean? And and that can happen. Yeah. Um, and with with you saying that, yes, I realize, like, you know, that it may not even really be him saying it.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Um, because when I'm home, you pay me absolutely no mind anyway. But it's true. You shouldn't be there. I take him to school at 8 o'clock and I try to make it to the house at 9 o'clock. But I also try to make it to a home from Shina Foundation, you know, that house, so I can be in work mode. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

I can't be home and be in work mode.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

I tried it. And when I'm at home, I'm in work mode, home mode, work home mode, mom work mode. It's too many different modes. When I'm over there, it's strictly work. So, but do you feel like you have to choose? Absolutely not. Okay. I just I I know I get a lot done when I'm over there. But for this young man to tell me you need work hours. And it's like, I need work hours. Do you miss anything? No. I think you missed the whole point. I think more so of uh for you. Yeah. You you do need work hours. I don't care. And I was the same way. Yeah. Like, and and just to tell you, like, all I do is focus on this and this and this. Yeah. You're gonna miss out. Yeah. You're gonna miss out. Gonna miss out some some way for you. For Clio.

SPEAKER_01 21:01

For Cleo.

SPEAKER_02 21:02

And can I say that that might be my my shift? That might be my work hours. Because before it was 24-7. No, before I would start working nine, ten o'clock at night, going into three, four o'clock at night. Yeah, I remember. Like, how many of you work? I used to ask you, like, how are you working? I'll be sleeping. And I think that was my work hours. Like when the sun goes down, I'm wide awoke and I'm I I can work. Yeah. So I definitely agree that you need to learn more balance. So if I mean, I I would, I'm just, I'm just saying. All right. Just from out of love. No, but um, because it's important. Of course. We we have it or we think we have it under control in the beginning, but it will absolutely catch up to you. Right. But I think you're on the right track because you have a team. You're building out your team. I am. Yeah, you have a team. Regardless of what it looks like now.

SPEAKER_01 21:53

But that's that's the first step of it start delegating.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

You know what I mean? So that's what's up. What what do um What is the biggest difference you see between the Clio network and the Clio then?

SPEAKER_02 22:06

Because it's just like, I love to hear those answers because it's especially when you're doing. I never thought I'd be, I I knew I'd probably be on TV somewhere, probably acting or something, but can we try something new? Because what? What are we trying to? Can I ask you? No, we ain't asking me. What's the difference in the body? Is there a difference in the Cleo? Is there a difference? Oh, you mean ask about? Okay, is there a difference in Cleo? Yes, I know. Um I think there's a big difference in Cleo. Wow. I think there's a big difference in Cleo. When we first met y'all, it was we weren't we weren't friends. We met through a mutual friend. Yeah. And I I never, I used to think she was like evil to herself, mean, like mean girl. Cleo, yes. Wow. I used to think, I used to think that. And I used to tell them like our mutual friend Jessica used to try to bring, no, she was the one that tried to bring everybody to together. Like when we all went to college, everybody, you know, you get your own friends. She would try to bring everybody together. But I used to think that. But then as I come to know you, like I used to think that you were very short, speak to speak. It was like to the point, like the looks, like, but in getting to know you, and I don't know if it was directly because of this, yeah, but in getting to know you, I'm like, okay, she's nothing like I thought. You know what I'm saying? But that comes with maturity because we were in high school. This we were back high school, college years, what I'm talking about. Now it's like to see you develop and to see you take on this task, especially at that time, the strength is definitely. That's why I was asking about your mindset. This the strength is definitely um, and maybe the strength was there all the all along. You just didn't know. You know what I'm saying? That courage, that strength that is definitely growth. Yeah. The way I see it, right? I've also seen you talk more a lot about, not talk more a lot, but show more a lot about the faith side of it.

SPEAKER_01 24:01

Strengthening your faith side of it. Um, even like down to this morning, I'm like, she watching the sermon, she she doing like I love the self-development.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

I peep game because I like to see, especially my friends, the people that I'm around, I like to see that development to keep going and growing, you know what I'm saying? Because I can't stay stagnant and be around y'all if y'all ain't gonna be on the scene. You know what I'm saying? And I'm proud to see that, and I'm just proud to see that. So I just um I do see a difference. Okay. But what do you think the biggest difference in yourself is? So, can I piggyback off of what you said? Sure. Go ahead, Chi. So the the real the the person that actually really brought us together was Lashana. You don't remember? It was Lashana, but you were who I said for Jess, because I knew you as Jess' friend, not Shauna's friend. Okay, right? I knew you as Cleo from Cell. Yeah. Shauna was broke. You know what I'm saying? So that's why, but I knew it was Shauna that was bringing, but yeah, you was always Jess's friend. Yeah. Crystal and um Angel, they was always just friends. Okay, so I get that part. Yeah. Yeah. Jessica was definitely always the common denominator. Jessica's in these streets. Jessica was trying to be cool, my eye. All sides. Um, ooh, girl. And that meanness that I still have was me protecting myself. I didn't know that back then. Yeah. And it's crazy because even in I I took that meanness everywhere. Like where I didn't even have to. So when I when I went to, when I was working in the prisons, it was so easy. But it was the environment for it, though. It was the environment, but it was like I didn't have to prep myself and like, okay, put your strong face on. Like, that was me. Me, mate. And yeah. And I know you're probably gonna be like, oh my god. Um, my husband broke that. Really? My husband broke that.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

Okay, okay, Mr. Robinson.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

He, I didn't have to be like the soldier around, like, I'm I'm always gonna be a soldier, but I didn't have to be this hard, always in defense mode, always ready for whatever he allowed to be. Always in protective person, right? Like, not saying, you know, I'm all the way in my soft girl ever, but when I met him, it was like, oh, you I can relax. Like I can expect. This is a lot about it. But this was years ago before people even started talking about a soft girl. I didn't know there was a soft girl ever. Yeah, I didn't know I was a soldier until my mom told me, like, you cannot talk to your son like he is an enemy. And I was like, no, I don't. And now you're just a softest pie when it comes to the city. I am not as soft as pie. You are a soft as pie. But I don't feel like nothing wrong with it. I can't help people if I'm if I'm if I'm always in protective mode and I don't even know what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_01 26:59

No one's gonna receive, no one's gonna receive that hard.

SPEAKER_02 27:02

You know what I'm saying? You we always gotta act out of love. Right. Um, even even through the hard thing, and that's the key word. You gotta act out of love. Like even before we do our outreach and our community events, um, we like a quick teammate, and we always try to mention, we always try to go over like the type of environment and the type of people and families that we're gonna be dealing with. And it's funny because sometimes you do have to put on the smile. But and that's okay. Yeah. Like if if that's not your field, if you're not supposed to be out there dealing with that, then we're gonna find somewhere else for you to be. Yeah. But as long as you're representing the Home from Shauna Foundation, yeah. And and and most importantly, the person, the reason for it being, like Shauna was not an angry person. At all. She was not hard. At all. She wasn't like, now, now, far from, you know, uh a softy, but Shauna loved. She was a lover. Everyone. Social. And everyone would say and can say that that was my friend. Yeah. And you know, yeah, sometimes like, well, how was that your friend? Oh, I know that was my friend. To the point we was questioning her, like, you sure you want to, you sure they cool? Like, you like to that point, but that was just her personality. That was her, naturally. Yes. And as cliche as it sounds like to know her was to love her. Like you really have to have a lot of something deep down in you to not even like the girl. Yeah. And this work is, oh gosh, is is it's so many layers to it. It's not only just helping women and children, it's a support level, it's the advocating level. It's the actual wanting to connect them to whatever resources. Sometimes you have to end up, you know, sending a friendly email or having a meeting with someone that you don't want to even bother with or never care for. But because I know that's the test. Yeah. That right there is the test. So, girl, that that growth is no joke. Yes. And this, I I I don't despise it. I don't regret it. Um now I'm even starting to bring myself to say, uh, what else? Like, we could we gotta take care of a old pipe and a flood situation. It's like, all right, cool. Like, I know because of what I'm doing, he's gonna try and throw 10 different things from different ways.

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Come on.

SPEAKER_02 29:33

So let's like, come on, let's do a fifth because it's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01 29:37

Yeah, because he never said that the weapons weren't formed.

SPEAKER_02 29:39

Right. They will inform. Yeah. Um, so are you are you are you plan? And I know um it's taken a shape in the life of its own on its own, but I'm sure you're still planning or you have goals or you have things that you want to do. 10 years, not 10 years, that's kind of long. Maybe two year, five year. What what are some things that you can see, even though it may not go that way. What are some things you can see for this foundation? I know you talked to me about expanding to Atlanta, possibly. Yes. What are some things? What do we need to look forward to? Expansion is so easy because people expand. Um I want I I want the impact of this work to be felt and noticed. Like, I don't want to be not not to name call. I don't want to be just another maternal health organization um that's jumping on bandwagon. Bandwagon of what's, you know, what's going on. Like I I really want, I want to see results. I want to continue hearing and seeing testimonies. Um as far as results, though. So results. What do we, what do we, how do we get there? And I I know what you mean by results, but how do we get there? Like, what are some realities that you really think that we should be knowing as black women? As oh, child. Like, what are realities that we need to know that we don't know? Now, when you say black women as far as coming through.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

Okay, so we can talk about experience in childbirth, going through labor and delivery.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

What are some realities that we don't know? Because I mean the information may be there, but if we don't know what to look for or the right questions to ask, we're not going to get that information. So something as simple as not knowing how to read your blood pressure. Okay. I never found any reason. Why should I know how why should I even know what my blood pressure is? Or what what's the right, what what is the significance behind blood pressure? What what are your numbers? I. What? Yeah. Me personally. If I can think that way, imagine how another woman meets. What thing, right? Right. So something as simple as not even on how not even on how to read, um, read your blood pressure, but we also have a workshop where we teach women how to actually use a blood pressure monitor machine.

SPEAKER_01 32:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 32:01

Or even how to articulate, because it's it's this thing. Um, you you know you're you you feel you have the symptoms of high blood pressure. But then when you go into the hospital, it's completely fine. Maybe I don't. Maybe you can explain that part. Maybe you can but it's it's it's like knowing how to whether it's navigate for yourself. Knowing how to advocate and navigate. So I took my blood pressure before I left the house. Or I just took it 20 minutes ago. Or maybe it's not maybe it's not my blood pressure. Can you check something else? Yeah. Um those those small changes. Those small changes and taking accountability. And I don't take accountability for ourselves. Okay. Um for the women who don't have, I mean, because for me, it's easy to say we need to take more accountability. Everyone is at a different stage, different season of their healing journey, their trauma healing, like, because we all have different walks of life, right? My coverage may not be where yours is. Right. Who speaks for them? Right. You know what I'm saying? So when I say, And then I have the heart to say, well, to fight back. Right. Like, what who so not even to fight back. Not not even the advocacy part. Okay. Um, and shout out to the first midwife of Pennsylvania Hospital. The first black midwife, Michelle Scuggs. She was actually on our panel for the first um brunch we had. Michelle, who was her name? Michelle uh Lamar Scuggs. Okay, shout out to Michelle Scuggs. Um, and I remember she asked a question, and I I try to ask the same question anywhere I go. Um, who does your hair? Who is your nail tech? Mm-hmm. What's your dentist name? What hospital, what school did he go to? You may not know what school he went to, but you didn't, you wasn't just driving down the street and seeing a sign that said Dennis. And you just went in there.

SPEAKER_01 33:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:00

Right. Well, well, let me play devil's advocate. Because depending on somebody's resources, they did. Right? Correct. I may not do the research. Mean me knowing now, and I'm I'm speaking for myself as well. Um Hahneman Hospital. Do you remember Hahneman Hospital? Yeah, you know it's not there no more, right? It's not there, yeah. I know.

SPEAKER_01 34:21

Um, but that was I I lived by that, I swore by the hospital. Because that was all I knew, right?

SPEAKER_02 34:26

I didn't know of Temple or Lincoln. I knew of them, but it wasn't. You know what I'm saying? Why Hahneman? Why Hahneman? Because back then my insurance covered it. And that's what my insurance told me to go. I think that the insurance, because it's an insurance company, yeah. All I had to do was call them and they say, go to this. Not knowing that it's more than that. My father, they probably they get money every patient that they send. They get, they cut, you know what I'm saying? It's a benefit for them. So there are people who will just go because their insurance, yeah, and it was a free at that time. I was on the government insurance. Yeah. It's free. This is this is the benefit. This is, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. But me not understanding and knowing the research and the statistics and everything that goes, the politics that go behind sending these minority people and this demographic to here because you're you're doing research right now. Right. You know what I'm saying? So that's where we come into play. And uh it goes back to the effectiveness of our um work. I don't like to say that we're doing community work, but we are because we're actually boots on the ground. And uh right before we came here, I had a text from someone else who said, hey, this young lady has been trying to get in contact with you. This young lady can't call Marsha Domes on the phone and say, hey, um, I may need to. So you're accessible to the people you can do. And the mud right now. And it's like we're actually making the resources. This like you said, the re they are there. But the access, I don't I'm gonna be honest, I don't even think we get the credit. And when I say me, I mean organizations like A Home from China Foundation. I don't even think we get we get the credit um that we deserve because we're actually there, like we're actually bringing your resources, all it's the big pot of resources, and we have to actually bring it to the table. It's not this any table. We have to take it into the community. Oh, and it's not this any community, it's South Philly, right? It's Kensington, it's West Philly. And I mean, I would say it's not right, but it but it is right because it's not it's not being done. It's not being done. So when I say effectiveness, that's what I mean by. So, and there are a lot of organizations, because I Googled different organizations across the US. Okay, and they're like, Google, first page, if you you see it. I would have never Googled that if you would have never started this movement, right? I would have it wasn't on my mind, it wasn't on your radar, of course. It wasn't on my radar, but not having the marketing or the publicity. Because even though the resources are there, and even though you're bringing it into the community, you can do something in community, and then people 10 10 minutes down the road don't know anything about it. Yeah, right. That's what I mean. Like, how do we change that? And it's all about continue to talk and be in a community. We are doing it, yeah, right? We are educating, but how do we get the bigger people involved? How do we get the chains off of their wrists? Yeah. Because, and that's a whole nother um episode. But really, you got people in politics or people that's sitting in these um seats that don't want the change. Right. How do we go around that? How do we do that? What what do we do without without I mean we're gonna get slapped on the wrist, we're gonna get shut down. Like, how do we really attack this? Or uh or they want the change, they just don't want to, they don't want to see it quite yet. So, so so it's easy to you ever watch a fight in a boxing match. Yeah, a boxing match, and the guys would be like, oh, for sure it's gonna go to 12 rounds. No, it shouldn't go to 12 rounds. It's gonna be done in three rounds, it's gonna be done in six. I think, and not only politicians, I think um whether it's community leaders, maybe some politicians, some organizers, they like the fight. They make money from the fight. They uh they make money from the fight. They like the fight. And the more rounds, oh my god, the more money in there. They they they fighting. But that's what I that's what I mean. Like that if if it's gonna be a real impact, right? We gotta turn it from a green situation. That's that's that's what we do. That that's my goal. And it may be because of my connection to this work in the first place. Yeah, because it's personal. Yeah. So I don't wanna go 12 and 20 rounds. Right. I want to go six rounds and if ruin a thing. If if if I'm fighting, let me fight somebody else. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:02

Yeah. It's it's it's interesting.

SPEAKER_02 39:06

It's the whole system in its entirety, not just with this situation, but with just every with everything when it comes to our people, yeah, it was never designed for us to win, to us to succeed.

SPEAKER_01 39:20

Even even how the country and how the how everything is ran, we gotta be sick for the money to come in.

SPEAKER_02 39:26

There gotta be crime for the, you know what I'm saying? It's and it's sad that it's never gonna change. But how can we make impact in our tenure here? Because there's always gonna be the issue, right? We're always we've been living with this issue for it it dates us, you know what I mean? What are we gonna do? How are we gonna make impact while we're here? Who can we say while we're here? And that's what I've I've conditioned my mind around to keep going. Yeah. I'm not out to change the world, right? I'm out to help who I'm supposed to help. Yeah. Reach who I'm supposed to reach. But how do we do that? And that's that's can I answer that? I mean, you know, I'm not a a specialist in I mean that particular question you asked. But but you even saying I'm not out to say to save the world, um, I would say black woman, and I know it's all here we go. No. Even even with this situation that we have, even with this um crisis that we have, if you don't have black women at the table, getting it getting in the room, how in the world you making decisions. You can have as many committees, right? You can have as many research specialists groups, you can have as many people as you, but if you don't have any black woman at that table, it's a waste of time. It's a waste of time, right? Right. So for this, it comes back to black. You can have the doctor, top doctors, doctor, director of director. But if you don't have a black woman at that table, it's pointless. I don't care what you're studying or what you're trying to figure out, you need black women at that table. Absolutely, absolutely, I totally agree. Um, I do also think that it's our responsibility to breed the next generation of leaders. Absolutely. Like we can't let the torch all. No matter what what it's in, whatever the fight is, we we can't let the torch die out. So it is your responsibility to start breeding that next, mentoring that next, and that's that's how you get the black woman at the table. Your branch can go across and notches down. You know what I'm saying? Their branches go across and notches down, and getting back to that community mentality, yeah, like how it was back in the day. I remember growing up and the neighbors looked after me. Yeah, they looked out for you. Now it's not because we're all for self, we're all like on our own little island. And and we're all over the place. And we're all over the place. Absolutely, absolutely. But um you're doing an amazing job with it. And I'm I'm excited to see where it all goes. Thank you. Where it all goes. Now, y'all have community events. What are some things that's coming up?

SPEAKER_01 42:22

And if y'all do not know, um, the Mobile Nar Hudd is um one of the official sponsors for um Home From China.

SPEAKER_02 42:29

So I'm excited about that to see how we can support so definitely there will be some things that we have bringing to the huddle where you'll be able to um support monetary, uh monetary support, physical physical support if you're in the area. Um, you'll learn more about that. What are some things that you have coming up? So, as of right now, we are literally in the middle of our uh postpartum group therapy. Uh we meet weekly with licensed therapists um who are uh we provide um intimate, literally uh postpartum therapy. Okay but it's a group session. So we have about six to eight moms who meet weekly. Um some are pregnant and some are actually experiencing, you know, they're in their uh postpartum phase right now. Um and in a few weeks we are actually celebrating our uh first Caribbean heritage and wellness event. Nice first Caribbean heritage, yes.

SPEAKER_01 43:27

Um what is your connection to to um the Caribbeans?

SPEAKER_02 43:31

Girl, I'm trying. Oh, yes, I wanted you to say it. That's why you so mean. Wow, that's why you so mean. Y'all have a little sweet. Yes. No, I it's sweet. One thing I will say it's a sweet spice. Don't do that. No, I love it. Uh one thing I will say about Shauna that all of her friends were a mixing body. Yes. You literally have friends from every walk of life, every new channel. You can tell her she wasn't Ghanaian, yeah, or Trinity, yes, or Jamaican. Chana was everything. She was everything. Oh my goodness. And I think that her friends was a direct reflection of who she was. And still. And still. Yep. Um, because everybody's doing something. Yeah. Right? Yep. Everybody is moving and shaking. And everyone is just growing. And we have not disconnected. Yeah. We haven't. Yeah. You know? And I just think that that's a beautiful thing. That is a beautiful thing. Of course. Yes. So how can we support a home from Shauna? Who in the audience? Look in that camera. Tell them what how can we get in contact with you? How can we get in talk with you? I said in Takis. Why I say Takis? I have no idea. I have no idea. I'm hungry. That's what it is. You can't eat yesterday. So I'll make sure and do this part really quick. So you can follow us on Instagram, of course, at a home from Shina Foundation. We have a donation page on our website at www.homshina.org. We are also on Facebook. If you would like to make monetary donations, we have a oh goodness, PayPal, a home from Shina Foundation, our Cash App. It's also Home From Shina Foundation. And you can zell a home from Shina Foundation. There we go. Everything. Everything loads from the show. And we're going to put it in the description of this episode as well. I'm looking forward to everything that she has going on. Even though I know I'm going to have some insight of what's going on, but I'm just glad to be a part of it as much as we are. Because whatever it is to make it work, whatever we gotta do, if you need me to boots on the ground, we're gonna do it. We're gonna do it. I know. We're gonna do it. You say you know. Yeah. And I want to know, like, um, if you're watching this, um, thank you for staying with us this long. Let us know in the comments if you've experienced any situation like this, if you've lost someone um untimely through this traumatic situation. Has it touched you? How has it touched you? Like, let us know. We want to hear from you. Um, and I'm also like I do with everyone else, I am volunteering her DM. So if you have a question, just go hop right in her DM and ask her. Um, and and this will also put a test to her voice. So go ahead, do your thing. Thank you so much to everyone who supports this channel. Thank you, um, everyone in advance who's going to help this movement in a home from Shauna. Um, I do want to um give a special shout out to our sponsor, Leeche Capri. Um, as always, you can get your bags on discount, 20% off using the code word HUDLE. Um, and the uh description below will be the link for Leeche Capri. Now, um, we're gonna lighten up the mood a little bit before we go. Okay. Right? So um I've been trying some little different segments on here just with um boy, just with some of the moms, just to see what works and what sticks. But let me, I'm just gonna ask you some questions. Um and just see see what you like, what's going on in your home. Okay, yeah. All right, so um, what's the last TV show you watched? Oh my goodness. The shy. The shy. Oh. Are you you hooked on the shy too?

SPEAKER_01 47:10

Are you you've been on the shy since the very beginning? Yes, the very beginning. So I'm on season six. That's a good choice. Yeah. That's a good choice. You got time to watch TV, I'm jealous.

SPEAKER_02 47:18

Oh, I mean, I was actually watching it as I was brushing my teeth last night. Okay. Oh, both time. Yeah. Okay. What what's that turn-up song that you gotta have right before a big meeting? Right to get your mind right. You about to go in here, ask for this money, ask for this soak up. Yeah. Okay, yes. It gets you there. Yes, and it keeps me there. Yes. I don't know. Are you uh seafood or soul food? Well, my soul food is more like oxtown curvy chicken. But if I had to seafood or American soul food. Oh. My soul food is oxtown and curvy chicken. My soul food. If I had to choose between soul food and American soul food. What's American soul food? Fried chicken, fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese. I guess it's collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Okay. Not seafood. I was seafood. Yes. No, first of all, the last time, no, crab legs cut up my fingers. No. I I thought for sure this listen, not maybe another conversation. I thought for sure you were a seafood girly. A seafood was no ma'am. I love some cocktail shrimp, but I would never pick seafood over. Okay. Okay, good. If you can move anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? To live? Yes, to live. Oh my goodness. I never thought about that. Really? Look at you. I've never thought about that because I just started to come to the realization that I can live outside of Philly. Like I would move away from Philly. Yeah. It took me a while. Is that the place? You've been going how long? Oh, geez. So um almost four years. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:58

I would I would really leave Philly now.

SPEAKER_01 49:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 49:02

So, I mean not saying I want to and I will, but the thought, like it it actually exists now. That's good. Of course.

SPEAKER_01 49:09

That is good. Um And this is if it gets too deep, you don't have to answer. But I'm curious. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 49:21

If Shana could if Shauna could say anything to you now about all of you, all that you have done, what do you think she would say? Um if she can say anything to you right now, what do I think she would say? Everything that you've been doing. Oh my goodness. All of the world. What would you think she would say? Honestly, I think Shana would be right by my side doing this. Yeah. Or um, and I'll leave it at that. I can't even not if she was here. If she could say something. Oh, if she could say anything, yes. Um I don't know. Because I know she's proud of you. Yeah, uh, yeah. I know she's proud of you. Um, she would probably be I I don't know. If she was here, I know she'll probably be so shocked because you know I'm supposed to be this mean person. She'll probably be in the corner laughing somewhere. Like, look at you, we're friends. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:25

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 50:27

Leave us with um one piece of uplift to those women, to those that you want to touch. Look right in that camera. One piece of uplift. One piece of uplift.

SPEAKER_01 50:37

And anything that you want to tell them, any motivation to that one person that could be looking at this, that's experienced or felt that.

SPEAKER_02 50:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 50:44

Talk right to her.

SPEAKER_02 50:46

Um, your story. You are not alone. I know it sounds cliche, but your story should be told. But you don't have to tell your story alone. Um, and that you don't always have to be your story, but it should still be told. Even if it's not from you. Uh set the foundation, whether it's people, whether it's paper, whether it's a notepad and the phone, um, whether it's your imagination, tell your story. Whether it's during, whether it's after. Tell your story. Even if even as it's changing.

SPEAKER_01 51:44

I like that.

SPEAKER_02 51:46

I like that. Yeah. Every woman deserves to tell her story, share her testimony. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:55

I like that.

SPEAKER_02 51:56

Part of the reason because that's what we're all about, too. You know, absolutely creating, walking in your purpose, and that is your purpose. Amen. Amen. Amen. Well, thank you for coming. Thank you, even though you had no choice. I know. And again, y'all, thank y'all so much for watching, y'all. Um, I just love this space so much. I just love bringing other women into this space, and we can have these talks and have these conversations. And this is not the end for you. This is not the end for um you if you're watching. And like she said, tell your story. Tell your story. Tell your story. But yo, we're gonna get up out of here, and until next time, crowns on, chin up, and you rock your week. Yeah, have a good night.