Black Joy in Birth Keeping, Holistic Wellness & Abolition

In this episode, Ashley breaks down the spiritual nature of birth keeping and what it means to carry the legacy of her granny midwife from the south. She calls to a collective remembering of the ancestral knowledge and practices that have been passed on for generations, and of deep breath practices that genuinely nourish us. 

We also talk poetry, slam circles, and the magic that happens in spaces where one feels truly seen and heard. When she speaks of abolition and resistance, what quickly follows is also an invitation for nurturing Black joy, interconnectedness and strong communities.

In true educator fashion, she also provides us with some historical context to the myths that have been propagated about her community since as far back as the 19th century. You'll hear a call to connect and stay in relationship with the land and the plant relatives that care for us.

Ashley Finley is a birth keeper, a medicine maker, a poet, an educator, a nature lover, an activist, and one of the co-founders of Black Lives Matter Salt Lake City. You can find her work in publications such as Torrey House Press’s “A New World Coming” and Slug Magazine, as well as TEDx Salt Lake City and Write About Now Poetry.

Follow her on Instagram @findafinley and @sacredsisterdoula. If you're looking for a birth keeper, find out more about her services at www.sacredsisterdoula.com