Our Mission

The Detroit Midwifery School’s mission is to train skilled, compassionate and diverse entry-level midwives who safeguard physiological birth and reproductive experiences by providing care that is informed by intersectionality, tradition and scientific evidence.

Our Vision

RECLAMATION

Our vision includes a learning environment which instills a deep appreciation for the cultural heritage and holistic principles that traditional midwifery care embodies. Rooted in their ancestral knowledge, a new collective of midwives will be ready to serve the needs of their communities. We aim to foster decolonized apprenticeship models which respectfully guide one’s call to midwifery. For the generations of those who’ve endured historical trauma and violence in childbirth, we seek to reclaim the birth space as sacred, safe and intuitive.

photo courtesy of angelica marie of wearekarasi.org 

ADVOCACY & ACTION

Our vision is inspired by the belief that education should not only impart knowledge but also inspire action. Through both traditional and innovative teaching methodologies, we will provide tools for our learners to become community-focused organizers and advocates for maternal and infant health initiatives. Certified Professional Midwives will serve in leadership roles while driving change for social justice in their communities and beyond.

MIDWIVES FOR THE FUTURE

Our vision anticipates a midwife for each community, where birthcare teams reflect, appreciate and accommodate the diverse cultures of the families they serve. By increasing the number of practicing midwives and redefining the future of midwifery education, we not only ensure equity and expansion of choice, but mitigate health disparities and injustice in the landscape of reproductive care. Birth is a transformative life event that can serve as a catalyst for folks to step into their power, igniting positive generational change for the future.

COMMUNITY OF CARE

Our vision upholds the midwifery model of care as a trusted and respected source of information and education for all birthgivers, from puberty to menopause. Midwives are competent, diverse, and professional providers who cultivate community resources, hold sacred space and keep informed choice and autonomy at the forefront of their work. Midwifery care can provide culturally reverent healthcare in both urban and rural areas while building networks of other holistic professionals, whose aim is to safely support families and their infants in the broader system of community healthcare.

Our Core Values

  • Centering, Supporting, and Uplifting the lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and People of Color. 

  • Creating Solidarity within Community Intersections. 

  • Honoring Expansiveness in Gender and Sexuality. 

  • Consideration and Accommodation for Neurodivergence. 

  • Moving with Integrity, Accountability, and Humility.

Statement on Equity & Belonging

We support our communities by critically assessing the intersections of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, class, immigration status, ability, and geographical location. We are dedicated to providing the resources, support, and opportunities necessary for their prosperity by addressing how these intersections create barriers and challenges to achieving one’s educational and personal goals. In doing so, we can begin to dismantle the power disparities that impact each of our lives. We are committed to creating a culturally sensitive, decolonized model of midwifery education which centers and spotlights marginalized communities and welcomes people as their authentic selves.