November 3, 2023
My dear birthwork community, this is a call in.
For the last 27 days we have watched a strategic genocide aired live in front of our eyes, in horror.
We have watched children, babies, parents, elders, cousins, siblings crying, shaking - covered in ash, in shock, traumatized.
Children crying for their families, confused and scared.
We have seen their lifeless bodies. Bodies trapped under rubble.
White phosphorus raining from the sky.
We’ve watched 2.2 million people trapped in a 25 x 5 mile strip of land under blockade deprived of water, food, electricity, fuel, safety, communication, and dignity.
We’ve watched people being displaced, losing their homes, their community - losing what little they were allowed to have in the first place.
We have seen complete neighborhoods being leveled and reduced to dust. People hiding wherever they can, trying to find shelter in any place that could possibly be safe, and being bombed and terrorized all the while.
We have watched people being told to move from the north to the south, and being attacked while they flee, attacked when they arrived where they were told they’d be safe.
We’ve watched a UN school full of children bombed.
We’ve watched hospitals bombed.
We’ve watched refugee camps bombed, turned into craters.
We’ve watched all communication being cut off from the entire Gaza strip and heard people’s screams from the darkness while the bombing continued and intensified.
We’ve heard the stories of ambulances not being able to be reached by the injured.
Of doctors using vinegar to treat wounds.
Surgeons performing surgery on people with no anesthesia on the floor of a hospital with no power, using their phone’s flashlights for light. Gas running out, NICU incubators shutting down.
We’ve watched unabashed war crimes and a full out genocide happening right before our eyes.
And we have also watched a large part of our community stay silent.
Our community of birthworkers - a community of people who make their living supporting and caring for the ushering in and out of life. Of people who hold large platforms and have the potential to reach thousands with their messages. Of people who capitalize on care. Silent.
We thank TransFuturist Collective, adrienne maree brown, thank god for abortion, ARC Southeast, Small Things Grow Homebirth, Como Te Amo Midwifery, Mpowered Souls, Nine Moons Doula, Bay Area Placenta Services, Rooted Doula Collective, Latinx Parenting, Sins Invalid, The Holistic Empowering Doula, China Tolliver, Moss The Doula, Shishi Rose, Abortion Care TN, Birthworkers of Color, Forward Midwifery, Montse Olmos, Indigemama, Ruh Doula Care, Ancestral Seed Healing, and many others for speaking out. We know there are more of you out there, and we ask that you sign this statement and share it with your networks. We also lift up the statements already created by Transfuturist Collective and ARC Southeast, linked here for your signature.
We know that as of 11/3/23 there have been at least:
9,061 deaths of Palestinian people in Gaza.
Of these, 3,760 are children.
2,326 are women.
This does not include people trapped under rubble, not yet accounted for.
150 people are giving birth in Gaza daily with no medical care, no shelter, no water, no food, no electricity, no anesthesia or antibiotics. Premature births are increasing, placenta abruptions are increasing, miscarriages are increasing. There are 50,000 pregnant people in Gaza right now.
It is important to talk about the fact that there have also been at least 1,405 deaths of Israeli people and 229 Israeli hostages taken captive on and since October 7, 2023. These lives are also dear to us; they matter. We mourn the dead and want the safe return of the living, as well as the safe return of the dead to ensure proper Jewish burial rites - and at the same time we do NOT stand with the narrative that the Palestinian people deserve collective punishment for these deaths and hostages. We have watched the number of Israeli deaths stay relatively steady over the weeks while the lives of Palestinian people are taken exponentially, day by day. 9,061 is ~640% more people than 1,405. And there is no end in sight for the Palestinian people. There is absolutely no justification for this.
How can a community of people who are committed to care, safety, dignity, self determination, autonomy, community, bonding, and bearing witness to life in all its transitions be silent? HOW?
This is a call in.
Use your platforms to demand a ceasefire now.
Use your platforms to demand that humanitarian aid gets to the people of Gaza now.
Use your platforms to demand an end to the blockade of Gaza now.
Use your platforms to advocate for the freedom, safety, and liberation of the Palestinian people now.
Make a public statement and share it with your networks and followers.
Call your leaders, senators, and representatives to make the above listed demands. If you are in the US, use the 5 calls app; it takes just a few minutes. The direct line to leave a message for Biden is (202) 456-1111 - the more times you call, the more impactful.
Host informational sessions.
Check in on your community and offer support.
Lift up Palestinian voices, share their stories, updates, and posts.
Speak to your communities and families. Have uncomfortable conversations.
—> Know that your silence is not in alignment with the values of birthwork, care work, birthkeeping, and doula care. Reproductive Justice means physical, mental, spiritual, political, and social safety for all people. If you have grown your platform or business on the tenets of birth justice, reproductive justice, equity, autonomy, choice, antiracism, or any other form of feminist and/or liberatory politics your silence is the absolute antithesis of the ethos you speak and benefit from. 27 days is long enough. End your silence now.
Your silence may be because you are activated. This genocide is activating our generational trauma, our historical trauma, our present day trauma. To this we say, we are with you. Your ancestors are with you. Let us all stay strong together. We are activated, we are hurting, we are having a hard time functioning through all of this. And still, we must speak out. When we say never again, we mean never again for anyone!
Your silence may be because of confusion. To this we say, just look. Watch the videos of people in Gaza who are living and dying through this. It’s not hard to find, you can follow people who live in Gaza on Instagram and TikTok. Know that your eyes do not deceive you. What you see is real.
Your silence may be because you don’t feel like you know enough about the politics of the occupation to speak on it. To this we say, you don’t need to be a political science major to see what is happening in front of our eyes. Ask yourself what you would do if this was happening where you live. Speak out and speak from your heart. Center empathy, our shared humanity, and the fact that our liberation is tied to one another.
Your silence may be because you are afraid of losing followers or money. To this we say, your fear of losing what you have is nothing compared to what the people in Gaza are actually losing. You may lose some money or clout, but you will gain your integrity. Followers come and go. You will sell your courses and services again. These lives will not return.
Speak out.
Please.
Every single moment that passes more people are killed.
Ceasefire now. Free, free, free Palestine.
Thank you. We are in this together. Please scroll down past the signatures and sign this letter using the form below, and I will add your names to the statement.
Signed,
Nickie Tilsner, RN - Co Founder Cornerstone Birthwork Training and Jewish woman for collective liberation. Free Palestine! Free Congo! Free Sudan!
Juli Tilsner, LM, CPM - Co Founder of Cornerstone Birthwork Training and Jewish woman for collective liberation. Free Palestine! Free Congo! Free Sudan!
Luar Wolf, Moon + Wolf
Chriset Palenshus, Herbnhood Doula - Birth workers where are you? What are you waiting for, every day our precious Palestinian relatives are experiencing unspeakable harm. We are supposed to speak up about systems of oppression, please help make it stop. #fromtherivertothesea #freePalestine
Heather Hughes, for humanity
Bethany Griffin-Shetler, Silver Falls Family Support
Siobhan Diores, community caregiver
Elle Molokwu, Bohemian Village Doula
Brette Howard, Birth Doula and Mother
Jennie Marchant, RN, BSN
Helen Green, Midwife, UK
South Texans for Reproductive Justice
Yellowhammer Fund
AP, Free Palestine until it’s backwards!
Rachel Cairns
Victoria Weber, End this monsterous genocide.
Jillian Bretz
Noshaba Bhatti, Full-Spectrum Birth Worker
Taylor Kangas
Isabel Furie, Birthworker/Childbirth Educator
Sallay Kallon
Dianicia Valencia, traditional birthworker
Atira, Full Spectrum Doula, Incandescent Birthwork Co. None of us are free until we are all free.
ildiko fox, birthworker, For a free palestine and total liberation.
Natalie Broders, Ceasefire now!
Jamaica Rich, Ceasefire now!
Maria Rossi, Mother/Doula/Social Worker/Advocate
Corinne Kaz
Leseliey Welch, Birth Center Equity, A world where midwives, families, and communities thrive.
The Forty Day Doula, This is about human rights. Let's get it together y'all!
Beth Ryder, MLC
Hannah Greenwood, Full spectrum doula, for collective liberation
Karen Sandoval - Birth and postpartum doula. Free Palestine.
Robins Khalid, Small Things Grow Midwifery, None of us are free until all of us are free. Our oppressions are interrelated. There is no birth justice in the US without fighting the systems that dehumanize us the world over.
Carrie Murphy, Full-Spectrum Doula
Mabel Mesones, Humanity over greed.
Meg Houlihan, Doula
Shaina McGee (She/They) Full-Spectrum Doula in-training
Noemi Delgado
Retta Sola, Birth Nurse and Postpartum Doula
Stephanie Tillman @FeministMidwife
Jenni Coker, (she/her) fellow human, mother, birth worker, Sisterhood Doula OC
Danielle Thompson, Birth Doula, Educator, and Lawyer
Inks, You have a voice, stand up for the oppressed!
Sheila Childs
Celina Sainte-Rose
Brandi Bennett, RN + doula
Shilpy Sarguru, RNC-OB & doula
Rinka
Anne Ziemba, CNM. Not in our name and with our money.
Laura Brown, NEVER AGAIN
Caitlin Dougherty, RN, Doula, Advocate
Alessandra De almeida
hana roz, doula, midwife in training
Amber Adams-Jackson, Human, Second Nature Doula, Ceasefire! This is all so heartbreaking. I don’t have many words except enough. It’s gone on beyond too long.
Kelci Adams, Full Spectrum Doula
Becky Gilliam, Birth Doula, Silverton OR, Ceasefire now!
Allison Tate Birth Companion & Birthworkers for Human Rights, Always center the oppressed. Freedom, liberation, safety, autonomy and justice for Palestinian people. Ceasefire now. Free Palestine now
Mallory Kane, Full spectrum Doula
Aida Alfonzo, student midwife, Innatus Birth
Nell Timreck, CNM
Madeline Barnes
Alison Hirata, Indigenous Solidarity with Palestine
Nicola R, Labor and Delivery RN, End the genocide. Ceasefire NOW. From the river to the sea Palestine will be free.
Courtney Blyth, Reverie Doula
Sara A - doula, praying for gaza, praying for all of the hostages, praying for everyone protesting all around the the world, praying for a ceasefire
Skylar Brooke — birthworker, educator, advocate; Portland, Oregon, End the occupation — no liberation for some without liberation for all
Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Hawai’i, Free Congo
Molly Geisler-Juárez LM, CPM, MAS, CD(DONA), CLC, Down To Earth Baby
Endia Williams, CLS, CPPD, Decolonize the world. Speak up. Make change. Proud Cornerstone doula.
Sierra O’Toole
Barbara Wishingrad, All lives matter. I call for an immediate cease fire and release of all hostages
Rachael Ard, Full spectrum doula, Solidarity forever and always with Palestine!
CORINA, Student midwife, doula
Glen J, Full-Spectrum Postpartum, LLC, Free Palestine til it's backwards. As a daughter of the colonised and the descendant of slaves, resistance is why I was born free. From Jamaica to Palestine, Haiti, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, may we all be finally free from imperialism in my lifetime, and may mothers and other people everywhere be able to give (or just support) birth without bombs.
Shawna McLaggan, Bay Area Placenta Services
A bee - a. bee full spectrum
Teyler L. Wallace, Doula for the People, End the genocide.
Josie Rodriguez-Bouchier L.Ac., Queer Reproductive Justice and Liberation Advocate, Founder of Intersectional Fertility, Free Palestine all day every day! Stop Gaza genocide! Ceasefire NOW!
Sarah McKee, Birth & Postpartum Doula, mother, friend, human being.
Jess Ford
IA Borbón, RN, Indigenous Midwife, An Ancient Thread
Sierra Moore, Luna &Sol Birth Photography
Kalix Glaeser, Northwest Inclusive Birth Services, In fiction and in history you stand with the resistance, but what about in reality? Over NINE THOUSAND Palestinians MURDERED in the last few weeks. Men. Fathers. Women. Mothers. Children. Infants. Elderly. Gone. Entire families and bloodlines obliterated. This is not “self defense”. This is genocide. Period. Speak up about it! Call your representatives. Call the president. Go to a protest. Donate to provide aid. Share the on the ground footage and commentary. Use your voice! Your voice matters. #freepalestine
Laura Dyet
Emily Stallings
Rachel Sementilli
Rebecca Wender
Nicole Griswold Photography, Ceasefire now.
gsageclarke
Jaydene Lavallie, Transitions Birthwork
Rodante van der Waal, midwife form Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Judy I Keylani, The occupation, and militarization of Palestine and it’s people has been a human rights crisis that the world can no longer ignore. It’s a public health crisis, and the foundation of generational trauma for decades to come. As birthworkers we do not have the option to not be political; birthwork is political and we must always stand with humanity, dignity and the right to self determination.
Tierra Salmón, mother, doula, midwife, first generation American, and the great grand daughter of a resistance movement! Without resistance I wouldn't be here. #CeaseFireNow #EndGenocideEverywhere #EndGenocideInPalestine #EndGenocideInSudan #EndGenocideIntheCongo #EndGenocideInArmenia #ResistEthnicCleansing #ResistColonization #ResistNeutrality#ResistThePropogandaMachine #StandInSolidarity
Marley Ghizzone, CBE-in-training
Mel. O, She Oak Nutrition, I believe in the safety of all children and birthing women and all humankind. With being treated with peace, love and kindness. This bloodshed must stop.
Olivia R, Ceasefire. End the genocide.
Braedyn Bosilovatz, MSN, RN
Taryn Goodwin, LM, CPM
Sophie Johnston, Midwife, from Turtle Island to Palestine colonization is a crime
Kathryn Webb, Student Midwife, Placenta Encapsulator, Aquarius Midwifery, Red Tree Placenta
Taylor Jost, doula + nurse
Breana Espinoza, Mystic Mothering Birth Services, Doula & Mother
Cory Bush, Certified Full Spectrum Doula
Claribel Marmol, CNM, MPH
Davinah Simmons, Rooted Birth Doula Services
Maryam Karim, Ceasefire!!!
Julia Romero, Doula
Kortney Lapeyrolerie, Founder of the Queer Doula Network, As birth workers, healers, and movement makers, we must divest from systems that buy and keep our silence in the face of violence and harm. Free all people facing genocide and colonial oppression. Free Sudan. Free DR Congo. Free Palestine.
Samantha Street, Full Spectrum Doula, Little Ember Doula
Shilpa Dutta, MPH, (she/her) Chand Jaan Doula, Falasteen is in my heart and soul and I cry and cry for the Palestinian lives ignored by our politicians and our public. I will always stand with all oppressed and occupied people. While we yell ‘free Palestine’ in the streets, Palestine is freeing ALL of us from the illusions of western imperialism. Alhamdulilah.
Erin Brooks. Budding full spectrum doula. free free palestine
Ari Eisen — Full Spectrum Doula, No justice, no peace. “Never Again” is NOW
Krystina Derrickson, CPM, Baraka Birth
Whitney Handrich, Postpartum Doula
Samantha Bossu, Fireside Sanctuary, Ceasefire now. People over Power.
Elizabeth Seefeldt, Certified Nurse Midwife
Kalina Acevedo, RN, Student midwife
M. Brillantes, Anchor&Pearl, Dismantle the settler colonial powers, sovereignty to Palestinians, demand a ceasefire, full and safe access to humanitarian aid and the end to the occupation and the apartheid state in Palestine
Taylor Ficht
Heidi Abed, Indigenous Firstfeeding Coalition of Colorado, Shame on you for supporting and aiding blatant and outright genocide. I am sickened as a mother, advocate, veteran, and US citizen. Stop assisting in genocide and take a stand against it.
Heather Haley, Naked Tank, Ceasefire now! We are all one.
Megan o
Adriana Gonzales, Full Spectrum Doula & CLC
Morgan Hughes LM CPM
Kathryn Soloff, Doula, Childbirth Educator, Lactation & Feeding Specialist
Mary Skinner Doula, Ceasefire!
Jenny Bennett, Doula Trainings International
Dawn Batson
Sydney Reyes, full spectrum doula
Kali Vitek
Sara Halley, Student Midwife, Doula, & Mom
Kelsey McEuen, Wild Moon Doula
Romina Parungao, Full Spectrum Birthworker, CEASEFIRE NOW and END TO ILLEGAL OCCUPATION! We are not free unless we all are free. FREE PALESTINE!
Tanya Shipley, Mother, Grandmother, Community Doula and Lactation Counselor. All God's creations deserve peace and love.
Kiwasi Apeh, Black Birthworkers Rock, These happenings brings sorrow to my heart, but I have faith in the strength and prayers of tomorrows will bring grace and Gaza will be free.
Juliet Powell
Nancy Chavez
Olivia Kroening-Roche, CNM
Amy Hecht
Nine Moons Doula Care
Molly M, CNM, Vallejo CA
Elyse Schroeder, she/her, I am in full alignment with Cornerstone Birthwork’s message. I refuse to accept that our words, cries, and screams will not be heard. A ceasefire is the ONLY acceptable next step and option.
Karla Leng, Doula Doula Birth
Paz Roman
Thank God for Abortion, It is time for us to be consistent and stand for the self determination and autonomy of the Palestinian people. We demand an immediate CEASEFIRE and an end to the brutal 75 years long occupation of Palestine.
Bearing Beside Doula Services, Free Palestine, Land Back, Let us be a part of bringing forth a liberated world
Nina Basker
Ness
SabriAnan Micha, The TransFuturist Collective
Beth Scheppke, birthworker for Palestinian liberation
Evan Cohen, As a Jewish birthworker, I stand with Palestinians
Aubrey D Thayer
Robin Baldridge, Abortion Care for Tennessee
Zein Quandour, As a Jordanian Birthworker, I stand with Palestine.
Talyce Ketura- Student Midwife & full spectrum doula, northwest reproductive Justice collective, A FREE PALESTINE IS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE
Calendula Doula
Cait Harwood, Bearing Witness Birthwork
Kimberly Gorskie Garcia, birthworker for humanity, Ceasefire now!
Julie Tyers standing in Full Agreement with Cornerstone’s call for Ceasefire and immediate humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people.
Camille Freeman (she/her)
Cara Saunders, MPH, CLC,PCD
Stephy FA - Full Spectrum Doula and Lactation Educator
Gina Eichenbaum-Pikser, CNM, Community Midwifery Care
Sara, CNM
Kelsi Kennedy
Julie Morel, Honeysuckle Doula
Taylor Chinenere, IBCLC, Birthkeeper, End this horrific genocide. Free Palestine. Reproductive justice for ALL
Sarah Beauchamp, Doula and mother for Free Palestine!
April Cañete Pavlish (she/her)
Victoria Ingram, postpartum care provider, Ceasefire now, free Palestine, decolonize.
Birth Center Equity, A world where midwives, families and communities thrive requires peace.
Angela Thornton, postpartum doula
Reem Suqi, MSW, LSW, CLC, Palestinian, Liberation for Palestine is liberation for all. Peace without justice is just asking people to go back to dying quietly. Land Back and Free the Congo and Free Sudan and Black Lives Matter and Stop the Uyghur Genocide and Free Palestine.
Olivia Erickson, Student midwife, CLC
Allison Butler
Sonia Lizama
Rachael Zamora
Diana Foster, full spectrum doula, Free Palestine
Emily Nolan, RN, MSN
Sarah Logan, DNP, CNM
Jocelyn Araujo, birth and postpartum doula
Lenore Musambacine, doula and mother for a free Palestine, LUNA Birth & Wellness
Anietie Ukpe-Wallace
Melissa Reyes, full spectrum birth & death companion
Ebere Oparaeke, Birth & Postpartum doula, There is no peace without justice and no justice without the liberation of ALL oppressed peoples. Ceasefire now and an END to the illegal occupation!
Alycia Two Bears, Birth Keeper, Good Woman Medicine
Jennifer Rackley
Kloie - having lived in the region and witnessed the abuse and injustice - Israel, Stop Netanyahu - he is an evil narcissistic psychopath - all Israel's leaders must be tried for war crimes. STOP THE BOMBING AND STOP THE OCCUPATION
Jenni Huntly, midwife
Rachael Reeves
Nama Mama, There are no borders to birth, we must stand for all women, parents, children & babies caught in this genocide #ceasefirenow
Lika Sikorska, Ceasefire now!
Nicole White, CPM, LM, Mi State of Birth Justice
Amina Mirza
Alexandra Tran, Full spectrum doula, Ceasefire now!
Kelly Wong McGrath, CNM, NP, Hatch Midwifery
Nicole Batschelet
Sage Fanucchi-Funes, CNM
Brya Kimnita, MSW, CD, Free Palestine TODAY
Chandra Fischer, CPM, LM, Community Midwife
Domino Kirke
Guramrit LeBron, Mother, Birth and postpartum doula, CLC
Ivy Joeva, doula
Kimberly Denitz-Zuleger, Mama Three Birds Maternal Health
Shayna Medinger, CBE, Collective liberation and reproductive justice demand a Free Palestine!
Ina-Tatjana von Berg, Rising Mama Doula Care Berlin, #savepalestine #savegaza Justice and liberation for all
Rebecca Mercurio, CD, LMT, RYT, Mother, Educator, for body liberation and safety, While nine Wellness | Buffalo Birth & Baby | Cary House Buffalo, Free Palestine. Collective care and right action are our responsibility to one another.
Athena, End settler colonialism everywhere. It's all related