Connecting To the Heart Online

I spend a lot of my time on the web. Sometimes, more than I intend to. Most people around me in the United States do. Using it as a tool, I have found that it is exciting to be able to connect to other like-minded individuals via various mediums. My preferred way of communication is blogging. I write to transform my own life. In shifting and healing from my traumas in such a public space, I give other women permission to do the same. Often, I don't hear any comments from others. That's okay. It's not my intention to be praised but rather to have a woman sit with my words as though they were her own.

As a birth doula en route to becoming a midwife, Web 2.0 has been the biggest asset to my mission. I am dedicated to radically changing the conditions under which women of the African Diaspora are giving birth. The situation is precarious. I have found that social media has led to a fountain and a method to disseminate information to women who otherwise would not have access to it. I dedicate myself to sharing as much information as possible about a woman's agency in birth. I engage members of the community to understand that birthing is not just a woman's issue but a human rights one. I believe that being online is the meeting place for many women and birth workers. It is a catalyst for change. The ability to have and express her distinctive voice, especially when it concerns her body and wellness, are important to the global empowerment of women. We are touching each other's hearts by sharing stories. To touch the heart of another is to create a profound change in them.

I have received an incredible amount of healing from my online presence. It has allowed me to use my words to understand my life, and find others who are on their healing journeys. There are times I go back and edit my blog posts, or make them private. The power to transform, retell and change my story so it is authentically me has strengthened my voice offline. Being part of a community online that supports my process has changed my life for the better. I feel nourished and encouraged to continue my birthing work.