Doula's Decade: Fighting Birth Inequity in CNY

SeQuoia Kemp, a health advocate and certified doula, has committed more than a decade to supporting community wellbeing in Central New York. Her journey began at age 13, witnessing a birth attended by a Black midwife, an experience that solidified her calling.

Now 31, Kemp has attended nearly 80 births in Syracuse, New York, a city with a Black infant mortality rate significantly exceeding the national average. She emphasizes the crucial role of doulas in ensuring clients feel heard and their rights are protected, noting that many seek her services out of fear for their lives.

Her work combats generational divides in healthcare access. Kemp co-founded the Sankofa Reproductive Health and Healing Center and leads the Standing in the Gap program, aiming to improve birthing outcomes for historically marginalized expectant mothers.

This dedication stems from her own adolescent health crisis, where she experienced pain and helplessness after a cyst removal led to the loss of an ovary. This personal battle fueled her resolve to ensure others feel heard by their medical teams.

Kemp's professional journey includes a public health degree from the University of Rochester in 2016 and a nursing degree in 2020. She highlights how doulas can reduce pain, decrease reliance on medication, and prevent unnecessary C-sections, while critically ensuring clients' voices are amplified.

She recounts assisting a client who successfully delivered her second child vaginally after a prior C-section, advocating for her throughout the process. Another client, Kishana Bartley, praised Kemp's calming presence and advocacy during her high-risk pregnancy and birth.

Kemp also provided support during a family tragedy when her nephew's infant son, Psalm, was born prematurely and passed away after a liver transplant. This profound loss has renewed her commitment to preventing infant mortality in his memory.

Inspired by healthcare professionals who cared for Psalm, Kemp is considering a career as a nurse practitioner, in addition to her ongoing doula work and community leadership.