ABOUT US
Shortly after Hurricane Helene, birth workers across the state organically supported birthworkers from the Asheville area who had been impacted and displaced by the storm. As we were supporting them, hearing their needs, and seeing how we could support them, we were asking ourselves. How can we how can we support the need? Folks in Asheville were receiving large donations of items. We were hearing that items were nice and helpful, but it was getting to a point of being overwhelming because there were more things than they had hands to sort or places to put them. They didn't have money, which being displaced required. They didn't have much by way of disposable income to be able to move around, secure shelter, and support all the many changes that were happening. And incidentally, one of the birth workers we supported as an artist and a beautiful voice. So we asked ourselves, what would it be like to activate artists across the state of North Carolina, to support birthworkers in Asheville? As we were moving to answer this problem, and this critical need always mindful of the fact that birthworkers are always facing something where they need support, and this is just one thing. This is just one crisis that they're having to navigate today, but there will be another. So the question was, how can we support this community right now while building something that can support NC birthworkers moving forward? And thus was born the THRIVE Fund; "Together, Re-Imagining, Vibrant Empowered" Birthworkers!
Leila D. Lewis, MFA, R-PLC, CCHW, is a passionate Family Wholeness Consultant and seasoned birthworker with nearly two decades of dedicated service in public engagement and community empowerment. With a dynamic educational background, including a BFA in Dance from Temple University and an MFA in Dance from Hollins University—developed in collaboration with the prestigious American Dance Festival and The Forsythe Company—Leila brings a unique blend of creativity and resilience to her work. For the past 15 years, she has been a transformative force in the realm of birthwork, utilizing a reproductive justice framework to support and uplift families. As a community-based doula, La Leche League Leader, Certified RETAIN Parental Leave Coach, and Fair Play Facilitator; Leila delivers comprehensive support that empowers families to make informed choices and navigate their life transitions as parents and a growing family with courage. She is the founder of Seeds for Community Wholeness, a nonprofit that teaches families how to build their village and helps villagers find their place in that village. Additionally, she consults for large employers in NC offering workshops and coaching that help employees flourish as working parents in today’s society.
Leila intentionally shows up as her full self in all spaces and encourages others to do the same. Leila’s commitment to her community is unwavering, and she approaches her work with empathy and authentic relationship-building. She excels in fostering partnerships that amplify the voices of families and advocates for equitable access to a quality of life that is vibrant and thriving. Proud to be wife to a talented musician-engineer and homeschooling mother to four spirited boys; Leila is blessed to serve a God who provides all the things needed to lead a full life with humor and grace.
Racquel Washington, M.A./ Reproductive Justice Birthworker/ Holistic Wellness Facilitator/ 200HR YTT shares her gifts with the world as a Birthworker, Yoga Teacher, and Holistic Healer. Racquel is the founder and owner of The Queen’s Collective Birthing- offering a variety of products and services to support women & their families through pregnancy, birth, and loss. Combining passions for advocacy, support, and information, she arms her clients with the tools they need to feel empowered in their decisions on their birthing and as they begin their parenting journey. She focuses on supporting families to achieve healing holistically, offering support in diet & nutrition, movement, mental and spiritual wellness, herbal remedies, and more. She is an advocate to her core. Racquel has always been passionate about advocacy and support. She believes we can all make better decisions when armed with the right information.
Racquel’s background is in education, counseling, and advocacy. Her journey to birth work began after the birth of her son and subsequent pregnancy losses. Through these experiences, Racquel was able to see the importance and need for birth workers to support families. Pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy loss are sacred times and can also be scary. It is her goal to help ease the fear and focus more on the sacredness of these times. Birthing folks deserve and need support during all stages of birth, whether that is pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, birth and postpartum. Racquel, comes to this work as the Sum Total of all of her life experiences, allowing her to help ease the fear and focus on the sacredness of these transitions.
Cindy McMillan, CBD, DT, CBFP, CBE is a dedicated single mother of four and a visionary leader in maternal health and birth equity. Her career is built on fostering connections through lived experiences, evidence-based information sharing, and advocacy to ensure safe, equitable, and respectful birthing experiences for all individuals. As a community-based doula, doula trainer, and childbirth educator, Cindy has emerged as a committed advocate for birthing families and birthing professionals while addressing systemic disparities in maternal health with a focus on Black Maternal Health.
In 2016, Cindy co-founded Sistas Caring 4 Sistas, Inc. (Community-Based Doulas for Social Justice), where she served as the Director of Marketing and Education and later as the Executive Director. In these roles, Cindy worked to strengthen organizational impact, build community partnerships, and raise awareness about the maternal and infant mortality crisis aecting black and brown bodies. She also led eorts to educate healthcare systems and institutions about the importance of culturally competent care through community-based support. Cindy’s expertise includes working with families working through substance use disorders during pregnancy, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, pregnancy loss and grief. She has pursued specialized certifications and training in birth equity, which has equipped her to address the unique needs of birthing individuals and their families. Currently, Cindy is the Owner and CEO of Black Rose Integrative Group LLC, a community-based doula consulting firm committed to advancing maternal health care through uplifting and supporting those providing community - based services to the community.
Cindy’s work is driven by hope and determination to see meaningful, positive changes in healthcare systems that improve outcomes for birthing individuals who face the most harm due to maternal injustice. Through her leadership at Black Rose Integrative Group, she continues to foster knowledge, skill-building, and collaboration among birth workers while advancing equitable maternal health care practices. Cindy McMillan remains steadfast in her mission to create connections, support families, and advocate for systemic change, leaving a lasting impact on the communities she serves.