October 2021: Midwife Okunsola Day & Community Midwife Month

October 26, 2021 / Okunsola M. Amadou

Jamaa Birth Village means family in the African language of Swahili. Come and go with me, on the humble beginnings and birthing of a village.

community midwife month saint louis

On Tuesday October 26th, 2022, the Saint Louis County Council awarded Midwife Okunsola, naming every October 26th as Midwife Tru (Okunsola) day and every month of October-Community Midwife Month, due to the honorary and extraordinary work of Jamaa Birth Village in the community.

Resolution

“Jamaa Birth Village is a 501c3 non-profit Maternal Health organization located in Ferguson, Missouri and serves the greater St. Louis metro area.  

It was founded October 26, 2015 by Brittany “Tru” Kellman, the first black woman to become a “certified professional midwife” in Missouri and is the executive director.

Jamaa, pronounced Jah-mah, means family in Swahili. The main focus of Jamaa Birth Village is to enhance individual care, empower families by celebrating cultural heritage in a community care setting and combat racial & health inequities.

The objective of Jamaa Birth Village is to address the heartbreaking statistics of African American women who are 3 times more likely to die of causes related to pregnancy and of African American babies that are 2 times more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies.

Their mission is to provide affordable access to midwives and doulas of color along with childbirth and parenting education in the St. Louis region to lower prematurity, maternal-infant morbidity and mortality through a network of health professionals and peers.

Be it resolved by the STLCO Council that:

In recognition of the extraordinary work that Jamaa Birth Village does in the community by serving over 800 plus families since 2015 and in celebration of their 6th anniversary on October 26th;

Every October 26th be referred to as Midwife Tru Day and

Each October be designated Community Midwife Month and that we also remember to pause and reflect on World Doula Day every March 22nd to embrace the “women who serve” that are called to fill this very special and important role in communities not only here in St. Louis County but around the world.” – Saint Louis County Council

Posted in

Okunsola M. Amadou

Okunsola M. Amadou, a Fulani-American Midwife, is the Founder and President of Jamaa Birth Village.

Brittany L. Conteh, professionally known as Priestess Okunsola M. Amadou, Folk Midwife™ and Birth Priestess™, is a pioneering midwife, educator, and preservationist dedicated to redefining the legacy of African Indigenous Midwifery and ensuring its rightful place in the cultural and historical record.

After leading the Jamaa Birth Village organization and midwifery clinic for over a decade and practicing as a Certified Professional Midwife, Okunsola is now transitioning from clinical practice to full-time cultural preservation, focusing on the documentation, protection, and advancement of her patent pending midwife designation paths of Folk Midwifery™ and Birth Priestess™ traditions-globally.

As the Founder & President of Jamaa Birth Village, Okunsola led groundbreaking efforts to transform Black Maternal Health in Missouri and beyond. Her achievements include:

Opening Missouri’s first Black-led midwifery clinic on Juneteenth 2020, after training with traditional midwives and fetish priestesses in Ghana (2013).

Becoming the First Black Certified Professional Midwife & First Black Registered CPM Preceptor in Missouri.

Certifying over 460 Black doulas, significantly closing the Black doula disparity gap in St. Louis and the State of Missouri.

Earning 24 awards for her contributions to Black Maternal Health.

Consulting hospitals, policymakers, and international organizations on equitable maternal care policies.

Receiving ten state/local proclamations, seven resolutions-including a Congressional Resolution for her work in birth justice.

As a Museum Studies scholar, Okunsola graduated from the University of Iowa Museum Studies Program May 2025, after completing an internship at the Missouri Historical Society where she launched a Missouri Midwife archive and pop-up exhibit.

Her leadership has not only expanded access to midwifery and doula services, but also challenged systemic inequities in maternal care, ensuring culturally centered and community-driven solutions.

Leave a Comment