Posts by Okunsola M. Amadou
2022: Jamaa Celebrates 7 Years
Welcome to 2022! We have so much to be thankful for, and this year, we are celebrating, “The Legacy of Black Birth in St. Louis!”
Read MoreOctober 2021: Midwife Okunsola Day & Community Midwife Month
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.
Read MoreSTL 360 Doula Initiative
In January 2021, Jamaa Birth Village applied and was awarded a 3-year, 1-million dollar grant for the “STL 360 Doula Initiative” in harmony with our initiative the St. Louis Doulas of Color Collective!
Read More2020: Our Grand Opening
On June 19th, 2020, Jamaa Birth Village, opened its doors to our new home, fully furnished, completely renovated and ready to serve and provide care to families across the St. Louis region.
Read More2020: Jamaa Clinic Renovations
After raising enough funds to purchase our new home, we closed the deal! Renovations began, more donations poured in to pay the contractors, community members came out to help clean, paint and renovate our new 4,000 sq ft facility.
Read More2019: The Jamaa Fundraiser
On the 67th day of the campaign, Jamaa Birth Village had did it! We made the biggest accomplishment in Black Maternal Health history in the state of Missouri. We raised $71k in 67 days for Missouri’s first Black Midwifery Clinic and future birth center. We raised more than $60k in 60-days.
Read More2019: Missouri’s 1st Black CPM
In April of 2019, I successfully completed my Midwifery education at the Midwives College of Utah, with a full ride scholarship for all 4-years! I later sat for and passed the NARM exam making me the 1st Black Certified Professional Midwife in Missouri!
Read More2019: The Dream, The Vision, The Manifestation. The Beginnings of Jamaa’s New Home
Relaunching our organization was no easy task. We temporarily discontinued Midwifery care as we awaited the completion of my Midwifery education program, and we were finding our footing with grassroots grant writing and fundraising to fund our programs and visions. It was tough, but, one day, I had another vision. It began with a flash of the original…
Read MoreJan 2018: The STL Doulas of Color Collective
As a part of our relaunch, we also launched the St. Louis Doulas of Color Collective in January 2018. This would be Missouri’s and St. Louis’s first BIPOC Doula collective, led by Black women for all women of color who were considering a path in becoming a Doula or who were trained Doulas.
Read MoreJan 2018: The Jamaa Relaunch
On Monday January 22nd, 2018, we relaunched our organization and held an open house sharing our renewed mission, vision and name with our community. In Feb 2018 we held our first mom support groups!
Read More