Our special guest is Eri Guajardo Johnson (she/they), a queer, bi-racial birth worker, community educator, birth consultant for trauma survivors, and founder of Birth Bruja, which is an online educational platform devoted to intersectional, liberational & decolonial approaches to birthwork, healing, and life. Eri's experience working with sexual assault victims and her study of indigenous Mexican and Indian healing modalities informs her approach to birth work. She also has a master's degree in Women, Gender, Spirituality & Social Justice from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and is an online community educator. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our discussions about the full spectrum of birthing experiences and why an intersectional approach is so critical.
In this episode, Eri shares her journey into birthwork as a way to reclaim her ancestral wisdom and join her spiritual, political, and social activism under one umbrella. Working with predominately marginalized communities, doulas like Eri are effective change makers as their areas of focus reach much farther than the birthing room. We discuss normalizing the birthing spectrum, the relational aspects of birthing and trauma, accessibility, pleasure depletion, and isolation, all areas of concern that doulas address with their clients. Doulas and birth workers provide an essential service in advocating and caring for women and their families, and they are at the forefront of reclaiming reproductive autonomy.
Visit www.BirthBruja.com to learn more.
Follow her on Instagram @birthbruja