Illinois Organizations Unite to Form Doula Coalition to Tackle Racial Disparities in Maternal Health
The Chicago Illinois Doula Coalition Network (CIDCN)—a powerful new statewide initiative to standardize doula care and advance birth justice—has officially launched. Convened by BA NIA Incorporated and co-created by a coalition of community-rooted organizations, this coalition is committed to ensuring that every birthing person—especially Black, Brown, and Indigenous individuals—has access to culturally grounded, equitable, and community-led maternal and reproductive care.
The urgency of this work cannot be overstated. In Illinois, Black women are more than four times as likely to die during pregnancy or within 42 days postpartum compared to their white counterparts. In Chicago, the Black–white maternal mortality disparity exceeds national averages, and large parts of the city remain maternity care deserts—areas where basic maternal health services are scarce or inaccessible..“The Chicago Illinois Doula Coalition Network is a radical act of collective care,” said Mekazin Alexander, Executive Director of BA NIA Incorporated. “We are building a future where community-led, culturally grounded, and equity-driven birth work is not the exception—it’s the standard. This coalition honors ancestral wisdom, protects the autonomy of birthing people and doulas, and demands systems that truly value our lives.”
CIDCN’s Vision and Mission
CIDCN envisions a future where every woman and birthing person in Illinois has access to culturally grounded, community-led, and equitable maternal and reproductive care. Its mission is to advance community-led, culturally grounded, and equity-driven birth work by ensuring doulas and midwives are recognized and supported as essential care providers with autonomy and community control.
Core Values
The coalition is guided by ten core values: Birth Justice, Community Leadership, Cultural Grounding, Autonomy, Healing, Solidarity, Sustainability, Accountability, Liberation, and Joy. These principles reflect a commitment to dismantling systemic racism and building long-term structures that support birth workers and the communities they serve.Coalition
Members
CIDCN is a collaborative effort among the following organizations:
BA NIA Inc.
Chicago Birthworks Collective
Mamma Jamma Dance
Marillac St. Vincent
A Gift of Love (The Little Resource Center)
Sokana Collective
VNA Health Care
Why This Matters
The formation of CIDCN comes at a critical time. In Illinois, an average of 88 women die each year from pregnancy-related causes, the majority of which are potentially preventable. Black women face a risk of severe maternal morbidity twice that of white women, with mortality rates four times higher. Discrimination in healthcare is present in 40% of deaths among Black women, highlighting the urgent need for culturally competent care.
By uniting doulas, midwives, and community organizations, CIDCN aims to:
Standardize doula care across Illinois
Ensure equitable access to maternal and reproductive health services
Advocate for policy changes that recognize and support birth workers.
Provide culturally grounded care that honors ancestral practices
“Too often, the expertise of community birth workers is overlooked or undervalued,” say Sonia Collins & Nancy Cowans, Co-Founders of Sokana Collective and CIDCN Coalition Members. “This coalition creates the infrastructure for doulas and midwives to lead—not only in providing essential support during the perinatal period, but also in shaping the policies, standards, and care models that will drive health equity in Illinois for generations to come.”
If your organization is aligned with this mission and interested in joining the coalition, please reach out to BA NIA at info@baniainc.com.