---
title: Jennie Joseph on the Importance of Black Midwives
date: 2023-06-09T03:00:00-04:00
author: OBOS Admin
canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/jennie-joseph-on-the-importance-of-black-midwives"
section: Resources
---
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[Health & Sexuality Info](/health-info)# Jennie Joseph on the Importance of Black Midwives

Jennie Joseph, a Black certified professional midwife, an educator, and a Time 2022 Woman of the Year, discusses her calling to midwifery, opening a midwifery school, advocating for certified professional midwives, and responding to the Black maternal mortality crisis. In addition to her clinical work, Joseph is a leader in the growing movement to make birthing safe for Black women. Joseph also addresses her work to develop a National Perinatal Task Force which will create a network of birth care providers that offer patient-focused, culturally congruent care.

> Treating her patients well is not the only reason that Joseph has become one of the pre-eminent advocates of—and a national role model for—midwifery in the U.S. Her philosophy, which she calls the “JJ Way,” is much more ambitious. It’s about leveraging the power of midwifery to support a pregnant person before and after they give birth, to draw on community-based care, and to avoid unnecessary interventions. And it’s about using those methods not only to provide the best possible care for individuals, but also to disrupt a system that Joseph says has led to racial and socio-economic disparities in maternal health care.

[Read the full article ](https://time.com/collection/women-of-the-year/6150545/jennie-joseph/)

SOURCE: Time Magazine • AUTHOR: Abigial Abrams • LAST UPDATED: March 2, 2022

![A Black mother holding a baby](data:image/png;base64,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) paulaphoto/Adobe Stock

![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)Topics

- [ pregnancy & birth](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/subject-area/pregnancy-birth)
- [ birth care providers](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/themes/birth-care-providers)
- [ maternal morbidity & mortality](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/themes/maternal-morbidity-mortality)
- [birth](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/birth)
- [childbirth choices](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/childbirth-choices)
- [midwife](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/midwife)
- [maternal mortality](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/maternal-mortality)
- [maternal health](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/maternal-health)
- [health disparities](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/health-disparities)
- [BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color)](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/bipoc-black-indigenous-and-people-of-color)
- [Black / African American](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/black-african-american)
- [birth justice](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/tags/birth-justice)

![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** 

- We rigorously evaluate all content
- We embrace a reproductive justice framework
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- We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry
- We counter misinformation and disinformation
- We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality

[read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us)

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MB discusses the experience of her last pregnancy during the COVID pandemic and why she wanted to avoid having a C-section.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-overcoming-challenges-during-pregnancy)

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## Abortion: Key Facts

This fact sheet from the World Health Organization outlines noteworthy facts and statistics regarding abortion around the globe.

![Abortion Key Facts scaled jpeg](data:image/png;base64,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)

This fact sheet from the World Health Organization outlines noteworthy facts and statistics regarding abortion around the globe.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/abortion-key-facts)

[Stories & ConversationsWatch

## Deciding Where to Give Birth

MB explains how she decided to give birth in a hospital.

![My Story- Deciding Where to Give Birth](data:image/png;base64,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)

MB explains how she decided to give birth in a hospital.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-deciding-where-to-give-birth)

[Stories & ConversationsWatch

## Cultivating Confidence During Pregnancy

MB shares how she prepared herself for pregnancy and birth and how childbirth classes and books shaped her perception of childbirth.

![My Story- Cultivating Confidence During Pregnancy](data:image/png;base64,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)

MB shares how she prepared herself for pregnancy and birth and how childbirth classes and books shaped her perception of childbirth.](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/stories-conversations/my-story-cultivating-confidence-during-pregnancy)

[ResourcesRead

## Potential Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

What are the possible risk factors for breast cancer? Are there ways to minimize our risk of developing breast cancer?

![View in microscopic of ductal cell carcinoma, adenonocarcinoma from human breast cancer, tissue section by H and E stain. Pathology diagnosis. Medical concept. Under microscope, magnification 600X](data:image/png;base64,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)

What are the possible risk factors for breast cancer? Are there ways to minimize our risk of developing breast cancer?](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/health-info/potential-breast-cancer-risk-factors)