by Sidnee Michelle
January 2, 2024
The newly opened facility is intended to be a welcoming haven for growing families.
Meet Racha Tahani Lawler-Queen, a fourth-generation midwife turned entrepreneur who founded Gather Grounded Midwifery, the first and only Black-owned birth center in Virginia. The newly opened facility is intended to be a welcoming haven for growing families.
Lawler-Queen embarked on this journey earlier this year, driven by her passion for providing care that resonates with the community.
“I was on a Zoom call with Black obstetricians in the RVA and they were just telling me what they're facing in terms of the lack of representation in birth, especially outside of the hospital,” Lawler-Queen told WTVR.
With community support, Lawler-Queen initially planned to convert a house in Richmond into a birth center. However, it faced problems with city permits that limited the center's growth in the region. Determined to make a difference, she found a new location in Chesterfield County, Virginia, which officially opened its doors in August.
Gather Grounded Midwifery provides expectant mothers with targeted spaces, including a family room and a birthing room, to accommodate diverse families. Lawler-Queen emphasized the importance of families receiving care that reflects and supports their unique identities and allows them to experience pregnancy without fear or unnecessary interventions.
“It should feel like a place where people see themselves, feel seen and feel safe,” she said.
With over $30,000 raised on the birthing center's GoFundMe page, Lawler-Queen acknowledged the diverse support, including money, art, toys and diapers. She acknowledges the community's enthusiasm for the center's success and emphasizes that it allows her to support families during one of their most important moments in life.
“It really gives them even more strength and a bigger voice and offers them the opportunity to birth in freedom without fear, to give birth in a way that affirms them and their family and shows them how they want to move forward after that baby is born ” she says.
Learn more about Virginia Birth Center on the official website at GatherGroundedMidwifery.com
This news was first reported on blackbusiness.com
RELATED CONTENT: MEET THE BLACK WOMAN WHO OPENED A BIRTH CENTER TO SAVE THE LIVES OF BLACK MOTHERS AND CHILDREN