A Labor of Love: Fighting for Equity with Diversifying Doulas Part 1

In this powerful episode of In Their Words, Dr. Sharee Livingston discusses the incredible work of the Diversifying Doulas Initiative, a program proudly supported by the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation in partnership with Patients R Waiting. This initiative combats health inequity by hiring and certifying women of color as doulas to support Black and Latinx birthing persons in Lancaster County.

Dr. Livingston explores the stark racial inequities in healthcare and their devastating impact on maternal health outcomes. She shares how Diversifying Doulas is actively improving maternity care by recruiting and training individuals to become certified doulas, then matching them with pregnant women of color at no cost to provide compassionate, culturally aligned support before, during, and after childbirth.

Join us to hear Dr. Livingston’s passionate discussion about how this initiative is empowering women, reducing disparities, and transforming maternal health in our community, while also showcasing UPMC’s commitment to fighting for better health outcomes and addressing systemic inequities in care.