4th Annual

Black Midwives and Healers Conference

"Honoring Our Legacy, Reducing Infant Mortality, Building Our Future"

Atlanta, Georgia - October 14-16, 2005

 

Message from Safia Monroe About the 2005 Conference

Greetings Sistahs,

The conference was truly wonderful. Your positive energy radiated through out Atlanta, GA, and the hotel staff expressed how much they enjoyed and learned by working with us. In fact one of the staff persons decided there that she wanted to become a midwife and was introduced to Tre'Suer Felton, GA State Rep. and Chapter President, so that she can become involved in their chapter.

We had over 150 women and some men in attendance, not including the infants, toddlers, young children and teens. We had a 48-hour intense Pampering Room and provided free pampering for the pregnant women who came in on Saturday morning. It was one of our most successful conferences, though we say that every year, this was indeed a year of growth. Ninety-seven percent of the over all conference evaluations scored excellent, and the remaining three percent scored good.

This was our first year out of Oregon, and in a hotel for the entire conference, also our first year having CEU's from both ACNM and MEAC, again a special shout out to Sarahn Henderson, GA. Conf. Coordinator and the ICTC GA Chapter, for this important addition to the conference caliber.

We had some awesome conference bags donated by In Black Print, and a historical Conference Booklet with pictures of our Grand Midwives Graduating Class for the cover, a true keep sake, and our vendors and exhibitors really reflected what the conference theme was about.We had great coverage on several GA radio stations, the SisterSong Newspaper and a Mothering Magazine Reporter on site for three days covering the conference for a major spread early next year.

We also the had the Atlanta Constitution Journal coming on site to interview and giving us major coverage in their Sunday newspaper. When I returned to Oregon "the Ricki Lake" had sent a personal donation of $1,000 and a note expressing her appreciation of the work that we are doing. Remember Ms. Lake had a home water birth and is very committed to promoting women having the choice for a home birth and a midwife supported birth, she is currently making a documentary and filmed me in doing a workshop in NY last year titled "In the Ways of Grandmothers". The work that we are all involved in as a collective, is bridged through ICTC. We are making difference for better birth outcomes, we are leaving a legacy and we are building our future.

I salute you in your commitment to this ministry. It was very exciting to see so many midwives this year were accompanied by their young daughters (18-27) who want to follow in their mother and/or grandmothers' footsteps. It is so important that they have this organization and its conference to come to. I want to encourage you, if you are not already, please become members of ICTC, it helps to support the mission.

Also refer people to the web-site and invite them to the conference for next year. And when ever you have the opportunity to write or talk about ICTC's mission, please do so. Our mission of reducing infant mortality, providing pregnancy support and increasing the number of midwives of African ancestry, can be best expressed by your personal experience with ICTC and your conference participation. We rely on you to spread the word.

Also the 3rd ICTC Newsletter will be out Feb. 2006. I invite you all to submit articles of your work, discoveries, intuitions, midwife how to tips, international news, research, recipes, your feelings and experiences about the conference, pictures are encouraged. Please send your submission and pictures to ICTCNews@hotmail.com by Dec. 2005. We really want to get the newsletter out on time, so send your articles no later than Dec. The newsletter is an excellent venue in getting information out and is sent to over 100 readers to date. Remember the newsletter only goes to current members.

Stay well and I look forward to being touch with you throughout the year.

Ms. Arilla Smiley, Retired Midwife, Life Achievement Award Receipt

Tre'Suer Felton, ICTC Georgia Chapter President with ICTC founder Shafia Monroe and conference speaker Judge Barbara J. Mobley

Kenya James, Editor of Black Girl Magazine, accepting ICTC Youth Award

Conference Volunteers - Thank you!

Midwives from the mountains of Haiti

Conference attendees on a trip to Family Care

Conference attendees said:

"Greetings Ladies,
Welcome back to your respective homes and to the work we are blessed to do. I want to thank you all for sharing your wonderful energy, wisdom and spirit at the conference. It is my sincere hope that the unity we shared at the conference transends time, space and location, keeping us connected in love, light and the mission of cultivating this energy through healing in every aspect of the word, mind, body, spirit, family, community....
Once again Many Thanks and Peace and Blessing be Unto you all..."

"Greetings all my sistahs,
I want to affirm what Fatima has so beautifully stated regarding our conference. My daughter ( Kweli, 11mo) and I had such a wonderful time. I can't wait to do it again next year. I hope we all stay connected. We are sooo powerful together. If there is anything I can do to help with next year, I'm here."

 

Contact ICTC

International Center for Traditional Childbearing
2823 N. Portland Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97217
Phone: 503-460-9324
Email ICTC: ictc@comcast.net
Email Shafia Monroe: sistahmidwife@msn.com

 

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