Sister to Sister Community Doulas of Essex County

Connecting Essex County’s underserved women and men to community doula supports

Sister to Sister offers free community doula support for pregnant people who are residents of Newark, East Orange, and Irvington, NJ, from pregnancy up to 6 months postpartum.

What is a Community Doula?

An individual who is from your community that provides emotional and physical support for pregnant people during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.

What Sister to Sister Does

We support Black/African-American pregnant people who are pursuing a natural, medicated, unmedicated, vaginal, or c-section birth. We support fathers, partners, first-time parents, or people adding to their family.

How Will We Support You?

Connect you to a Community Doula and a Community Health Worker
Provide childbirth and breastfeeding information
Support your birth choices and create a birth plan
Conduct personalized prenatal visits
Provide labor support during the birth of your baby, wherever you plan to birth
Conduct personalized postpartum visits
Advocate with you when needed and support your birth plan

Birth is What We Do.

Sister to Sister Community Doulas attend a 64-hour Uzazi Village Perinatal Doula Training that covers five subject areas. In addition to the training, community doulas attend monthly meetings, are supervised, and attend professional development workshops. We understand that the maternal health crisis affecting Black women, babies, families, and communities has existed for decades nationally, and within New Jersey is a result of racism and system inequities.

Contact Us

How do I get a Community Doula?

Call (862) 214-2808 or e-mail: communitydoulas@spanadvocacy.org

Provide your name, estimated due date, and a phone number.

PROGRAM STAFF

Arelis Martinez

Co-Director/Supervisor
amartinez@spanadvocacy.org
(973) 489-0620

—

Rachel Ruel

Co-Director/Supervisor
rruel@spanadvocacy.org
(973) 642-8100

Rachel Jean-Miles

Project Assistant
rjmiles@spanadvocacy.org
(973) 642-8100

—

Danica Lafortune

Community Health Worker

—

Juliza Garcia