Passionately Providing Culturally Competent Care
Meet Dominika
As a Black woman, I feel I have been born into a position of advocacy, not only for myself but for my community and other marginalized people. Hailing from Phoenix and following several years of academic studies, I have a native grasp of Spanish, allowing me to communicate and advocate for a larger population. After completing my Bachelor of Arts in Peace Studies, concentrating on Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice, I sought ways to best advocate for and connect with communities of color. While at GW, I engaged with the DMV area by volunteering with various nonprofits to ensure that local underserved communities were sustained and supported by my efforts, for which I received a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Initially, I sought a JD to better advocate for women of color, our families, and our communities. However, the desire to hands-on and emotionally support these communities has always held space in my mind, leading me towards becoming a doula.
Balanced Roots Birthwork is my effort to provide culturally competent care for birthing people and their support teams. In the genesis of this business, I discovered that birth work is MY roots, as my great-great-grandmother was a doula in her Afro-Indigenous community. In my daily life, I aim to navigate with an understanding of my cultural identity and biases. In a culturally competent care model, I build relationships with my clients, and my services will be culturally cognizant and honor the families’ beliefs, roots, rituals, and practices. This means supporting Black families and mothers, Spanish-speaking families and other families of color, teen moms, and LGBTQIA+ families, understanding the systemic factors that lead to adverse health outcomes and birth experiences, and working to dismantle the barriers to accessible and effective care. Furthermore, I provide my services on a sliding scale on a case-by-case basis.
How I can help:
Build your confidence
My goal is to assist you in preparing for and carrying out your birth preferences. I will do necessary research to understand your desired outcome(s) and create a care plan to work towards them!
Be your advocate
I am a resource before and after this birth experience! Together, we will address your concerns and create proactive plans to ensure a calm and memorable birth experience
Be a resource
As a doula, I am here to provide support with the emotional stress of birth, provide comfort measures, provide an objective viewpoint, and supply you with information and resources!