Day 1: february 27

 

8:45am

Welcome to Birmingham

Speakers: Michelle Browder, Tarika Lewis (Musical Opening) and Friends

 

9:10-9:50am

Eyewitness to History: Doctors, Dogs, and the Fights for Justice in Birmingham 

Panel: Herschell Hamilton Jr., Dr. Michael H. Forde, DrPH, MSPH, Dr. Tom Ellison, MD, PHD
This session brings together three voices who stand at the intersection of medicine, history, and justice. Panelists will reflect on the legacy of Herschell Hamilton’s father—known as the “dog-bite doctor”—and examine how the medical front lines of the Civil Rights era continue to inform today’s struggles for equity, safety, and dignity in Black maternal health. 

 

9:50-10:20am 

From Ballard House to Today: The Ancestral Lineage of Black Midwifery in Birmingham

Speakers: Majella Chube Hamilton and Dr. Stephanie Mitchell, DNP, CNM
This session honors the Ballard House as a cornerstone of community health, and self-determination. Through its history, Majella Chube Hamilton will highlight the health practices that protected generations of families and laid the groundwork for today’s movements to reclaim and uplift Black maternal health in Alabama and beyond.

 

10:20-10:35am 

Foundations of Harm: J. Marion Sims and the Roots of Medical Exploitation

Speaker: Sharon Holley

This session examines the legacy of J. Marion Sims and the exploitation of Black women that shaped modern gynecology. Sharon Holley provides historical context, highlighting the ethical violations and power dynamics that continue to influence medical education and maternal health today. The session sets the foundation for understanding the ongoing need for accountability and systemic change.

 

10:35-11:00am

Reckoning with History: How UAB and UW’s Midwifery Programs Are Rewriting the Future of Maternal Health

Speakers: Elizabeth Munoz, Ellen Solis, DNP, CNM, FACNM, and Dr. Letitia Salazar-Monk
This session invites a critical look at how Alabama’s midwifery program at UAB and the University of Washington’s HEALING Midwifery program are reshaping maternal health today. Through reflection and practice-based insight, the speakers will illuminate how education, accountability, and a commitment to respectful care are confronting historical harms and building pathways toward equitable outcomes.

 

11:00-11:40am 

Birth Justice Now: Policy Pathways to End Maternal Health Inequities

Speakers: Carole Joffe, Jataune Gilchrist, and Heather Skanes, MD

An exploration of the policies shaping reproductive rights in the South, highlighting barriers to care, gaps in protection, and emerging strategies to advance maternal health in a post-Dobbs landscape.

 

11:40am-12:30pm 

Care-Focused Capital: Funding Maternal Health with Equity

Speakers: Qiana Thomason, Lawanna Kimbro, Esq., and Tenesha Duncan

A focused look at how funding, equity, and community priorities intersect, highlighting approaches to resource maternal health initiatives with dignity and impact.

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12:30-1:30pm

Lunch 

A.G. Gaston Hotel 

 

1:40-2:20pm 

Welcome and Introduction: Mercedes Wells 

Perilous Passage: Birth In America Film Screening & Dialogue on Maternal Health, Justice & Hope

Speakers: Christy Turlington, Nikia Grayson, DNP, MPH, MSN, MA, CNM, FNP-C, FACNM
A private preview followed by a discussion on maternal health inequities, highlighting community birth work, national trends, and the power of storytelling to drive healing and policy change.

 

2:20-3:00pm 

Reproductive Justice: Expanding How We See, Experience, and Define Maternal Health 

Speakers: Tanay L. Harris and Ann Reynolds
This conversation explores reproductive justice from multiple vantage points, acknowledging the complex ways people experience autonomy, care, and community. Speakers will examine the intersections of gender, sexuality, health status, and social systems—challenging narrow narratives and uplifting expansive pathways toward equity, safety, and liberation.

 

3:00-3:15pm

Community Voices: Sharing Knowledge, Power & Practice

Facilitator: Charles Johnson 

An open conversation inviting participants to contribute their experiences and perspectives, strengthening connection and learning across the audience.

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3:15-4:00pm

Board Buses To Explore Key Historical Sites in Birmingham

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6:00

Dinner At The Ballard House

 

6:00-6:40pm 

Health as Liberation: Lessons from the Black Panther Movement

Fireside Chat: Tarika Lewis and Michelle Browder
A shared dinner featuring insights from Tarika Lewis, former Black Panther, on the movement’s groundbreaking health and wellness initiatives—from free clinics to community defense—and their connection to today’s maternal and reproductive justice work.

(Participants will walk to and from dinner)

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Day 2: february 28 

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7:30am 

Board Buses to Montgomery 

Buses will pick up participants from the following hotels: 

• Fairfield Inn & Suites

1918 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL

• SpringHill Suites

2024 4th Avenue South Birmingham, AL

• Elyton Hotel

1928 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL

 

9:30-9:45am 

Welcome to Montgomery 

Speakers: Michelle Browder and Friends 

 

9:45-10:25am 

Keynote Address and Panel Discussion 

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Camille Clare 

Panelists: Aletha Maybank, MD, MPH and Emily Cleveland Manchanda, MD, MPH 

A keynote address by Dr. Camille Clare followed by a discussion with Dr. Aletha Maybank and Emily Cleveland Manchanda, MD, MPH,  exploring leadership, equity, and the future of maternal and reproductive health.

 

10:25-10:40am 

A Decade of Innovation: Midwifery-Led Postpartum Care as a Justice Strategy

Speaker: Ebony Marcelle 

A look at a decade of midwifery-led postpartum care within a federally qualified health center, highlighting data-driven successes, community impact, and replicable models for birth centers nationwide.

 

10:40-11:40am 

Sacred Healing: Cultural, Nutritional & Spiritual Pathways to Reproductive Freedom

Speaker: Queen Afua 

Panelists: Chef Chrystal and GirlTREK

A conversation on ancestral healing practices that support reproductive freedom, highlighting the role of spiritual grounding, time outdoors, and nourishing foods in strengthening Black maternal health and overall well being.

 

11:40-12:40pm 

Lunch 

 

11:50am 

Listening Session for Midwives and Doulas 

Hosted by HEALING Midwifery
 

12:45-1:20pm 

From Grief to Advocacy: Building Systems of Accountability in Maternal Health

Speakers: Tatyana Ali, Charles Johnson, and Mercedes Wells 

A session grounded in personal testimony that highlights the lived impact of maternal health system failures and the urgent need for accountability, community advocacy, and meaningful reform.

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1:20-2:00pm

Mothering the Mother: Restoring Black Birthwork for Generations to Come

Speaker: Shafia Monroe, 

Panelist: Stephanie Mitchell, DNP, CNM

A powerhouse duo discusses the resurgence of midwifery, culturally congruent care, and the historical erasure of Black birth workers. They detail training models, policy advocacy, and the future of midwifery-led care in the South.

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2:00- 4:00pm 

Explore Montgomery 

(Participants will split into two groups and rotate after one hour) 

• Walking Group to The More Up Campus (17 Mildred Street- Home of the Mothers Gynecology Monument and the Mothers Rest Sanctuary and Museum) 

• Bus shuttle to EJI Freedom Monument Sculpture Park- 831 Walker Street 

 

Bus Shuttle to Dinner 

 

4:00pm 

Dinner,  Live Music Concert, Vendors and more

 

4:00-5:30pm

Book Signing 

Authors: Queen Afua, Shafia Monroe, and Chef Chrystal

 

4:00–5:30pm (Concurrent Session)

Listening Session for Midwives and Doulas 

Hosted by HEALING Midwifery

 

Location: 

Mothers of Gynecology Clinic 

113 Washington St

Montgomery, AL 

 

7:00pm 

Board Buses to Birmingham 

(Buses will depart after dinner) 

 

 

 

DAY 3: march 1

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9:00am - 12:00 pm

Conference Closing 

Speaker: Lisa McNair 

16th Street Baptist Church

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