Relocate the J. Marion Sims Monument to the site of the Mothers of Gynecology Clinical Museum at change.org
THE MORE UP CAMPUS
Our 5th and final Day of Reckoning Conference to promote equitable maternal health, reproductive justice, and bodily autonomy.
Tickets are currently sold out for the 2026 conference.
Live stream tickets are available below.
Fly into and depart from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
​Transportation will be provided to and from Montgomery, AL on February 28th.
Click below for tickets to the live stream of the Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey Day of Reckoning Part 5
S P E A K E R S
HEALING Midwifery Sessions
H.E.A.L.I.N.G Midwifery, based at University of Washington, is hosting a small-group (maximum 15) listening session during the conference to gather insights on midwifery education and training across all pathways. Space is limited to 15 midwives and folks interested in midwifery education, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will receive a $100 gift card for their time.
A G E N D A
opening reception: february 26
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6:00-8:00pm
Welcome Reception
Location: Negro League Museum
120 16th St S., Birmingham, AL 35233
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Shuttle from host hotels beginning at 5:30 pm
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Registration will open at 5:30 pm
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Day 1: february 27
8:45am
Welcome to Birmingham
Speakers: Michelle Browder, Tarika Lewis (Musical Opening) and Friends
Location: The Carver Center
1631 4th Ave. N., Birmingham, AL 35203
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Registration will open at 8:30 am
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: Dr. Majella Chube Hamilton
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, Shawnda Chapman, 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
Location: The Carver Theatre
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 Burns, 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.
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2:20-2:35pm
Transnational Reproductive Justice as a Portal Toward Liberation
Speakers: Tanay Lynn Harris 
This conversation invites participants to explore reproductive justice through a transnational lens—recognizing that our struggles, strategies, and visions are connected across borders. Drawing from Black feminist thought, global movements, and community-rooted wisdom, we will explore how histories of resistance inform today’s organizing and help shape paths toward collective liberation. Together, we will examine how power, policy, migration, and culture influence reproductive autonomy worldwide, and how shared commitments can drive meaningful change both locally and globally.
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2:35-3:00pm
Reproductive Justice: Expanding How We See, Experience, and Define Maternal Health
Speakers: Daroneshia Duncan-Boyd and Anne-Jordan 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.
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3:00-3:30pm
Fibroids, Wombs, and the Cost of Being Unheard
Speaker: Dr. Pierre Johnson
Fibroids disproportionately impact Black women and are frequently dismissed or under-treated within medical systems. Dr. Pierre Johnson examines the intersection of fibroids, womb health, and systemic bias, highlighting how delayed diagnosis, inadequate pain management, and limited treatment options shape outcomes. This session centers the womb as both a biological and political site, calling for care models that listen, respond, and heal.
3:30-4:00pm
Community Voices: Sharing Knowledge, Power & Practice
An open conversation inviting participants to contribute their experiences and perspectives, strengthening connection and learning across the audience.
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4:00-5:30pm
Rest or Explore Key Historical Sites in Birmingham
(Refer to your Green Book for guidance)
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6:00-7:30pm
Dinner At The Ballard House
Location: 1420 7th Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
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6:10-6:40pm
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.
Fireside Chat will take place during dinner.
(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:
1918 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL
2027 1st Ave North, Birmingham, AL
1928 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL
9:30-9:45am
Welcome to Montgomery
Speakers: Michelle Browder and Friends
Location: Peace and Justice Memorial Center
414 Caroline St, Montgomery, AL 36104
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 Venessa Renae
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.
11:40-1:10pm
Lunch
Peace and Justice Memorial Center
414 Caroline St, Montgomery, AL 36104
Lunch will be served throughout the session block
11:50am-12:15pm
Lunch and Learn with Dr. Terri Scott
12:15-1:10pm
Listening Session for Midwives and Doulas Peace and Justice Center
Hosted by HEALING Midwifery
(2nd session offering during dinner)
11:50am-1:10pm
Guest Speakers
Please meet for lunch at The More Up Campus
17 Mildred Street Montgomery, AL 36104
1:15-1:55pm
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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2:00-2:40pm
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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2:45-3:30pm
Visit Mary Turner Lynching Marker
Location: National Memorial for Peace and Justice
417 Caroline Street Montgomery, AL 36104
(Must have conference badge to enter)
3:30-3:45pm
Walking Tour to The More Up Campus
(The home of the Mothers of Gynecology)
Location: 17 Mildred St Montgomery, AL 36104
3:30-4:00pm
Words from Jenny Joseph and Toni Bond
Location: The Mothers
4:00-5:00pm
Concurrent Activities
This is an opportunity to explore the various exhibits and sites located on the More Up Campus and the opportunity to
fellowship with other participants. Refer to your conference pamphlet for site
details.
* Group Pictures
Location: The Mothers of Gynecology
Emblem
* Listening Session for Midwives and Doulas
Hosted by HEALING Midwifery
* Book Signing
Authors: Queen Afua, Shafia Monroe, and Chef Chrystal
Bus Shuttle and or Walk to Dinner
5:00-7:00pm
Dinner, Live Music Concert, Vendors and more.
Guest Musician: Toya Jones, From Season 14 of The Voice, A Tribute to Jill Scott
Location: Mothers of Gynecology Clinic
113 Washington St Montgomery, AL
7:00pm
Board Buses to Birmingham
(Buses will depart after dinner)
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DAY 3: march 1
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9:00-11:00 am
Conference Closing
Speaker: Lisa McNair
Location: Kelly Ingram Park
500 17th St. N. Birmingham, AL
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A G E N D A
Recommended Hotels in Birmingham
CANCELLATION/CHANGE POLICY
All cancellations or changes must be received in writing by February 1, 2026. Cancellations received by this date will receive a full refund less a 20% processing fee. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after February 1, 2026. Please email contact@anarchalucybetsey.org for cancellation/change requests.
334-296-3024
334-296-3024