featured toolkits

black & Brown Maternal Health Toolkit

Created by:

Atabia Williams, Octavia Mingerink, Carolina Lopez-Ruiz, Jamecia Thomas, & Dawn Kaltenberg

Atabia Williams is a versatile birth worker, serving as a full-spectrum doula and community sex educator. Through Womanist Williams Birth Support Services, she provides culturally competent care, addressing pregnancy, postpartum, pelvic floor therapy, and pregnancy loss, while promoting sex education to challenge taboos and foster bodily autonomy.

She created the Black and Brown Maternal Health Toolkit to improve maternal care for marginalized communities and co-founded Empower Her, an online platform for sexual health education. Atabia’s efforts fill gaps in inadequate curricula and create safe spaces for dialogue, addressing systemic disparities with culturally relevant information.

Passionate about equity, Atabia advocates for affirming care for Black, brown, and LGBTQI+ individuals, using a sex-positive and Womanist lens to redefine reproductive justice. She envisions expanding her work through collaborations with birth workers, herbalists, and other specialists, building a legacy of empowerment and education.

Connect with Atabia on Instagram, Facebook, or her website to learn more!

Basic Preparations for LGBTQ+ People

Fleeing Emergencies

In response to rising concerns about safety, many LGBTQ+ people, especially those who are multiply marginalized, are focusing on emergency preparedness. Various situations, such as natural disasters, domestic abuse, or targeted violence due to identity, may necessitate rapid evacuation. Preparing in advance can be crucial, as emergencies can arise unexpectedly. This guide offers advice for LGBTQ+ individuals on how to prepare for such scenarios, emphasizing the importance of community, activism, and resilience. While not exhaustive, it encourages building personal networks, connecting with local organizations, and regularly updating emergency plans. Preparing doesn’t require constant fear, but rather thoughtful, proactive steps to ensure safety in case of emergencies.

Thanks to Queering Medicine for creating this invaluable resource!

Advancing Health Equity for Intersex Individuals

This report highlights that over 5 million intersex individuals in the U.S. deserve to live healthy, fulfilling lives free from stigma and discrimination. It emphasizes that current medical practices can cause harm, especially for children, and must be reevaluated. The report, based on input from intersex people and experts, aims to promote health equity through collaboration, education, and policy changes. It acknowledges the diverse experiences of the intersex community, particularly those with intersecting identities, and stresses that with affirming care, intersex individuals can thrive.

#WINTERREADY PARTNERS TOOLKIT

This toolkit offers messaging, graphics, and resources designed to assist you in safeguarding lives, raising awareness about winter weather risks, promoting fire safety, and encouraging caution while traveling in winter conditions. By using the hashtag #WinterReady and sharing winter safety and preparedness tips, you can inform your communities and motivate individuals to:

  • Understand their winter weather risks.

  • Prioritize fire safety.

  • Travel with necessary supplies and caution.

  • Take proactive steps to prepare.