Briana’s mother, Klamaria, was in hospice care for seven years until she passed away. She considered her mother’s death a singular story; a Black woman who fought to survive until her body asked to be laid down for rest. And then she heard Shalon Irving’s story and realized that her mother’s death was not singular, but part of a litany of lost Black mothers. Although her mother and Shalon died of different tragedies, the epidemic of Black women dying tethers them together. 

Briana’s greatest ancestor and mother led her to poetry and birth work. Because of this, community, healing, and slowing down are central to her praxis with the Black body. Being guided by and for her people is a call she was destined to answer as a doula.

Briana is a certified birth and postpartum doula through SisterWeb and ProDoula.