Dear milwaukee, It’s time to rebuild our village.

Hey, do y’all remember the midwife scene in Big Momma’s House?

Martin Lawrence was dressed up as Big Mama, and then two neighbors came running in saying, “It’s time! Rita’s about to have her baby!”

Big Mama wasn’t just helping someone give birth. She was the birth worker in her neighborhood. She was trusted. She was needed. And when it was time for a baby to enter the world, the community gathered around the mother to support her during labor, delivery, and beyond.

That is the village.

The village is not just one person doing the work alone. The village is people showing up for one another. It is wisdom being passed down. It is neighbors helping neighbors. It is making sure no mother walks through pregnancy, birth, or postpartum feeling alone.

That is the village Milwaukee needs today.

Many birth workers have a similar story. We learn about doulas, we take the training, and something changes inside of us. We realize this work is bigger than a job. It feels like a calling.

We begin learning, serving, and showing up for families because we believe every mother deserves support.

But then we face a reality many community birth workers know too well: the families who need us the most are often the families who cannot afford our services.

So many doulas find themselves trying to balance caring for their community while also caring for themselves. We offer free support when we can. We pour into families because we understand that birth is not just about one person it is about the future of our community.

But a village must also care for its villagers.

If we want to protect mothers and babies, we must support the people doing the work.

Milwaukee, this matters because the numbers are real.

Some Milwaukee neighborhoods have infant mortality rates among the highest in our city. Many of these neighborhoods are on the north side—places like 53206, 53210, 53209, 53212, and 53216.

These are not just ZIP codes.

They are our families.
They are our friends.
They are our neighbors.
They are our future.

In 53206, more than 20 babies die for every 1,000 live births.

Behind every number is a family. Behind every statistic is a story. Behind every loss is a community that feels it.

But numbers are not the end of our story.

We believe Milwaukee has the heart, the wisdom, and the people needed to create change.

The village is made of doulas, nurses, doctors, fathers, mothers, grandparents, neighbors, businesses, organizations, and anyone willing to show up with compassion.

You do not have to be a birth worker to be part of this movement.

Maybe your gift is cooking a meal.
Maybe your gift is providing transportation.
Maybe your gift is checking on a new mother.
Maybe your gift is sharing resources.
Maybe your gift is simply being someone who cares.

Every act of support matters.

If you believe in protecting mothers, supporting babies, and strengthening families, we invite you to join the village.

At Omuri Shai, we believe every family deserves support, every mother deserves care, and every baby deserves a healthy beginning.

The work starts with us.

The healing starts with us.

The village starts with us.