Conscious Birth Collective

Nicole JeanBaptiste (she/her)

Founder, Sésé Doula Services and Co-Founder, Bx (Re)Birth and Progress Collective

Nicole JeanBaptiste is a full spectrum community-based doula offering a calming, culturally informed, humanistic approach to the support she provides to individuals before, during and after childbirth.  Of Caribbean and Southern American heritage and a lifelong resident of the Bronx, Nicole strives to center both Blackness and the borough in this work. 

Nicole has been drawn to birth and pregnancy since she was a child, obsessing over the few TV shows that featured birth in its realness, free of the dramatization that has contributed to much of our society’s fear around this very normal occurrence.  In 2008 when she had her first child, Nicole’s appreciation for pregnancy, birth and parenthood shifted into a new gear upon experiencing firsthand the  inequities facing young, Black, underinsured birthing people.  As a result, Nicole later trained to become a doula through Ancient Song Doula Services.  She completed a second training through The Matrona Holistic Doula Program.

Nicole earned her B.A. in African and African-American Studies from Lehman College and shortly after graduating accepted a Fulbright grant to conduct research in Jamaica.  She spent several years working within a youth leadership program at a Bronx-based non-profit focused on supporting African families, as well as coordinating a family literacy program at another non-profit organization and teaching English to speakers of other languages.  Nicole also holds a Master’s degree in Oral History from Columbia University, and devoted the entirety of her training to pursuing a project that would draw a link between the evolution of birthing practices among people of African descent living in the US and the history of midwifery in the American South. 

A multi-year consultant for the NYC Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit, Nicole supports the agency in meeting its goal of achieving birth justice for all New Yorkers.

Nicole is also the mother of a 14 year old and a 6 year old. She teaches prenatal yoga on most Fridays.

Myla Flores (she/her) CD, LCCE, SpBCPE, CLC

Founder of The Birthing Place, My Loving Doula, and Womb Bus; Co-Founder of Maryam Reproductive Health + Wellness

Myla is a birth doula, postpartum doula, birth assistant, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Spinning Babies Certified Parent Educator, and Certified Lactation Counselor. Myla was first initiated into birthwork in 2006 as a birth assistant for a homebirth midwifery practice then she eventually shifted into primarily offering support as a birth doula in her private practice My Loving Doula. In 2016, Myla co-founded a multicultural community of maternal health professionals supporting gentle birth and postpartum, breastfeeding, and reproductive health justice in Upper Manhattan & The Bronx.

Currently, Myla is working hard to open a Bronx-based birth center, The Birthing Place @birthingplacebx. Experiences working in midwifery-led birth centers around the country and world have allowed Myla to witness the beauty of birthing people with true autonomy over their bodies, and with the firm belief that more New Yorkers should have access to these types of birthing experiences, Myla is a committed birth justice activist who aims to bring a loving and holistic approach to childbirth to more NYC families. She is passionate about organizing a collaboration of wellness providers to soon hit Bronx streets, bringing Womb Bus to fruition in May of 2022, launching Maryam Reproductive Health + Wellness clinic in 2024, and envisioning a community birth center to be built during 2026 and open its doors in 2027. She believes this will help forge a path for even more midwifery and birth center access statewide. 

Myla comes from a big family as one of ten children, with 27+ cousins, and plenty more nieces and nephews. She takes pride in being a cousin, aunt, or friend that folks feel comfortable talking to about all things regarding reproductive wellness, sexual health, birth and postpartum. She enjoys a good read, great food, and having reason to dance.

Aida Alfonzo (she/her)

Co-founder of Innatus Birth

Aida came into birth work about a year after giving birth to her son in 2014. She had a very traumatic birth at a Brooklyn Hospital that ended in a cesarean section under general anesthesia. 

When she first began supporting families her objective was to shield families from being just as confused as she was about how her birth unfolded. Innatus Birth was founded on the basis of supporting people to find their innate power, worth, and trusting their intrinsic capabilities from within. 

Through years of experience, learning and unlearning, Aida’s passion has only grown greater for supporting birthing people, being their guide and giving them the information they need to feel empowered about their birth and the decisions they make as parents. 

Though she acknowledges the importance of the support she provides to clients during birth and postpartum, it is clear to Aida that her calling is to be the one providing clinical care and providing a different support needed in her community. She is now in school to become a community midwife, attending the only Black-led Midwifery School at Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery.

Evelyn Alvarez (she/they)

Co-Founder, Bx (Re)Birth and Progress Collective

Evelyn is a badass. She does what feels right to her and helps others do the same. 

Evelyn also loves to laugh and lives for jokes.

Her entry into Doula work started when she was 17 and her sister gave birth to her niece. It is a family joke that when it was time to head to the hospital, Evelyn took her sister’s items out of her hospital bag and replaced her stuff with brochures she had been given by her OB. Throughout the process, Evelyn proceeded to let her sister know what stage of labor she was in, then asked the OB to move when it was time for her sister to deliver her niece. According to everyone there, Evelyn asked the doctor to move so she could see. While the doctor looked at her incredulously, she simply smiled, asked her sister if she was ok, or had questions. 

Years later, Evelyn had her own child. It was a long, challenging labor that she is convinced would have had a different outcome if she’d had a Doula. She was the first of her homegirls to have a baby, and when they had children, she’d ask questions and try to offer resources, ideas and support. One day, her best friend said “you should become a Doula”. Her response: “I should!”

That was on a Sunday. On Tuesday, Evelyn was told about a scholarship being offered by Ancient Song Doula Services. She applied, even though the deadline had passed. Two days later someone from Ancient Song called to say she won the scholarship. 

She took a chance, said yes, and a week later, she was a trained Doula. 

Since then, Evelyn has had the honor and pleasure to work as a community Doula and have served over 100 families with a variety of experiences: living in transitional housing, single, partnered, under-resourced, mental illness, twins, teens. Each person has taught her something unique about the power of the human spirit. 

In her other life, Evelyn  is a trainer for an agency here in NYC. She facilitates workshops about race, anti-Blackness, parenting, Restorative Justice, and supporting families with children with special needs. 

Naima Beckles (she/her)

Founder and Director, For Your Birth

Naima is an educator, birth prep coach, doula and founding director of For Your Birth – an intentionally diverse birth work consultancy in New York City.  Naima attended Hampton University and earned her MA from Loyola Marymount University. She taught for 10 years in middle and high schools in Los Angeles, Washington DC, and New York City.  Soon after the birth of her first child, she chose the work of supporting expectant parents and earned certifications from Lamaze and DONA International.   Currently, Naima is a teacher for The Institute for the Study of Birth Breath and Death where she has co-created, with the institute’s founder, courses for birth professionals on understanding and responding to pregnancy loss, trauma and infant death in communities of color. Naima also serves as a member of the board for Lamaze International and directs curriculum and programming at Soshe – a digital health company. Naima lovingly stands alongside individuals navigating life’s triumphs and difficulties. Follow Naima’s work by subscribing to her newsletter – Birth/Werk – where she has created a space for birth workers and birth givers to connect and be inspired. 

Estefany Angeles, (she/her)

Student Midwife, Doula, Community Birthworker

Estefany is a bilingual Spanish-speaking student midwife, birth assistant, childbirth educator, doula, trainer, and certified lactation counselor based in the Bronx, NY. She is the founder of Birth A Mi Manera, LLC, where she provides childbirth education and support for families navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

With a background in education, Estefany brings a grounded, relational approach to her work, centering autonomy, informed choice, and community-based care. She has provided holistic birth support since 2022, focusing on Spanish-speaking families across New York City.

Rooted in her Dominican heritage, Estefany’s work honors ancestral wisdom while integrating trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches. She is currently furthering her education at Commonsense Childbirth School of Midwifery and is deeply committed to advancing pathways for Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) to be recognized and licensed in New York State as part of her broader vision for expanding equitable access to community-based midwifery care.

Her philosophy centers on personalized, culturally congruent care, ensuring each birth story is honored “a su manera.” When she’s not doing birth work, Estefany is cuddling with her three kiddos and her husband or spending time with her big, close-knit familia.

Looking forward to being in community with you all and co-creating a meaningful experience for everyone involved.

Valencia Andrews, (she/her)

Doula, Farmer, Herbalist

Since 2016, Valencia has provided evidence-based, holistic birth support to individuals and families throughout the Upper and Lower Hudson Valley, Connecticut, northern New Jersey, and all five boroughs of New York City. Her path into birth work began in her teenage years, attending births and supporting loved ones through labor. After assisting in the birth of a close friend’s child in 2015, she pursued formal training with DONA International and later completed postpartum training with La Matrona.

In 2016, Valencia joined Manhattan Birth’s Advanced Doula Mentorship Program, where she spent 18 months in intensive study, mentorship, and hands-on experience alongside seasoned birth workers and home birth midwives. This foundation continues to shape her approach. Valencia’s work integrates her roles as a traditional birth worker, community activist, lactation specialist, educator, and small-scale herb farmer. Over the past four growing seasons, she has cultivated medicinal herbs, incorporating them into her care through thoughtfully prepared teas that support the perinatal period. Her practice centers on the connection between birth and land, weaving herbalism and farming into her services to foster reconnection with the body, community, and environment. She approaches each client with curiosity and care, offering guidance that supports informed decision-making, trust in intuition, and access to resources.

Valencia’s goal is to cultivate calm, safety, and connection throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, recognizing that supported transitions strengthen families and communities alike.

Rochelle Delmas, (she/her)

Full Spectrum Doula, Mentor

Rochelle Delmas is a dedicated full-spectrum doula and mentor with over 15 years of experience supporting families and guiding emerging doulas in their professional journeys. Her work is deeply rooted in compassion, cultural humility, and a commitment to improving birth and postpartum outcomes, particularly within underserved communities.

Drawing from both personal inspiration and extensive hands-on experience, Rochelle provides mentorship that blends practical skill-building with emotional support and real-world insight. She is passionate about helping new and aspiring doulas build confidence, navigate the complexities of client care, and develop sustainable, values-aligned businesses.

Rochelle’s mentorship approach centers on empowerment, accountability, and authenticity. She creates a supportive learning environment where doulas feel seen, heard, and equipped to grow—both personally and professionally. Whether offering guidance on postpartum care, client communication, or business development, she is committed to nurturing the next generation of doulas with intention and integrity.

Through her work, Rochelle continues to honor her mission of ensuring families receive the care they deserve while uplifting and strengthening the doula community as a whole.