A quiet revolution is taking place in the heart of Chicago, where the pandemic’s effects still echo through communities on the South and West sides. Among the cohort of graduates from Chicago Volunteer Doulas’ 100 Doulas Rising program, a new battalion of birth workers is stepping forward, armed with skills and a shared mission: to end maternal health disparities by offering support where it is most needed. Health & Medicine Policy Research Group proudly supports the development of sustainable, community-driven health careers like doulas. Through the support of the Good Jobs Challenge and in partnership with Chicago Volunteer Doulas (CVD), these doulas are not just finding their footing in the health sector—they’re leading with compassion and creating new pathways toward reproductive justice.
Take Letitia “Honey” McAllister, for example, one of the newest graduates of the program. Her journey into birth work began back in 2017 when she attended a workshop by the Chicago Birthworks Collective. The stories she’s heard from mothers, interwoven with strength and vulnerability, profoundly impacted her. Letitia, a long-time herbalist with Urban Growers Collective, began to see a deep connection between her passion for food justice and the needs of expectant mothers. Food and health are inseparable for her, and the nutrients a mother consumes during pregnancy play a pivotal role in her health and her baby’s future well-being. As a doula, Letitia now weaves this philosophy into her work, guiding families through birth and the importance of growing their own food, understanding the healing properties of nutrition, and advocating for better access to healthy food options. “Healthy moms lead to healthy babies,” she says with conviction, “and food is medicine.”
Health & Medicine’s support, through its workforce development and policy initiatives, has made it possible for doulas like Letitia to receive the mentorship, training, and community support they need to succeed. CVD’s 100 Doulas Rising program, part of the larger healthcare workforce strategy led by Health & Medicine, has been a beacon of opportunity for people like Letitia. Through mentorship and training, these doulas are equipped to take on births independently, confident in their ability to support families across the city. Their work, bolstered by the resources and strategic framework provided by Health & Medicine, is changing lives.
Tabresha Posey, another recent graduate, echoes this sentiment. With a background in education and family services at Family Focus Englewood, she’s long been committed to serving families. But her path to becoming a doula wasn’t always clear. It was through her work with Cantrel “Lotus” Conell, CVD’s Education Program Coordinator, that Tabresha found her true calling. “The support I received made me feel like I belonged,” Tabresha recalls, describing how the program’s sense of community allowed her to embrace her new role fully. The program has become more than just a training ground—it is a place where future doulas can lean into their vulnerabilities, share their experiences, and grow. For Tabresha, this space of support and trust was essential in finding her confidence as a doula. Now, she provides the same nurturing care she once sought for herself, embodying the very essence of what doula work is about. Naadirah Shapley-Muhammad, another inspiring graduate, found her way to the doula path through personal experience.
After having a doula during her own pregnancy, Naadirah knew she wanted to offer the same support to others. Working with Family Focus as a community-based doula, she saw firsthand the power of providing care that goes beyond the physical—it’s about being there emotionally and spiritually for both mother and child. For Naadirah, the Good Jobs Challenge and Health & Medicine’s support have opened doors to new opportunities, allowing her to deepen her impact on the community. “This program, which is funded by the Good Jobs Challenge Grant from the Economic Development Administration and guided by Health & Medicine, stands as a testament to the power of workforce development, community investment, and the belief that with the right tools and support, anyone can create lasting change,” says Health & Medicine Workforce Director Anna Yankelev.
CVD’s 100 Doulas Rising program graduates represent a brighter future for Chicago’s healthcare landscape. Health & Medicine’s dedication to workforce development in leading both the Public Health Workforce Collaborative and the Chicagoland Healthcare Workforce Collaborative ensures that Good Jobs Challenge participants are prepared for their roles and are part of a larger movement to reshape public health and healthcare in Chicago. Through the Good Jobs Challenge, Health & Medicine is helping to connect 600 community members to free training programs and quality employment in the health sector, transforming lives and building healthier communities. For these doulas, the future is one where every mother, no matter where she’s from, has access to the care and support she deserves. And for these graduates, that future is already here.
Health & Medicine serves as the Health Sector’s backbone organization behind the Good Jobs Challenge grant, directing sector strategy, project design, and implementation needed to strengthen Chicago’s health workforce. In addition to doulas, Health & Medicine is also supporting career pathways for community health workers, EMTs and paramedics, medical assistants, certified drug and alcohol counselors, certified recovery support specialists, certified professional midwives, certified nursing assistants, patient care technologists, and associate’s degree nurses. You can learn more about these opportunities at Health & Medicine Good Jobs Chicagoland. If you are an employer looking to hire Good Jobs Challenge graduates, contact Matt McClintock.