Meet Emilie Rodriguez | Birth & Postpartum Doula and Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emilie Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emilie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
When I think about risk and business, who better to bet on than you? Is that even a risk at all? I believe that if you can dream it and see it in your mind, then it already exists. You just have to get other people to see it too. So I follow my feet and lead with my heart to build something better for my community.

I am the founder of Ashe Birthing Services – a group of fifteen Black and Brown birth and postpartum doulas, based out of the Bronx, New York, and The Bridge Directory – a directory and resource for families of color, and a community of professionals who seek to heal the disparities in health and care from the inside. Our care model is a solution to maternal mortality – a statistic we are all too familiar with. I believe that we are the ones we have been waiting for, and so the risk is greater to do nothing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I was raised in Baltimore, MD and Bordeaux, France, but have been a Bronxite my whole adult life.

My interests first started in medicine where I worked as a veterinary technician for years before becoming interested in the influences of culture on birthing bodies. I received my BA in Medical Anthropology from the City College of New York, with a focus on reproductive health in the United States. I always knew I wanted to work with women and children, but did not know in what capacity. It wasn’t until I experienced labor and childbirth myself when giving birth to my son at home, that I realized how transformative and empowering birth could be – and knew how to walk in that calling.

After spending several years supporting hundreds of families in NYC, it became abundantly clear we needed a resource to help families of color connect to providers who understood their languages and culture, and believed and trusted them. At The Bridge, we are providing access to providers of color who serve the perinatal period, while also accounting for the quality of care being offered. It is not enough to be a Black provider if you are still doing harm. It is for that reason we have created our own model of care and standards that every member agrees to uphold. As birth workers and providers, we should not be doing our work in silos. There is an African Proverb that goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. And if you want to go far, go together.” We will get so much further working hand in hand. I don’t see a limit for myself or my people and I am excited about all we can do when we come together.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well I love the Bronx, so I would say you have to check out The Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens. If you have kids, the Bronx Children’s museum also just opened this year! Take a walk in Van Cortlandt Park or go shopping on Fordham Road. If you’re hungry, my favorite spots are La Masa (Columbian) and Tacos El Bronco food truck (Mexican) on Pelham Parkway, Moss Cafe in Riverdale, and Zero Otto Nove in Little Italy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am a part of an African Rites of Passage program for people of the diaspora called Ndugu and Nzinga in NYC. They continue to sharpen my character and hold me accountable to my principles so I can serve my community on the shoulders of my elders and ancestors.

Website: https://www.ashebirthingservices.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashebirthingservices/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-rodriguez-92a4ba84/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashebirthingservices/

Image Credits
Dukens Alexandre Flo Ngala