Changing Woman Initiative

We believe Indigenous people have the right to sovereignty over their bodies, minds and spirits, and that our life way teachings are a map for how we should care for all.
Our collective work holds true to our vision to honor our human right to equitable reproductive health. CWI not only seeks to provide decolonized healthcare while recognizing that our communities are experts, but to honor and respect traditional knowledge keepers who work to carry on that knowledge through life way teachings. By supporting the next generation from the womb forward, we are transforming our communities, one family at a time.

Our philosophy of care embraces breast/chest feeding as a sacred, intergenerational medicine that acts as a cornerstone of nourishment and connection between parent and child. We understand that breast/chest feeding as a part of the transformative journey of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Uplifting practices and traditions of breast/chest feeding is part of our effort of reclaiming ancestral and cultural birth practices.

Changing Woman Initiative’s philosophy of care is based on health as a human right, with respect for diverse ways of knowing & learning. CWI is intentional in its weaving of a decolonized shared leadership model, seeking balance and harmony by honoring all our relations through language, land, ceremony, and traditions; with humility, responsibility, fortitude, compassion, generosity, and respect.

We are proud to share that CWI was mentioned in ’ policy brief, ‘Creating Pathways to Birth Equity in New Mexico’, as an organization who is making an impact for maternal health in New Mexico. To read more, visit the link or scan the QR code.

Join us for our mid-year check-in Doula Support Circle for some time to reflect and reset. We will meet virtually on July 13, 5:30 - 7 pm, for a creative, hands-on session where doulas pause, reflect, and reset together, checking in with ourselves while being held in community. Just come with a journal or notebook and any writing tools of your choosing.

Please RSVP to [email protected].

We would love to see you on July 10th, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, for Collective Care, a creative care gathering for birth workers sponsored by Navajo Birthworker Collective and in partnership with New Mexico Social Justice and Equity Institute. The event will feature two back-to-back creative sessions focused on reflection restoration and collective care through creative practice. Birth workers and Community Health Worker's are welcome.

As space is limited, please RSVP to Esperanza Dodge at [email protected].

The event will take place at New Mexico Social Justice and Equity Institute in Gallup, New Mexico, at Rio West 1300 West I-40 Frontage Road 87301. You can find us using the S.E. entrance near Hobby Lobby signage.

Join us in wishing our Midwifery Director, Carolina, and two of our incredible staff midwives, Lety and Marissa, happy birthdays! These three incredible people share this week as their birthday week, and we are so lucky and appreciative of all that they do and of the incredible people that they are.

In June, 4 powerful beings were welcomed earthside! We are grateful to the families and communities that have been and will be a such an important part of these babies lives, and to the CWI midwives and staff that had the honor of supporting them on their journey.

June was a beautifully busy month with lots of opportunities for connection; from a doula circle, to our workshop about re-framing young parenthood, to crafting with our wonderful birthworker community, to getting to co-host a baby station with NMBTF at Bold Futures Family Pride event where we got to spend time with one of our partners, New Mexico Women.Org, who stopped by for a visit. We are so grateful for all of our community and for everyone we got to spend time with at our events this past month.

We can't wait to see you at Honeybee Doula Circle on June 27th from 4pm - 6pm in Las Cruces! Connect with others in our doula community as we create affirmation cards and mini-visions boards to support our practices. All materials for you creations will be provided, and we invite you to bring your favorite snack to share!

The address is 940 Lopez Rd., and please park on Lopez road when you arrive. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach our here or at [email protected].