Finding her Life Purpose and the Doula Calling – Meet Camryne Sommaripa, one of our scholarship winners!

Meet Camryne Sommaripa, one of our scholarship winners!

Hi everyone! 

My name is Camryne Moreno Sommaripa. I am 25 years old, married to my beloved husband of 2.5 years, and have two awesome cats. Faith, friendship, and family are the most important things to me. I love listening to music in my chunky headphones, reading books at the park, spending time with my best friends, traveling, collecting toys, picking and drying flowers, drinking coffee, eating sushi (as often as my budget allows), thrifting, listening to podcasts, running, blogging, and making funny TikToks of my cats. My favorite things, though, are the adventures I have with my husband, whether we’re exploring new nature spots, visiting museums, or simply just hanging out at home playing banagrams or watching Our Planet. 

The Real-Life Struggle of Making Life-Changing Choices

If I’m honest, I tend to question whether I make the right choices following risk and uncertainty, even if it is something I really want. Which I think is a very human experience that we all face. I find something I love and feel excited about, dip my toes in the water, but fully jumping in can be daunting. 

This year I have been putting into practice the trust, surrender, and courage it takes to dive into new territory with wonder, curiosity, and the willingness to be surprised. I promised myself and God that if I received this scholarship, I would take the leap wholeheartedly. 

Reading Braving the Wilderness this summer by Brene Brown couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. So I applied, waited two weeks before the Facebook Live aired for the announcement of scholarships and when I didn’t hear my name called, I thought, ‘Well I guess I’m not meant to take the dive on this one, but I am so proud of myself for trying!’ 

I stayed on the live, accepting with slight disappointment that I wouldn’t be doing the program.Ten minutes later, as I went to the bathroom, I heard, “Be Brave Scholarship: Congratulations Camryne Moreno Sommaripa!” I yanked up my pants, frantically ran to my dining table with my jaw on the floor, and sure enough, I saw my name right there on the screen. 

My promise and prayer now forced me to dive in head first, and I am so grateful I did. 

Discovering Purpose through Supporting people

I believe I was born with a gift for seeing others and providing a sense of safety during life’s most vulnerable moments. Like many 25-year-olds, the daunting quarter – life- crisis questions always float around in your mind: 1. What’s my purpose? 2. What am I doing with my life? 3. Am I running out of time? I have spent an excessive amount of time trying to answer those questions, hoping that if I just look up, I’ll see the answer written in the clouds: ‘Your purpose is….blank.’”  

That’s the thing about ‘finding your purpose’; it’s not just perfectly lined out in the stars, even for those who knew they wanted to be a dentist, or a teacher, or a hair stylist from the age of six. Purpose isn’t found in what we do; it’s in who we are and and in the legacy we leave in the world. 

After a summer of rejuvenation, reflection, and joblessness, searching for answers to ‘find my purpose’ wasn’t what I expected. I was hoping for some grand revelation that I could sum up in a perfectly packaged sentence and have something to show for it. Maybe part of maturing —or acceptance—is realizing that the idealistic and perfect perception the world portrays, is not always reality…and that’s the beauty in it. 

 Through healing, taking radical ownership of my life, being unashamedly honest with myself, and learning to love who I am, I’m aligning my life with my true self and who I want to become. 

The JOY of supporting and helping others

What I have taken away from lots and lots and lots of journaling, prayer, meditation, and reflections on my patterns, is that what I have always sought effortlessly — what brings me the most joy and ignites my internal flame — is supporting, seeing, and serving others in a way that leaves them feeling both less alone and loved. This must mean I must show up from a place of love rather than working for love. But how can we change the world with our unique super powers if we don’t first recognize them within ourselves? 

The realization of the Doula Calling

 This realization became even clearer when my niece was born this year, and I had the privilege of being with my brother and sister-in-law right after her birth. Watching them hold this precious six pound human life, untouched by the world and in need of love, my heart melted and I never thought it would be such a life changing experience—for…me. 

Following the birth, there were some scary side effects. When they asked me to stay in the hospital room with them for the remainder of the day and then later to help at their home for a few days, I felt honored to be in that space with them. I was able to make them food, grab their bags when their hands were full, do laundry, look up YouTube videos about latching and what constitutes normal discomfort and pain post birth, be a listening ear, hold the baby so they could nap — and I loved it. A new passion was born. 

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something in this space was urging me to pay attention. After the baby was finally sleeping and they had a moment to relax, it became even more apparent when they both said, “Cam, you could totally do work in this. Babies, young moms, I don’t know, but you are a natural and you don’t make it all about you. You calm the storm in situations and that’s exactly what we didn’t know we needed.” Hmm, interesting. 

As I said my goodbyes and drove back home, I became increasingly aware of the joy and fulfillment that was filling my heart to the brim. I knew I needed to research all I could about birthwork—and I fell in love with it. 

Becoming a Doula

I thought to myself, my purpose isn’t defined by one single path; it’s about being my authentic self in whatever I do. But I really love this whole birth work thing..so I’m going to explore it! 

 I always think about what Viola Davis says in her book, Finding Me, as well as in her interviews, and powerful speeches, “I want to leave this earth becoming who I know deep within, I’m supposed to be. At the end of the day, we are here to love. The moment we come into this world, we are worthy.” 

Aha! That’s what it is for me. I want people, especially birthing moms, to know they were born worthy and never have to negotiate it. I realized that part of my journey in becoming a birth worker is to help babies and parents experience that sense of worth and love during one of the most vulnerable times in thier lives—and what an honor. 

Discovering Bebo Mia

Why our community? The moment I discovered Bebomia, the energy of love, light, and support reached through the screen and touched my heart deeply. I didn’t need to search any further—I knew this was where I wanted to get certified. We’ve all experienced that immediate sense of inauthenticity when someone or something is “faking the funk.” In contrast, Bebomia exudes authenticity and a genuine desire to provide excellence for everyone involved—the employees, the mothers, the doulas—and I am fully on board with something like that. 

When I first spoke with Kelly and was later introduced to Khessia, I was truly moved by their kindness, generosity, and shared experiences. I am so inspired when I witness a diverse group of women supporting one another and watching their passion come alive. It’s beautiful and refreshing to see the representation of women of color, those with body sizes beyond just a size two, and women from different cultures or time zones, coming together. 

The Goal of Empowering, Educating and Supporting women with limited resources

My goal is to leverage the knowledge and experience gained from this program to empower, educate, and support women with limited access to resources. Many women are not fully educated about their bodies and the incredible power they possess, which is crucial for building confidence during the fertility, birth, and postpartum stages. I would absolutely love to collaborate with other doulas and be a part of a community where women can relate to and support each other through this transformative journey. 

My husband and I dream of creating a community space in Compton, where he grew up, to host workshops for community members who lack access to essential resources and knowledge. Over the years, we’ve connected with, volunteered at, and counseled for various nonprofits, and this space would be a natural extension of the work we’ve done to serve our community. ( In fact, my husband is hosting his first event next month! 

Additionally, I’m applying for my Master’s in Social Work. Combining this degree somehow with becoming a doula would be a dream. I envision offering one-on-one counseling and support to women in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I’m also excited to discover more ideas as I go through the program and feel privileged to be a part of it!

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Congratulations, Camryne!

Welcome to the Bebo Mia family! We are so inspired by your dedication to supporting others and your courageous journey into birth work. Your commitment to empowering women and creating community spaces for those with limited resources is truly impactful, and we’re honored to be part of your path.

Here’s to a beautiful journey of growth and community together. We’re excited to support you every step of the way. Welcome, Camryne! 💜

The Bebobabes