Jayde Smith BIPOC Doula Journey Bursary Recipient Spring 2020

My name is Jayde, and I am 30 years old! I currently live in Texas with my 8-year-old son. Its just the two of us (single mom life) but a kick ass one! I am the 2020 recipient of the BIPOC Doula Journey Award.

I wanted this scholarship because I felt like it’s about time, I FULLY invest in myself. I don’t just want this; I know it is what I am supposed to be doing because the universe is aligning everything. The fact that the program is completely online, makes it very accessible for me to work fulltime while still learning and building for my new business. My new business! WOW! I have never felt the entrepreneurship bug before joining this amazing group. Now, I can’t stop thinking about. Thinking about how I can teach others, I am so excited about this program! I currently work as a Phlebotomist at an OB/GYN office. So, I am constantly surrounded by pregnancy, birth, and unfortunately lost. I came across Bebo Mia watching a YouTube, quickly I went to their site and I already knew I wanted to get started. There was an abundance of content. The length of the program made me feel more comfortable with gaining the right amount of knowledge to go out and be a remarkable Doula that will stand out amongst my peers.  

I’ve always been amazed with giving birth. I have plans to attend nursing school so I can become an L/D nurse. Plans quickly changed once I started getting more into the business side of becoming a Doula. Same goal, but BIGGER! I first got my start in women’s health by working at Planned Parenthood. Educating women about their bodies and letting them know, IT’S THEIR CHOICE. This was and is one of the most rewarding parts about being in this field. I had a grown woman once ask me “how many holes do we have down there?” (She was in her 40’s). Its questions like that, which push me to educate women about their bodies.

A little bit more to know about me! I have tapped into a side of myself I knew was always there but would find myself living in fear and a lot of “what ifs”. I woke up and told myself NO MORE DOUBTING JAYDE! Looking back at how far I have come in my journey of motherhood, and still learning about myself along the way, I can literally do just about anything I put my mind to! And failure..It’s a lesson and not the END! I look forward to our journey together, watching each of our businesses grow, and watching us grow in this field.

My plan is to complete my Doula certification and still purse my nursing degree, even if I must kick the door down myself to get in! I plan to give back to my community by taking what I have learned in my trainings and share it with others on their journey to certification. I also plan to become a mentor to the youth and educate them about sexual abuse and the mental toll that it takes on oneself. As a victim of childhood molestation, I understand the importance of having someone to talk to and confide in with your inner most hurts.  My plan to become a certified Doula, a certified nurse, and mentor in my community allows for me to see a clearer future for Jayde. A future that includes opening my own Birthing Center and welcoming all families, same sex, surrogacy, and teen pregnancies. There will be a zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind at my place of business.

-Jayde Smith