Jessie Escalante – Fall 2020 Intersectional or Bust Award Winner

So, let’s see… a little about ME, hmmm where do I begin?! I guess my name is a good starting point… Hi! I’m Jessie Escalante and yes that is my maiden name! (You would be surprised how often I get asked that) To help your curious mind my family is from Florida and my grandfather is 100% Cuban! Through life, the funny looks and “non-offense” intended questions have gotten more comfortable and definitely probably one of the many reasons the Bebo Mia family was so interesting to me! No one in this community “looks a certain way” and that’s 100% OK! Any who, I’m a single mom of an amazingly beautiful and intelligent little girl that completely changed my life and the founder and Ceo of First Time Moms Inc. a local (in Houston,Tx) Non-profit Organization that focuses on supporting parents by providing education, resources and support! We began in 2016 and have had an amazing journey so far!

Why you wanted the scholarship?

I have always had an incredible love for children ( I’ve literally owned 2 in-home daycares) but in all my years of working with children, I came to the realization that you can only impact children so much without impacting the environment in which they live and so I left childcare on a journey to help parents on their journeys! Because I have worked in this industry so long I have “unofficially” done so much birth work and didn’t even technically know I  was doing it! Always wanting to become a doula over the years I begin to do my research and came across Bebo Mia! I had previously joined their newsletter and right in the middle of a pandemic, I decided it was time I began the journey of becoming official and then BOOM an email comes from Bebo Mia about scholarships!!! I would say it was destined! God knew what I needed and when and he aligned everything perfectly! I knew I needed this education but by having the scholarship it made it possible to achieve it!

Why do you want to train with Bebo mia? Why our community?

In my initial research into doula programs I didn’t come across many but those that I did, didn’t seem like the right fit for me. I love all people and wanted to be able to serve all people, not just those that looked like me! I also wanted to learn with and from people from all walks of life because I believe I will work and impact people all around the world so I wanted a community that reflected that! Bebo Mia was that!!! They were real people, with real issues like me and real-life schedules like me and all different learning and teaching styles that I may have needed in the phase of my life! To have the backing and community of international members is BEAUTIFUL and I wouldn’t trade that experience for any other!

Why do you want to be a birth worker?

When you say “why do you want to be a birth worker” it’s kind of like one of those things “I didn’t choose birth work, birth work chose ME!” I love everything about birth work and parenting but I HATE the number of women especially black women that die in or after labor! THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT AMERICA!!! I can’t just sit back and complain about it without doing my part to prevent it and I truly believe it begins (at least for me) HERE! I will become educated so that I may educate and empower and if I can save just 1 life I’ll be eternally grateful!

What your business plans are after the program?

Honestly, My business plans don’t change!!! This is right on course to where I need and should be! I will continue to provide support to parents, especially those the lie right above the poverty line that don’t qualify for government assistance (basically they’re not poor enough) but still are barely making ends meet! This education and the many others I will seek from Bebo Mia in the future will only enhance and increase my ability to serve professionally and informed!

-Jessie Escalante