Born Free Method: The Podcast Who Holds the Wisdom? Learning to Transgress Hegemony in Midwifery and Maternity Care
The organizing team for the 2026 Born Free Twins-Breech Gathering convened in Austin, TX, to set foot at Lucky Arrow Retreat and elsewhere in Austin to begin the long and arduous process of exploring what we hope to achieve at the 3rd twins-breech gathering. This is more than a conference…it’s an invitation to lean into the discomfort required to change maternity care.
I’m joined in this dialogue in this episode by two of my soul family. Sevonna Brown is a reproductive justice worker whose global retreats and sacred care restore wholeness across birth, medicine, and the ceremony of becoming. Haize Hawke is a traditional midwife, master doula, and spiritual mentor. She cares for young women and families, guiding them on the ways of womb wisdom. Sevonna and Haize are two critical members of our organizing team alongside myself, Sara Rosser, CPM, and Sarah Tuck, CPM.
This is the first of several conversations that we will be sharing as we begin to weave this gathering together, which requires us to be led as much by our hearts as by our heads. FYI: The event has already sold out, but what you’ll learn from this conversation is that we aren’t focused solely on putting together a beautiful experience in 2026. We are planning for what is to come in the wake of the 2026 gathering, with many more events in the future. This conversation is for everybody engaged in this work, not exclusively for those who will be attending in 2026.
Connect with Sevonna @sanctuarymedicine Connect with Mama Haize @iamhaizehawke
00:07:42 - What one person sees as a necessary action another person might see as misconduct. Bridging the gap (racially, within birthwork, and otherwise) requires nonviolent communication and present listening, pedagogy, and praxis. Decolonizing birth requires that we decolonize ousrselves. What are the emotional acupuncture points relevant to improving on this work?
00:17:00 - Bridging division and racism in birthwork. How must we find a means to coexist alongside patriarchy in obstetrics? What are our barometers of power and privilege? Sometimes what is viewed as segregation actually reflects a choice among those who find safety through affinity. The pedagogy of the 2026 gathering is based in ceremony and grounding. Bell Hooks saw multi-cultural education as a path to freedom empowering students to transgress oppressive norms to achieve self-actualization. We feel that this is the means by which we can we move from mere tolerance to genuine change.
00:27:00 - Acts of righteousness by one person could be experienced as an act of violence by others. Desegregation is not the purpose of the 2026 gathering. We must excercise desegregation in our everyday lives before a physical convening.
00:33:35 - Calls to action in preparation for this convening to transgress racism, not least of which is to read about granny midwives.
00:41:30 - We all must get clear on what we can offer as individuals and our own personal limitations. This gathering is not for passive passengers. We need engagement.
00:46:30 - Who is holding the wisdom in this space? We must begin to prune away the decentralization of midwifery and even certain voices in place of other important voices. This convening is an invitation to reflect on what we do to change maternity care. There is tremendous value in approaching this work with a beginner’s mind…
00:55:00 - Discomfort is inevitable and necessary for growth. You are responsible for your own growth and comfort. What we are organizing for the 2026 event is risky. The biggest risk is a willingness to fail and to fall. All of oyur self-judgment and judgment of others will be brought to the surface. This work is only possible through fierce love.
01:10:00 - A call for the collective to remember that at some point all of our lineages we were made possible through the work of a midwife, likely a granny a midwife, though nowadays this wisdom has been appropriated by the obstetrics model.
01:17:55 - is it possible to honor traditional midwifery through an event that is inclusive of obstetricians? Yes. What we witnessed in 2024 was birthworkers of all types Falling to their knees in recognition of how the modern maternity care system has failed families.
References from the conversation:
* Biddy Mason Museum in Los Angeles
* All About Love, by Bell Hooks
* Teaching to Transgress, by Bell Hooks
* Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, by Adrienne Maree Brown
* Listen to Me Good: The Story of an Alabama Midwife, by Margaret Charles Smith and Linda Janet Holmes
* Words of Fire: An Anthology of African-American Feminist Thought, edited by Beverly Guy-Sheftall
* Reproductive Justice: An Introduction, by Loretta Ross
This episode was sponsored by Born Free Method.
The Born Free Method digital playground includes over 60 hrs of pre-recorded lessons (w/ slides) spread out over 180+ lessons when you enroll. You will also be invited to a Zoom call (recorded) every other week hosted by me, Sara, and both. We also often have guest speakers, and you will have access to recordings for all 100+ of our past calls/interviews.
* 12-month access is $750
* Lifetime access is $3997 (This option comes with some other perks as well, including direct support from me and Sara for life by phone/text/email)
* Fertility Deep Dive ($499) if you just want to focus on pre-conception planning and fertility, but this content is included in both of our other offerings above.
We have payment plans available for the lifetime package, and we have discounts available for any of our programs for students and birthworkers. Just shoot Nathan and Sara an email: support@bornfreemethod.com
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Medical Disclaimer: Born Free Method: The Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.
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