In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, I sit down with Joyell, a traditional midwife, artist, and community advocate who shares her deep knowledge of birth, postpartum care, and the rich history of Black midwifery. Rooted in ancestral wisdom, Joyell reminds us of the powerful role Black midwives have always played in protecting, nurturing, and sustaining our communities through birth and beyond.
Through her work, Joyell honors the legacy of the grand midwives who served generations with dignity, skill, and love, often in the face of systemic oppression. She shares how traditional knowledge was passed down, how it was threatened, and why we must reclaim and protect these sacred practices today. Inspired by the movement to “Reroot the Village,” Joyell speaks about the urgent need to reconnect with community-centered care, restore traditional practices, and uplift the next generation of healers and caregivers.
As an artist, Joyell also weaves creativity and storytelling into her midwifery work, using her gifts to celebrate the strength, beauty, and resilience of birthing people. In our conversation, we explore the intersection of art, advocacy, birth, and history, offering a powerful reminder that true healing begins when we reconnect with our roots and with each other.
If you’re inspired by Joyell’s wisdom and would like to deepen your understanding of traditional postpartum care, you can join her class, Isibeleko: Reclaiming the Sacred Postpartum. This course offers a profound exploration of ancestral practices, focusing on nurturing the body, mind, and spirit during the postpartum period. Through guided teachings, Joyell shares rituals, healing techniques, and cultural knowledge aimed at restoring community-centered care for new mothers. The class is open to birth workers, parents, and anyone interested in holistic postpartum healing.
This conversation is a call to remember, reclaim, and rebuild — for ourselves, for our families, and for future generations.
