Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandie Bishop.
Brandie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I was ten years old, I had my first experience with birth, when I was able to be present for the birth of my sister. I was amazed, interested, and 10, so to be honest a bit grossed out. I had no clue that this was foreshadowing of the calling to birth work that I would later fall in love with.
Fast forward to 2013, I moved to Atlanta, GA for a job opportunity at World Relief, a nonprofit organization. I worked as the Intensive Medical Case Manager, and Loved it! My primary role was coordinating care for the physical and mental health of refugees being resettled in Georgia. In this role, I was able to serve people from around the world with an array of intensive medical needs. This was not limited to, but included victims of torture and trauma, severely underweight children with intellectual impairments, individuals living with HIV and Aids, those facing mental health issues as a result of experiencing war in their countries, and the light in what could be dark at times pregnant women.
Serving pregnant women from around the world challenged my thoughts on how pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period should be experienced. These women taught me more than I could ever put in words and ignited my passion for birth work. As my passion grew, I began doing research on birth options in America, and I was in disbelief at what I found. I learned very quickly that the maternal and fetal death rate in this country is the worst of any other developed country, with rates of deaths and complications increasing in extreme numbers yearly. It was when I learned that, in the United States, black women are 2 to 6 times more likely to die from complications of pregnancy than white women, and black infants are 3.2 times as likely to die as compared to white infants, that I felt a call to find a way to support a solution.
Has it been a smooth road?
When reflecting over my journey to entrepreneurship and all that I have learned, I can’t help but feel overwhelmingly grateful for all the favor God has graced me with. As well as the amazing support of my sister Joy Johnson and my wonderful business mentors Tonica Logan and Shannon McGuire Lee.
On this journey, I have encountered my share of challenges, with one of the largest being, learning about how best to structure a business and the small details that go into running a business well. I also had to learn to be confident in my abilities and truth the process, as I would catch myself comparing where my business is now with that of businesses that have been around for many years.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Your Tribe Family Services – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
At Your Tribe Family Services, we offer both Birth and Postpartum Doula Services, Bengkung belly binding, and Placenta Planting Ceremonies.
One of the things we are most proud of would have to be the individualized care and person centered Birth planning that we include in each of our Birth Doula Service packages. Our plans allow the birthing person and their partners to discuss their overall wants for labor and delivery, as well as the immediate postpartum period. This plans encourages dialogue with OBGYNs and Midwives ,and often decrease anxieties for the birthing person.
One package that we offer that makes us very unique and has become a favorite of many of our families would have to be the Placenta planting ceremonies. This service, much like the business name, is an ode to the refugee women from around the world who sparked my love for birth work. Through these women I learned that cultures around the world practice many different placenta burial rituals that are meant to both give thanks and highlight a sense of spiritual connection to the earth.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love living in Wakanda! 🙂
In my opinion, Atlanta is a truly magical place where women of color have opportunities to flourish and experience success. As a black woman, I have seen and experienced first hand the benefits of being around other successful black women and the effects of representation in offices as high as the majors.
I, like so many others could defiantly do without the terrible traffic! Especially when I am trying to make it to support a birth.
Contact Info:
- Website: YourTribeFamilyServices.com
- Phone: 3135981466
- Email: YourTribeFamilyServices@Outlook.com
- Instagram: @YourTribe_FamilyServices
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/YourTribeFS/
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/qTKq/fdnK1ssfl0q
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