The BLKBRY FAM
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The Origin Story
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The BLKBRY FAM * The Origin Story *
The Origin Story
"Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice
I say the darker the flesh then the deeper the roots"
Keep Ya Head Up by Tupac Shakur
That's right! Our name is inspired by lyrics from Tupac Shakur. In an interview, Tupac said that [he would spark the brain that will make change], but I don't think he thought his art would spark... inspire the name of our doula practice.
BLKBRY® is spelled with letters missing for reason though. It has purpose and intention. It is spelled this way to acknowledge that there is much missing in Black reproductive, perinatal, and Black infant healthcare, and BLKBRY strives to fill in the gaps. And just like a blackberry, we are rooted in our community.
We have grown such much since our founding in 2019. BLKBRY started like a lot of doula practices... being completely solo and being conceived from birth and postpartum trauma. Unfortunately, that is how many Black birth workers come into practice. We experienced harm and trauma, and are called into this profession as a means to prevent other Black birthing people from experiencing the same. Our team is comprised of folks with lived experiences, training, continued education, and are active in our community.
We are UnApologetically Black
At BLKBRY, we don’t play when it comes to Black families! We put in work to mitigate the Black Maternal Health Crisis that jeopardizes the health and sustainability of Black families and communities. We use culturally creative innovations to curate our programming events centering birth equity and reproductive justice. Our culturally tailored Community Pantry simultaneously addresses the material needs of Black families and nourishes the Black Ecosystem through exercising our purchasing power with Black-owned businesses, and providing their items to Black families. Our Milk + Molasses: Donor Milk Program provides families with freeze-dried powdered breast milk. Giving families an alternative option to infant formula because we believe the future of infant feeding isn't about replacing breast milk. It's about making it more accessible.
And that’s not all! We also confront narratives about the Black Maternal Health Crisis by flexing our narrative power. By uplifting our voices, we give space for Black culture to live, heal and thrive. We focus on intentional relationship cultivation, amplifying our personal stories, shared experiences, traditions, practices, culture and joy through digital journalism.
Meet Jazmin
Momma of two brilliant and outgoing melanated kiddos, and Founder of BLKBRY and is a Cultural Creative Innovator. She creates programs centering Blackness in health equity and reproductive justice; that nourishes the Black ecosystem and creates content that reflects us. Creativity and public displays of Blackness are her love languages, and organizing is her tool to orchestrating change.
Meet The Fam
Jessica Williams
Director of Kin + Culture
Nikki Kelley
Administrator of Kin + Culture
Fatherhood Is A Verb® Lead