About the film

There are stark and undeniable differences in maternal and infant outcomes between Black birthing people and White birthing people in the USA. Delivering While Black is a short documentary focused on Birth Justice in Grand Rapids, MI. These statistics are more than just numbers, these are real lives impacted and unjustly lost due to systemic and institutionalized racism.

The title Delivering While Black is a nod to the concept of driving while Black. For those unfamiliar with this terminology, driving while Black refers to the type of racial profiling that can cost Black motorist their lives. Decades of research highlights similar trends amongst Black birthing people in the USA. The fear of entering the healthcare system and dying secondary to being dismissed and disregarded is a real reality faced by Black birthing people all over the nation.

Thank you for making time to hear the stories, suggestions, and lived experiences of our local subject matter experts. This documentary was created to bring awareness, offer insights, and hopefully help provide support for those who are Delivering While Black.

Executive Producer

Amanda is a classically trained scientist with a heart for advocacy and a passion for storytelling. She has spent the past 17 working in the healthcare industry. Amanda enjoys advocacy and empowering patients. Her healthcare experience has shaped her desire to amplify patient voices via storytelling.

Equipped with a Master of Public Health and Epidemiology, Amanda has set out to impact the world using sound science as her instrument for creation. She woke up one day and felt compelled to tell a story through film. Amanda looks forward to sharing more equity stories with the public.

Amanda Rostic, MPH

Meet our subject matter experts

Denise Evans is a trained facilitator; public health educator and Truth Racial Healing Transformation (TRHT) Racial Healing Circles lead trainer and practitioner. She has decades of specialized training in health equity and social justice, community organizing, implicit bias, cultural intelligence, and Technologies of Participation facilitation.

Denise serves as content expert for the National Healthy Start Association, the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the National Association of County & City Health Officials, City MatCH, MSUs Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Network, and state and local health departments throughout the country on issues of equity, justice, bias and inclusion.

For over 20 years, she has worked diligently to join community organizers, faith-based organizations and public health professionals together to disrupt systems of oppression and build a more equitable future for those living in our nation’s most vulnerable communities. Ms. Evans is the Senior Learning & Development Specialist for Corewell Health – the largest employer in West Michigan (formerly Spectrum Health). She has been recognized for her accomplishments and co- authored articles.

Denise is also the owner of Consult Me, LLC and provides training, education, and ecumenical support in the areas of equity, justice, bias, and microaggressions with the ability to incorporate a theological lens for communities of faith. She is the mother of one amazing son Brian and the grandmother to three amazing people Brianna, Jesse Brian, and Brian III.

Denise Evans, MA, MM

Keturah is a Licensed Professional Counselor who received her BA in Early Childhood Education from Ferris State University. She later went on to receive her MA in Counselor Education from Western Michigan University. Keturah has worked with families in many of the stages of parenting from her previous work with Baby Scholars, Strong Beginnings, Infant Mental Health, Head Start, and family therapy. Keturah currently has a private practice where she works with individuals and families. In addition to being a therapist, Keturah is the Mobile Crisis Response Team Supervisor at Network18. Keturah’s passion for supporting families grew even stronger after starting her own family. Keturah believes that it takes a supportive village to nurture not only the children in the family, but also the parents.

Keturah Bell, LPC, LLMFT

Dr. Cheryl Wolfe serves as the Vice President and Chief for the Women’s Health service line at Corewell Health West. She received her MBA from Kelly School of Business at Indiana University in 2017. Dr. Wolfe is responsible for setting the strategy and vision for Women’s Health and leads all actions and initiatives related to service line growth, quality and clinical performance for over 200 physicians and Advanced Practice Providers. Dr. Wolfe is a fierce advocate for health equity and leads maternal health equity at Corewell Health West. She has partnered with Corewell Health System health equity stakeholders to craft strategies focused on eliminating racial disparities in women’s healthcare.

Dr. Wolfe’s previous leadership roles include Vice Chair of Equity and Strategic Initiatives as well as the Director of Ambulatory Services in the Department of OB/GYN at Rush University and Medical Center. Additionally, Dr. Wolfe was appointed Department Chair of OB/GYN at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Wolfe is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and has been a practicing generalist for over two decades, most of that time spent in private practice.

Dr. Wolfe has held several positions on boards and committees at the state, local and hospital level. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Heart of West Michigan, United Way and serves as chair of their Organizational, Inclusion and Development Committee. She was elected as Secretary of the Corewell Health Grand Rapids Medical Staff and is a member of the Credentials Committee and the Finance Committee. Dr. Wolfe is also on the Board of Directors for Margret’s Village, a transitional housing facility in Chicago for women, children, and families. Dr. Wolfe has been on television, radio, social and print media promoting women’s health and awareness, especially in underserved communities. One of Dr. Wolfe’s favorite quotes is from Mya Angelou, “Do the best you can do until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

Cheryl Wolfe, MD, MBA, MS

Kiara Baskin is a black maternal health advocate, certified doula, and lactation counselor with over 10 years of patient care experience. She knows that all families should have access to evidence- based information and resources about birth and parenthood that’s straight-up

Kiara's approach to birth and parenthood is integrative - she combines the latest information with a compassionate vibe, providing a range of services from prenatal education to postpartum care and breastfeeding support. She's been recognized for her game-changing work in the community, being named Health Professional of the Year, Grand Rapids Area Black Business Young, Black, and Gifted, and most recently the Athena Young Professional Leadership award recipient.

Kiara's a familiar face in community - she's been leading efforts to advance the profession of birth work through written proclamation, hosting all kinds community events, and now as program manager for the Day One Doula Collective, a Medicaid-approved doula training program in West Michigan.

Bottom line, Kiara's all about making sure every family has the knowledge and resources they need to have a positive birth and parenting experience. And with her approach, she's doing it in a way that's accessible and relatable to the community.

Kiara Baskin, Ba.Sc

The Crew

Spencer Haydo

Director of Photography

Wyatt Messer

Grip & Electric

Josh Sikkema

Camera Support

Tyler Scanlan