Meet Kerisma

Your Doula

It’s funny how we think a new path is new, when in all actuality, we’ve been on that path all along without even realizing it.

I’ve always been fascinated by the birthing process and the birthing body. As a child, I was glued to the TV watching birth stories on the Health Channel, captivated as babies took their first breaths. Long before I even knew what an OB-GYN was, I used to say, “I want to take the babies out!”

Life unfolded, as it does. The cost of school felt far-fetched at the time, so I joined the Army. As I grew older, I noticed something familiar… I kept gravitating toward friends, and friends of friends, who were pregnant. After their babies arrived, I naturally stepped in as a helping hand, doing whatever I could to ease stress and offer support.

While serving in the Army, I learned how to create family away from home. I showed up wholeheartedly for the people I cared about, simply because that’s what community meant to me. It wasn’t something I questioned or calculated. Supporting the people I loved during pregnancy and postpartum came naturally, without realizing at the time that what I was offering had a name. It was simply care, rooted in presence, community, and showing up where I was needed.

Where this Took Shape

During my deployment to Iraq around the height of COVID, I found myself in conversation after conversation with women sharing their birth stories. What I heard stopped me in my tracks. Many of the stories were traumatic and overwhelmingly, they came from people of color and queer folks.

As a Black woman who identifies as queer, I saw myself reflected in those stories of what my future could look like. I went down what can only be described as a very deep Google rabbit hole and learned what a doula was. From that moment on, I dove in headfirst, determined to educate myself fully before ever taking on clients.

At first, I didn’t want to be paid for my work. It felt right knowing my efforts were going directly back into my community, supporting people whose needs were often hidden, overlooked, or dismissed. I showed up consistently, sometimes loudly, and over time, hospital staff knew my name from my presence and advocacy. Through that experience, I learned so much and discovered countless community resources.

I knew I was meant to do more.

Who Am I Now

Today, I am building a doula practice rooted in access, care, and community, providing support for those who are underserved, navigating low income or insurance barriers, or simply seeking care that feels human and respectful.

My knowledge is shaped by both formal training and lived experience. I’ve trained with organizations including the International Doula Institute and the National Black Doula Association, and I continue to weave that education together with the wisdom gained from showing up, listening, and learning alongside the people I support.

I strive to offer care that feels grounding, affirming, and deeply supportive and welcome you into my extended family.