The Miles Foundation, Answer the Invitation

 We believe in honoring the resilience of birthworkers who navigate grief and systemic harm to bring life safely forward. We believe that those who hold life must also be held—with intentional spaces for healing, holistic wellness, and genuine care.  Learn more about Sumi's Touch Black Midwifery Fellowship in Ghana!

  In the words of Birth Equity CEO and Birth Detroit Co-Founder Leseliey Welch, “We are not asking permission to save our own lives.” Instead, we are inviting public health professionals, physician partners, healthcare designers, investors and payors to lead with us toward a healthy birth future for all. 

Read our Executive Summary 

Today, maternal healthcare in the United States is failing our babies, our families, and our communities.

While research projects that by 2050, 50% of babies in the US will enter the world under the care of midwives, the current reality for community birthworkers is economically unsustainable:

• Delayed Reimbursements: Navigating broken billing systems and waiting months to get paid for critical services already rendered.
• Low Compensation & High Living Costs: Inadequate pay rates that do not match the rising cost of living, forcing many to juggle multiple outside jobs while remaining on-call 24/7.
• Severe Burnout: Bearing the emotional weight of systemic health disparities without financial safety nets or institutional care.

The math simply does not work. We cannot build the maternal healthcare future our families deserve without actively pouring resources back into this workforce today.