Hi, Im Sumi and I want to personally welcome you to the Mini course for my bomb ass cutting edge expansive and transformational full spectrum traditional birth worker training!
Let me guess, you have been wanting to take my training for a while now but there’s some things stopping you. Well if you’re reading these words let me reassure you that NOW is the time! One of the hardest things for me to do is put into words what it is that I have created. It’s so expansive that I feel words fail me. So this year I said…how about I just give you a little taste so you can distinguish for yourself if you want to join the Sumi’s Touch Family.
Here’s how it works:
— You will get access to exclusive material within the curriculum. This material consist of a few video lectures, a powerpoint presentation, a birth video, a podcast episode, resources, and a place to comment and ask questions.
— We will have 2 live zoom calls. One will be our opening ceremony and the other an integration session with me. I host these throughout the full experience and they are certainly a highlight of the learning experience!
Still Not Done…
— You will have the opportunity to learn directly from me, Sumi, as well as meet your TA.
— Your lovely TA will facilitate a study group. This is where so much magic happens as you can choose to co-work, engage in powerful discussions to dive deeper into the material, or ask any questions you may have lingering. So many bonds and community connections happen during study group!
— In addition we are including a 14 day free trial to our exclusive membership community Virtual Circle
My intention is that you are able to fully embody what the structure and format of the course consist of with zero strings attached!
The Full Experience:
Sumi's Touch full spectrum traditional birth worker training Part 1 is a 6 month virtual training intended to leave the participant with the information, skills, and confidence to support someone either as a professional or familial birth, loss, abortion and/ or postpartum support. This course includes over 120+ hours of online course work that is divided into weekly modules. The curriculum is made fully by Sumayyah Franklin, and consists of educational videos, an exclusive podcast by Sumi with esteemed guest, a workbook journal for reflections and note taking, extensive resources, a private portal to network and connect with your cohort members, and study groups in case you need additional support or just want to connect with others on the path alongside you.
Our Philosophy:
✨ We believe that pregnancy, birth, miscarriage, and postpartum are all physiological processes that deserve support, tenderness, and sovereignty!
✨We believe that traditional birth workers are essential care providers that optimize the experience and outcome for pregnant, birthing, and postpartum people.
✨ We believe that a resurgence of traditional midwifery model of care is essential in optimizing the reproductive experiences of Black ( and all) people.
✨ We believe that traditional birth work is a calling not a job.
✨ We do not believe that you need a training to practice as a birth worker, but rather a training is a great way to deepen your practice, obtain essential skills, and to build community. Additionally a training can see you years learning via experience alone.
✨ We believe that each person should be able to determine who they wish to provide support for them during any and all reproductive experiences and that full informed consent, care, and collaborative decision making should be practiced always.
I’m Sumayyah “Sumi” Franklin and I’m a traditional midwife, Mama, Healer, Business and life coach, and a master doula trainer/mentor. Since I was a small girl I knew I wanted to be a midwife. Throughout high school I binged on books and studied this sacred work any way I could. Shortly after high school, I went to a midwifery conference that changed my life! I met so many of who would become mentors, colleagues, and pillars on my path. By early college I was asked to support a dear friend of mine as her doula. Long story short, I missed her birth…BUT I gained so much embodied knowledge and I was more clear than ever that I was ready.
A few years later I moved to Ghana, west Africa. Although my intention was to wrap up my undergrad I found myself working at a birth center for the year that I lived there. Can you imagine how I felt when I returned? I was ready to further my studies and needed to figure out how. Throughout the next 5 years I studied with various midwives, traveled the world sitting at the feet of various midwives, worked as a volunteer midwife in Uganda, and slowly grew into the midwife I am today. For the past 7 years I have been working as a traditional midwife in my community. Early on in my studies I watched other midwives closely and saw how pervasive the medical structures are and how they have infiltrated midwifery, too. I made a commitment to seek out authentic, traditional, holistic midwifery as my protest to these structures and as a way to honor my ancestors and what was truly calling me. Now a days I have the pleasure of serving my community as a traditional midwife, mentoring and training new and experienced birth workers, coaching, and more than anything being a Mama.
“I believe that each person who attends this training is already a Doula. As a facilitator my goal is to provide the tools to equip each participant to practice as a Professional Doula. This course is truly one that transforms each participant from a lay person to a practitioner. Holding space for people as a Doula is very ancient and I hope to activate the dormant memory of this sacred work in each participant’s DNA. ”
— Sumayyah Franklin
FAQS
What is the formatting of this course? Our Full spectrum traditional birth worker training is a hybrid. There are weekly modules that each student will complete and then two types of weekly live calls via zoom. On Sundays we have live sessions with either Sumi or an esteemed guest speaker. On Wednesday evenings there will be a study group hosted by one of our lovely TAs. To build community and continuity between cohorts, we will host a Birth Worker Circle on the first and third Saturdays of the month. This is an opportunity to network, receive support, swap stories and insights. During the mini course you will have 2 live zoom calls, a study group, a module consisting of our exclusive course content, and a private forum to connect with other participants.
Will I be able to serve as a doula after? will I be licensed or certified?
After the mini course you will just have a taste, but join us for our full course to fully immerse yourself and invest in your calling. Doulas and traditional birth workers work independently. There isn’t a governing body that regulates Doulas and traditional birth workers. Therefore, there isn’t a license associated with this sector of work. There isn’t a requirement for you to take a training or be certified to support your community and loved ones. Your ability to serve as a doula is contingent on your individual confidence and clarity. The curriculum will provide you with more than enough information and skills to equip you to serve as a doula. We do not provide certification as it is arbitrary considering there’s isn’t a governing body. We provide a certificate of completion and community to support you before, during, and after your training.
Do you offer payment plans?
The mini course is completely free, but the full course has a registration fee.
We offer several options for payment plans. You can pay in monthly installments for various lengths of time. The longer the payment plan the less you’ll pay each month. We also accept affirm, Afterpay, and PayPal payment plan options. You can find all of these options available for you to explore on the registration page here.
When does class start? What’s the time commitment?
The mini course runs from 4/7 - 4/14/2024 . On the first day of us gathering we will have our opening ceremony on 4/7/2024 at 9am PST. Wednesday night study group will be held on 4/10/23 6pm PST and our last meeting and live integration session with Sumi will be on 4/14/24 at 9am PST.
Details for the full course: We will have our opening ceremony 4/28/2024. This is the official first day of class. However, you have until 5/10/2024 to join us!! The weekly time commitment is about 7-10 hours including the Sunday live call and optional study group session.
When is the last day for me to sign up?
The last day to join the mini course is 4/6/24!!!!
Details for the full course: The last day for you to join the full course will be 5/10/2024 11:59pm PST . If you have missed the deadline please email us at [email protected]
Do I have to take part 1? I’d rather learn from you in person… I promise you that if you are just beginning your journey you definitely want to take Part 1 first. However, it’s not a requirement. The only requirement to join us for Part 2 is that you are able to keep up with the curriculum. Please keep in mind that Part 2 is intended for those who are already birth workers or have taken a training.
What does the training consist of? The training consist of 24 weeks of hybrid learning and community building. There are weekly modules that each student will complete via a platform called Teachable. You can review an overview of the curriculum here. All material in the modules are pre-recorded. We meet live two to three times a week via Zoom. On Sundays we have integration sessions with Sumi or a guest lecturer at 9am PST. On Wednesday evenings one of our amazing TAs facilitates study group and two Saturdays a month we have the Birth Worker Circle. While the study group and Birth Worker Circle are optional, they are awesome opportunities to stay accountable to your progress through the curriculum and receive support for the immense healing and change we’ll be growing through collectively.
Who is this training for? This training is for anyone who identifies as Black, Indigenous person of color. I believe that everyone should learn about the process and other adjacent process that has created each and everyone of us. You do not have to desire to serve others in order to be welcomed to the fam. People who identify as and socially navigate as a white person can support by donating to our community scholarship fund, sharing amongst their networks, or sponsoring a seat!
What is the time commitment?
The mini course time commitment is about 5 hours for the week.
Details for the full course: The time commitment fluctuates from 7-10 hours/ week. This includes live calls as well as completing the online modules each week.
How long do I have access to the course?
You will loose access to the course material for the mini course on 4/14/24 at 11:59pm PST
Details for the full course: 6 months unless you've purchased a lifetime extension.