CHULA DOULA NOMINATED for MOST AWESOME DOULA in LOS ANGELES!

This evening I find myself unwinding after my first day of midwifery school. I got a message through Facebook from my friend Sarah in Ashland, Oregon saying,"What? Nominated for most awesome doula? Why on earth haven't I seen this until now?"  I had no idea what she was talking about. But apparently I was nominated for Most Awesome Doula in Los Angeles through Red Tricycle/giggle.com   Here's the link, in case you'd like to VOTE and help a sister out  http://tinyurl.com/6zntopa  


This is a huge marker for me right now in my life. I've recently come to terms with all the effort and painful experiences I've willingly gone through in order to get where I am.  This is where the fruits of my labor begin to drop, all over the damn place, to the point that a friend all the way in Oregon has to give me a virtual nudge to make me notice. 

I feel honored that someone took the time to nominate me. I see colleagues on the list who have been in the field for many more years than I have, who have given birth, etc.  This is for real, I'm right up there with them. Hey we'll see what happens! I could win $500 at giggle.com, a flip camera or a A Large Organic Plush Winnie-the-Pooh!

my summer of Sex Ed with imMEDIAte Justice

http://immediatejusticeproductions.org/blog/

Shodhini Welcomes www.beautifulcervix.com

OMG!  beautifulcervix.com is becoming a Shodhini!!  She found me when looking for other righteous babes doing the radical work of self-exam and cervix love!!!  I am thrilled beyond belief that she would seek me out to learn about teaching workshops and sharing knowledge with folks in a horizontal manner. 

If Shodhini Institute can attract this caliber of folks on the regular, there is no telling what we could do- together!  So far we have doulas, medical assistant, a master's in public health, aryuvedic healers, kundalini yoga teachers, an MC, community organizers, a labor organizer,  folks working with foster care youth, a librarian, a grad school student in early Child Development, Urban Planner, filmmakers, reiki masters, gardners, dancers, etc. . . .

Stay tuned!

***Call out for Donations to send me to AMC-Detroit next Week!***

Dear friends,
I want to thank the folks who've donated so far:

Thanks to Jennifer Foxworth for contributing $15 after recently losing
her job!
To my new friend and doula mama Brenda for her loving $15 :)
Paul~ your $60 is super appreciated.
Claudia Serrato, newly pregnant
mama for your precious$100.
AMC~ Incite! contributed $40 :)
To my friend Carol Downer, a special thank you for her $125 donation!

Because it's taken quite a while to collect what I have so far, I haven't been able to buy the plane ticket yet and now it's close to $500---  so please please consider contributing to my paypal @ chuladoula@gmail.com


I'm writing to share with you that a workshop I proposed to the Allied Media Conference http://alliedmedia.org/ was accepted!  The conference is in Detroit, Michigan from June 23rd-26th, 2011.  I was inspired to propose this workshop after I had attended the CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services) Conference in March in North Carolina. Specifically the workshop was called Through the Looking Glass: Breastfeeding in the Media and the presenter that moved me to action was Katherine A. Foss, PhD, Professor of Journalism, Middle Tennessee State University.  As a Media Studies major myself, I realized I have the basic skills and technology to produce short quick mini-videos. My friend Karla Chueh-Mejia insisted that I find a way to participate in AMC this year, and soon I made the connection between the need for videos representing the underrepresented and the forum of AMC as a place where this need can be co-created.

It's called, "Representing Ourselves via DIY Videos" and here is the description: Entertainment-based education increasingly shapes our views about breastfeeding, birth, and more. On TV and YouTube,
representations focus on white people in a hospital setting, extreme cases, and dependency on medical experts, thus increasing the disconnect—especially for communities of color—from simple,
traditional approaches to breastfeeding. In this workshop, we'll discuss of issues of media representation and breastfeeding/birth topics, and then work together to CREATE videos about our own experiences with breastfeeding and birth-related topics to change the landscape of what is visible and accessible.For accurate representation babies and children will be needed for this workshop, so I'm asking participants to please bring theirs, along with their knowledge as mamas and parents!

 The workshop is cross referenced in these tracks at the conference:

 INCITE! / ¡INCITE!

 Eco-Media for Survival & Sustainability / Eco-Medios para la
sobrevivencia y la sustentabilidad.

 Health is Dignity, Dignity is Resistance / Salud es dignidad,
dignidad es Resistencia.

In short, I am really pleased that my ideas and even more about the
powerful ways they will evolve and be shaped and enriched by other
people, going forward.

I am writing to ask you, as my community and as those who know my work
and commitment to it so well, to help me pay for the costs of
traveling to and staying in Detroit during the conference.  As many of
you know, I recently injured my hand.  As someone who works with my
hands, this injury has prevented me from earning as much income the
last couple of months.  So, in addition to asking the AMC folks for
some money to offset costs, and at the urging of a friend, I am asking
you to help support me directly in this work and in building capacity
in our larger community.

I need to raise $1,000 to be able to attend the conference, which
includes my plane ticket, food and lodging for 5 days.  Could you give
$25 or more toward this amount?  If you  have a mileage ticket or miles you could donate, I
would be grateful for those, too.

If I am successful in my fundraising, I will be writing and posting
about my experience at the AMC throughout my trip and would also be
glad to present a talk about the experience or to re-create the
workshop for you, your organization or community in return for your
support.

You can give a contribution in two ways:

- Through a secure transaction at Paypal.com (my account name is
chuladoula@gmail.com)
- By mailing a check to me at 5001 Lincoln Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90042

I know everyone has felt the economic pinch in some ways the last few
years and understand if now's not a great time for you to give money.
I want you to know that your non-financial support - your enthusiasm,
encouragement and friendship - has been and will always be appreciated
beyond measure.

With great thanks,
Pati

SHODHINI Workshop Series~Woman Researcher! JUNE

In this three part Shodhini Workshop for Women, by Pati Garcia, CSB. We will learn how to be able to take control of our bodies with precise anatomic self-awareness, to let go of fears, reclaim our uterine power, and live confidently. Shodhini's from the first series will be assisting.

We will meet 3 times over a 5 week period in order to research through at least one moon cycle. We will participating in group self-exam and uterine size-checks.

Tentative Outline...
First Session Sunday June 5
- menstruation/womb story sharing
- redefinition of the clitoris
- Signs of Arousal and Engorgement
-Introduction and slideshow of Self-Exam
- Group Self Exam and Uterine Size Check, for those who are ready- not mandatory.
-beginning your own Orgasmic Yoga Practice.

Second Session Sunday June 19
- Orgasmic Yoga report back
- Group Self Exam and Uterine Size Check
- Fertility Awareness Natural Birth Control Methods

Third Session Sunday July 3
- Pap Smear Discussion
- Vaginal Infections and Natural Remedies
- Massage for Uterine Health
- Group Self Exam and Uterine Size Check

Participants to bring: yoga mat, cushions, blanket, snacks, journals, item for altar.

Dates & Times:
Sunday June 5th
Sunday June 19th
Sunday July 3rd

Location: TBA (Pasadena or Los Angeles)

Cost:
$375
- includes three days of workshop (total 12 hours)

Materials(a $50 Value):
- A New View of Woman's Body book ($20)
- Hot Pants 'zine ($5)
- personal self-examination kit (speculum, flashlight, mirror, instructions, and bag). ($25)
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$350 if you pay in Full by JUNE 2nd- THURSDAY.
$300 if you pay in Full by JUNE 2nd and have all Materials.


{Class size is limited to 12 participants only}
Limited partial-scholarships are available: please inquire via contact info below.

Payment Methods: Paypal to chuladoula@gmail.com, or by check, made out to 'Patricia Garcia'.

For More Information: Pati Garcia at chuladoula@gmail.com, or (510) 363-0160.

Allied Media Conference Acceptance!

I submitted my proposal for the Allied Media Conference http://alliedmedia.org/ was accepted!

The conference is in Detroit, Michigan from June 23rd-26th, 2011.  I was inspired to propose this
workshop after I had attended the CIMS (Coalition for Improving Maternity Services) Conference in March in North Carolina. Specifically the workshop was called Through the Looking Glass: Breastfeeding in the Media and the presenter that moved me to action was Katherine A. Foss, PhD, Professor of Journalism, Middle Tennessee State University.  As a Media Studies major myself, I realized I have the basic skills and technology to produce short quick mini-videos. My friend Karla Chueh-Mejia insisted that I find a way to participate in AMC this year, and soon I made the connection between the need for videos representing the underrepresented and the forum of AMC as a
place where this need can be co-created.

Here's the description of my workshop, which is part of the Shawty Got Skills Skillshare.  It's called, "Representing Ourselves via DIY Videos" and here is the description: Entertainment-based education increasingly shapes our views about breastfeeding, birth, and more. On TV and YouTube, representations focus on white people in a hospital setting, extreme cases, and dependency on medical experts, thus increasing the disconnect—especially for communities of color—from simple, traditional approaches to breastfeeding. In this workshop, we'll discuss of issues of media representation and breastfeeding/birth topics, and then work together to CREATE videos about our own experiences with breastfeeding and birth-related topics to change the landscape of what is visible and accessible.For accurate representation babies and children will be needed for this workshop, so I'm asking participants to please bring theirs, along with their knowledge as mamas and parents!

 The workshop is cross referenced in these tracks at the conference:

 INCITE! / ¡INCITE!

 Eco-Media for Survival & Sustainability / Eco-Medios para la
sobrevivencia y la sustentabilidad.

 Health is Dignity, Dignity is Resistance / Salud es dignidad,
dignidad es Resistencia.

The Womb I Come From

For my birthday today, my 31^st, I thought I’d share the story of my birth and the womb I came from.

Before I landed in my mother’s womb, two siblings came before me. Because of lack of support and shame in Peru, they weren’t able to come all the way through.  So I’m conscious of the life that existed before me in my mother’s womb, and I carry them within me.

When my mother discovered she was pregnant with me, she was thrilled to be in the USA far from her family and able to carry my life in, regardless of the circumstances.  The culture of Peru had been so difficult to withstand that my mother had considered suicide in the past. Here she knew no one would judge her, point out her faults; she’d be able to get ahead with her baby on the way.

At first, she thought she was going to have a boy because people kept commenting that with the size and position of her belly, it showed her baby would be all boy.  Then one day she was walking on the street going home, she was always walking and taking buses. She was coming back from adult school and she found a pink rattle on the sidewalk.  In that moment, she knew she was having a girl.

On Tuesday March 12^th, she went in for her regular check-up and the doctor said she was 2cm dilated, and that she would deliver any minute because that was the due date. But she told me in utero to not be born yet and to wait until Friday or Saturday to come out, she wanted to work the full week so she could have more time off post-partum. Apparently I was a good listener and stayed put.

Saturday March 15th she went grocery shopping to stock up before giving birth. She cooked dinner and ate with her roommates, took a shower around 9pm and went to sleep. At midnight her water broke, she felt the rip of the water bag. She described feeling exhilarated that I was coming; she jumped in the shower. Then she called a taxi cab to take her to the hospital, and she gave him directions all the way there. She was having contractions every 5min, got to the hospital at 2am.

They checked and we were 8cm. Oh my god the baby can be born any minute, my mom wanted her Dr. Tyson, so she waited. They gave her something to poop.  They offered her an epidural when she came back, she said no because she was only going to have one kid, and she wanted to feel what it is like to become a mother.   At 3:40am I was crowning. Her doctor came in sat down, asked her to push, and push again. Then I was born, 3:46am. The doctor said, “What a precious little girl!” We had immediate skin to skin contact and the doctor cut the cord. Mom had to push one more time to get the placenta  out. She says she doesn’t remember the pain.  3hrs and 46 minutes of labor, no childbirth preparation classes. She read books in English and Spanish about birth. She said that this was the beginning of her strength, her will to keep on living, continue to struggle, and the desire to become someone better.  Thanks for choosing to have me mama! Sunday March 16^th @ 3:46am