Who We Are
Listeners
Jessica Ramsawak
Jessica is a current law student at Brooklyn Law School and recent graduate of the University at Albany, SUNY, where she earned a BA in Political Science (Honors) with a minor in Philosophy. She is an advocate for women's and minority rights in the US and internationally. Jessica is a proud Indo-Trinidadian woman and first generation American, and her identities inform her advocacy and allyship every day. Jessica represented the ABJS project at the CURCE fair and the Feminist Studies Consortium Conference at Union College. She also helped organize and spoke in the WGSS Lecture Series "Transformative Spaces for Feminist Learning", and co-created the presentation shown at the UAlbany Annual Student Research Conference with Stephany Solis. Jessica also contributed to the design and created content for the ABJS website. Besides working as a co-researcher for the Albany Birth Justice Storytelling Project, Jessica served as the President of the Albany State Indian Alliance, the esteemed South Asian cultural organization at the University at Albany, and worked for the Writing and Critical Inquiry Program as a Student Assistant.
Jessica worked with storyteller Jade Peguero.
Ola Kalu
Ola Ugonna Kalu is an English Language Arts teacher, a founder of ALANA Writing Collective (a Critical Pedagogy framework that emphasizes a safe space outside of traditional mainstream education through providing empowerment, love, and support for the African American women) and a doctoral research fellow at the University at Albany in the Sociology Ph.D program. Ms. Kalu’s own identity as a first generation Nigerian- American has contributed to her two research focuses: addressing mental health disparities in African American students and developing an awareness regarding the intricacy of which race, gender, and socioeconomic status can influence academic success and achievement with African American students. Ms. Kalu has worked on several research projects related to attaining educational equity working in partnership with various public school systems with key stakeholders, such as social workers, guidance counselors, special education teachers, pre-service teachers, tenured teachers, faculty and staff, and marginalized student populations. Specifically her work focuses on educational equity through the use of cultural relevant curriculum and critical pedagogical frameworks. Ola’s life work is rooted in service, whether it is the classroom, church, or academia, she is always exploring how she make experiences more intersectional , equitable and empowering for members of the black community.
Ola worked with storyteller Lauren Prosper.
Chloe Blaise
Chloe Blaise is a black liberation enthusiast from Brooklyn, New York. She graduated from the University at Albany, SUNY with a degree in Africana Studies, Political Science, and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is currently in a Master's program at New York University studying Public Health, with hopes of later completing a Master's in Social Work and a Juris Doctor. In her spare time, Chloe likes to read, play with her kitten Ambrose, and fight the patriarchy.
Choe worked with storyteller, Destiny Bender.
Stephany Solis
Stephany Solis is a rising junior at the University at Albany. She is completing a degree in Public Health with a minor in political science. Stephany serves as a CURCE (Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement) ambassador and helped create and present a poster for the project at the CURCE Fall Fair. She also facilitated the panel at WGSS Lecture Series "Transformative Spaces for Feminist Learning" and co-presented with Jessica Ramsawak at the annual CURCE Student Research fair. Outside of the project, Stephany is the founder of the Racial Justice Collective "Mahopac for Racial Justice", Residential Assistant on Dutch Quad, Former Director of Health and Sustainability at the Student Association, and a Student Assistant at the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention (OMH-HDP) at the New York State Department of Health.
Stephany worked with story-teller Sherisa Moore.
Jae Rosenberg
Jae (they/them) is a senior at the University at Albany studying Psychology and minoring in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies and Anthropology. Outside of this project, Jae has worked as a Residents Assistant and a housing manager at the University at Albany. They have also served as the president of Pride Alliance, an LGBTQ+ and Allied student organization on campus, and as a member of the LGBTQ+ advisory council at UAlbany. They have also participated in the Introduction to Feminisms teaching collective and facilitated the class introduction to feminisms. In their spare time they like to paint, cook, and read.
Jae worked with storyteller Zanetta Graham.
Sarah Valdez
Sarah Valdez (she/her/hers) is a senior at the University at Albany, SUNY where she is double majoring in English and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Her interests include racial justice, Black feminism, and social equity. During her undergraduate career, she has served as a facilitator for the Women’s Studies Teaching Collective, a cohort of undergraduate students who serve as instructors for all WGSS 101 classes. She joined the Albany Birth Justice Storytelling Project in order to learn more about the lived experiences of Black birthing people and the intricacies of medical racism and anti-Blackness. In her free time, she also writes about social justice work and antiracism for her blog on Medium.
Sarah worked with storyteller, Ashley Strong.
Didi Wiles
My name is DiDi Wiles and I am a senior here at the university. I’m a double major in history and sociology. I’m also a student-athlete (track and field). Fun fact, I’m from Connecticut and I live in a cabin.
Didi worked with storyteller, Sarah Pointer.
Emily Tineo
Emily is a senior at the University at Albany, SUNY, where she is majoring in Art History with minors in Spanish and Biology, with the intention of attending medical school and pursuing a career as an OB/GYN. Some of her many interests include crochet, painting, sewing, and volunteering in her home community in East New York, Brooklyn. Besides working as a co-researcher for the Albany Birth Justice Storytelling Project, she has also worked as a babysitter and tutor within the Albany and Brooklyn communities. Within the UAlbany campus, she is the NERA MedPrep ambassador, providing information and application resources for pre-medical summer programs for underserved youth at Columbia University and other reputable institutions. In the future, she hopes to help create positive spaces for women and children in neighborhoods like her own and possibly even a birth center.
Emily worked with storyteller Kassandra Pointer.
Tianna Brown
Tianna Brown (she/her/hers) is a junior at the University at Albany. She is completing a degree in Psychology with a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Tianna is a 2020 award recipient of the Gloria R. Desole Fund for Initiatives for Women Scholarship. IFW scholarship focuses solely on the enhancement of educational and career opportunities for women at the University at Albany. Her interest includes black feminism and dismantling the patriarchy. Her main objective for joining the Albany Birth Justice Storytelling Project was educating herself on the encounters and the prejudice that occurs in the health care system as it regards to black women birthing experience. Outside of academics, she enjoys traveling and reading. In the future, she plans to continue her education in psychology and specialize in therapy for women.
Tianna worked with story-teller Dawn Knight-Thomas.
Storytellers
Sherisa Moore
Hi! My name is Sherisa Moore. I’m a mom of two, a 15 year old boy and a 4 year old girl. I’m an RN of 10 years, Full Spectrum Doula, Lactation Peer counselor, Childbirth Educator and an IBCLC Intern. My passion and advocacy for birth is based on my own birthing experience and on other countless stories. I’m hoping to be the change in black and brown birthing!
Zanetta Graham
Zanetta Graham is the Vice President for Education and Corporate Compliance Office at Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood in Albany, New York. Zanetta earned bachelor’s and master’s Degrees from the University at Albany with a concentration on reproductive health policy and justice. Zanetta spent the last 15 years working and studying in the women’s reproductive health field. Prior to rejoining Planned Parenthood, she worked designing and facilitating HIV/STI, and substance use curriculums to at risk youth. Zanetta currently serves on the board of directors of BirthNet and is a Community Advisory Council Member for Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as well as School of Public Health. In her current position, Zanetta hires, trains and supports staff working with youth, and providing communities with information, and resources so they can make the healthiest and most informed choices for their lives.
Destiny Bender
My name is Destiny Bender I am currently 24 years old. I am originally from Brooklyn, NY but have resided in Albany, NY since 2013. I have a Bachelors in Biology, Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences, a certificate in Health Disparities and I am currently in the MSW/ PhD Program at the University at Albany. I have one son, James, who is currently three years of age. James was born in 2017 in Brooklyn NY at Downstate hospital. I have an interest in serving the incarcerated maternal and child population.
Jade Peguero
My name is Jade Peguero. I am originally from the Dominican Republic but am now living in Albany, NY. I have one son and two daughters. All of my children were born at St. Peter's Hospital. I joined the Albany Birth Justice Storytelling Project to share my story and to support Black and Brown mothers in my community.
Coordinators
Nakia Tillman
Good day! My name is Nakia Tillman and I am a Birth Justice storyteller as well as a co-chair for Birthnet. I work for Trinity Albany as a Family Support Specialist and I am also a published children’s book author. Thank you for your support of Birth Justice for black and brown women.
Nakia worked as a storyteller with Emily Cooper, and contributed immensely to the coordination of our project.
Dr. Rajani Bhatia
Hi! I am Rajani, professor in the Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies Department at University at Albany. It has been a pleasure to work with a mix of dedicated undergraduate students and storytellers from Albany County on the issue obstetric racism and racial disparities in birth outcomes. Due to systemic repression of their work I personally experienced a loss in care providers after my own births in Baltimore, the second of which was attended by a Black midwife . I have a deep regard for the midwifery profession and would like to support current and emerging birth workers of color.
Emily Cooper
My name is Emily Cooper, I am an alumni of UAlbany's WGSS program and was one of the pioneers of the storytelling project in collaboration with BirthNet and I was lucky enough to be the first listener. Currently, I am a doula, lactation counselor, and a student with goals of becoming a midwife.