“Everyone gets to see the beauty of the tree in bloom, but without the ROOTT beneath, it would not grow. There is another story about Black mothers, infants, and families. One that begins with the root causes of our health disparities and can end with our joy and growth. Listen to us. Trust us. Allow us to create our own narrative. One in which our Black is not a source of scarcity and risk, but rather the answer to our living and thriving. ROOTT is Restoring Our Own Through Transformation. For Us, By Us.”

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ended, but the work of black health workers is to be celebrated and recognized everyday. Work that should not be ignored and work that should be a priority to those in a position to uplift and support. The National Perinatal Task Force encourages individuals and organizations to join as supporters and amplifiers of organizations like ROOTT who have demonstrated the ability to help carry-out evidence-based care and improve outcomes within the community which it serves. Jessica Roach, Owner and Founder of Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT), is not only the only Perinatal Safe Spot clinician who has a TEDx event, her organization was was among the organizations awarded as part of MERK’s first cohort of grant recipients.

“Restoring Our Own Through Transformation is a black women-led reproductive organization dedicated to addressing the needs of our families and our communities. Reproductive Justice in an of itself is not just the pro-life or pro-choice argument. It is the autonomy of our bodies and our families to be able to make the decisions that are best for us. It is about the ability to choose how, when, where, or if we are going to create a family and also being guaranteed to be able to have the safety of having that family.” – Jessica Roach

ROOTT offers full spectrum doula trainings and offer a holistic approach in their care. ROOTT’s focus is prioritizing the needs of Black Women and Infants, Women of Color, and addressing the structures that create the social determinants of health.