TEDxMemphis ft. Dr. Nikia Grayson

Up until the early 20th century, most births were attended by midwives and happened in the home. As pregnancy and birth became increasingly more medicalized, physicians became the primary caregivers and birth was moved into the hospital environment. Midwives, many of whom were Black women, were excluded. In recent years, midwifery care has made somewhat of a return, but today, less than 6% of midwives in the United States are Black. Dr. Nikia Grayson supports midwifery as part of the solution to our broken system, particularly training and developing a workforce of Black midwives who understand their patients' lived experiences. Dr. Nikia Grayson is a public health activist, anthropologist, and nurse who has devoted her life to serving and empowering people in underserved and marginalized communities for more than 20 years. Working interdisciplinary in the areas of culture, health, and education, Nikia’s work has explored the associations between power, culture, and gender.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx