Uzazi Village: A Band of KC Women Changing the Narrative of Birth Equity

This post was sponsored by Uzazi Village

In the heart of Kansas City, Uzazi Village is rewriting the story of maternal health — one family, one birth, one community at a time.

“Uzazi Village has been around for 13 years,” says CEO Shalese Clay. “One of our founders, Hakima Payne, started Uzazi Village because she was a nurse and saw the systemic racism happening in hospitals, specifically in labor and delivery, and how it impacted Black families.”

From that vision came a sanctuary. “She and three other founders created a safe space for Black women and their families during their birthing experience,” Clay explains. “From that, Uzazi Village has grown into supporting Black and Brown families through doula services and by creating doula training.”

That training — built on an Afrocentric