Dear team,

Midwifery is more than care—it’s a legacy of wisdom, resilience, and power passed down through generations. This Black Maternal Health Week, we’re honoring the Black midwives who are not only preserving sacred traditions but reshaping the future of birth justice.

In Hawaiʻi, our client Ezinne Dawson is among those leading that charge. Ezinne is the only Black licensed midwife practicing in the state. She has joined forces with Indigenous midwives to fight for pregnant people’s right to access respectful care rooted in cultural knowledge without fear their care providers will be punished or criminalized.

Our court victory last summer was an important step forward—and the passage of HB 1194 earlier this week brings additional progress. But the bill falls short of fully protecting pregnant people’s decisions about how, where, and with whom they give birth. Everyone deserves that right. We’ll keep working with legislators and communities to make this vision a reality in Hawai‘i.

🎥 Watch the video on Instagram to hear Ezinne’s story and learn what’s at stake.

This is not just a fight over policy. It’s a fight over who gets to shape the future of care. Let’s honor the midwives who refuse to be silenced. Let’s protect the right to give and receive care rooted in dignity, culture, and community.

In solidarity,

Hillary Schneller
Senior Staff Attorney