JOURNAL

Weekend in Ojai with Danika Charity and Clan

Danika is a strong, passionate woman - fully devoted to motherhood and helping others throughout this experience and process. Not only did she become a birth doula after seeing the challenges that teen moms face and how a birth doula can be a great resource for them, she also co-founded Alliance of Moms, a wonderful LA based organization that offers parenting education for teenage mothers in the foster care system, focusing on early brain development and the health and wellness of the mother and baby. Watching Danika fuse together motherhood with philanthropy and doula-ing is incredibly inspiring and speaks to the grace and fortitude women must have to multitask this way - marrying their passions and personal lives with their careers.

Alliance of Moms offers one big day of workshops every year called Raising Baby, as well as smaller self-care days for pregnant teens and cooking classes at local group homes for foster youth. They are committed as a group to helping mothers and children from the earliest point, creating healthy foundations for mothers and children to grow to their fullest potential. They are currently developing a mentoring program which will match member volunteers with youth in need. It is critical at times like these, when our health care systems are in jeopardy, that there are organizations such as AOM taking the reins and stepping up to help fill voids in the family planning arena. With the staggering statistics of almost 50% of teen girls in foster care being pregnant by the age of 19, and a 40% chance that their babies will also be entering the foster care system, AOM is committed to showing up for these girls, knowing the potential and power within every mom to change the future. Read below for Danika's words on how she became a Doula and to see images taken by the talented Lauren Ross of Danika and her family on her birthday weekend getaway in Ojai at the Turtle Conservancy - where we shot our Summer '16 collection!

– KK

Danika wearing the Assam Dress

"As the daughter of a teen mom (growing up in an extended family of teen moms) I got to experience the challenges that young mothers and their children face and I wanted to provide these girls with some of the support that I was lucky enough to have when I had my first child. After learning about the Alliance for Children’s Rights (AOM’s Mothership) and their work with foster youth, I couldn’t help but wonder what a difference a supportive birth partner could make to the girls in foster care who are pregnant and more often than not, don’t have a mom, family member, or partner they can rely on to be by their side. Someone to guide, support and empower them to make decisions that are right for themselves and their babies. They are used to being told where to go and what to do - they don’t often get to make choices for themselves - even in regards to their bodies and the way they give birth. Making these choices can be very empowering as they transition into motherhood. I discovered a volunteer doula organization here in LA and partnered them with the Alliance for Children’s Rights and other agencies that work with pregnant foster youth. In under 3 years nearly 150 teens have been partnered with Birth Doulas."

– Danika