Crouse Health Foundation has received a $25,000 Health Equity Innovation Award and funding from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield for Crouse Health’s ‘Standing in the Gap – Enhancing Maternal Health Experiences’ program. The ‘Standing in the Gap’ program aims to improve maternal health experiences for historically marginalized communities served by Crouse Health across 14 counties in the state. Crouse and Doula 4 a Queen have partnered to improve education and staff relations with community-based doulas, to improve maternal health experiences at Crouse and reduce maternal and infant mortality in our region.
Selected Podcast
Standing in the Gap Supports Maternal Care
Featured Speakers:
SeQuoia Kemp, BSN | Roma Agarwal
SeQuoia Kemp is a Black feminist community-based birth worker and health justice advocate from Syracuse, NY. As Founder of Doula 4 a Queen and Co-Founder of Sankofa Reproductive Health and Healing Center, she combines ancestral wisdom and tenets of healing justice with evidence-based practices to advance maternal health equity. With degrees in Public Health (B.A.) and Nursing (B.S.N.) from the University of Rochester, SeQuoia reduces racial disparities in maternal and infant health through community-based care, community collaboration, and innovative efforts. She has served as the co-president of NY Certified Professional Midwives Inc. (NY CPM Inc.), advocating for Certified Professional Midwife licensure in New York, and sits on Crouse Health's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Advisory Board. Her impact in our community is felt through her work as a childbirth educator, lactation educator, maternal mental health support specialist, community-based doula trainer, and health justice advocate. As an aspiring Certified Nurse Midwife and member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.'s Kaptivating Kappa Xi Zeta Chapter, she continues to advance reproductive justice through culturally-congruent care and advocacy.
Roma Agarwal is a pre-medical undergraduate student with years of first-hand experience in the medical field. Roma currently attends Syracuse University with plans to attend Upstate Medical University after. Roma spends her time immersing herself in the medical field, with years of work experience as an EMS cadet at a first aid ambulance squad and serving as a medical aid in a local free clinic. With a specific interest in women's health, Roma has worked as a Reproductive Justice Fellow under Ms. Sequoia Kemp for a year, working on community-wide initiatives and helping implement change with the maternal health crisis in Syracuse, NY. Over the years, Roma has developed a passion in understanding the complex holistic factors that influence a healthy birthing process. She is passionate in supporting birthing women through this process, and prioritizes creating an empathetic, comfortable space where birthing womens' concerns are heard. Roma has plans to attend medical school, and hopes to apply the valuable lessons and experiences to shape her goals and work as a future OB/GYN.