Midwives for the People
Our Mission
Monarch Midwives is dedicated to increasing midwifery access to underserved communities (rural communities, BIPOC communities, LGTBQ communities and migrant communities) by removing barriers to midwifery education.
Our Vision
We envision all communities being served by Midwives who understand and reflect their communities. We envision aspiring midwives navigating the many varied midwifery educational routes with support and the resources to help them succeed without unnecessary hardship.
Projects
NARM Testing Fees Scholarship
This scholarship will provide exam fees, testing site fees, transportation costs to the location site and any other expenses related to taking the NARM exam.
Future Projects:
In the future we strive to grow Monarch Midwives offerings to include:
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Trauma Informed Pelvic Care Clinic and Provider Training
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Spanish Language Birth Doula Training
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Business Coaching for New Midwifery Practice
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Legal documents for Midwives, Informed Consents, Educational Handouts for Clients
Contribute
How to contribute & get involved with Monarch Midwives:
About Us
Tema Mercado, lm cpm
Founder & Visionary for Monarch Midwives
Tema Mercado is a Xicana Licensed Midwife in California and Partera Profesional Certificada in Mexico, mother to six children and a grandmother to one. Tema was born and raised in San Jose, California and spent her adolescence in Mexicali, Baja California. She believes that birth work can change the world and has dedicated the last decade to birth and reproductive justice on the U.S Mexico Border serving families on both sides of the border. Her midwifery practice and overall work in the community stems from a social justice and heart perspective. She values investing in aspiring midwives of color and teaches online for several midwifery schools and birth & reproductive justice organizations. As the founder and visionary for Monarch Midwives, Tema hopes to provide a hope and support for aspiring midwives. To find out more about Tema and her work, you can visit her website at www.lamatrizbirth.com and on Instagram @matrizmidwife.
Ceniza was introduced to the art of heart-centered individualized care by apprenticing with Midwife Cristina America in 2010 while studying herbal medicine in the Siskyou Mountains. Ceniza had her own out-of-hospital birth in 2014, which solidified her passion towards Midwifery after spending the necessary time affirming this life path. Ceniza attended The National College of Midwifery and has attended births within the hospital, birth center, and home birth settings as a Comadre, Doula, Midwife, and Monitrice. In addition, Ceniza has offered placenta encapsulation, belly binding, herbal consultations, postpartum Doula care, and postpartum cerradas to the families in her care. She is the co-founder and board member of Monarch Midwives 501c3, founding member of The San Diego Doula Collective and member of the BIPOC Community Clinic. She has had the privilege of gleaning precious wisdom and considers the passing of knowledge to be a truly reciprocal gift to future generations. You can find her online at www.wovenmidwifery.com and on Instagram @wovenmidwifery.
Ceniza Alcantar, lm cpm
Founder of Monarch Midwives
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Alix Andrea Medina Verdugo, born in Los Angeles and raised by the border of San Diego/Tijuana, has delved into the realm of babies and expecting mothers. Unforeseen was her journey toward becoming a midwife, shaped by every twist and turn in life. Serving as a birth doula since 2015, Alix has been drawn to diverse training opportunities that enriched her understanding of birth. Alix is an international midwife and parter who offers midwifery services on both sides of the border in California and Mexico Baja California. She sits on the board of Monarch Midwives as the Treasurer.
To get to know more about Alix and the work she does, follow her on instagram @alixmedina_ or at www.alixmedina.com.
Alix Medina Verdugo
Partera & Treasurer for Monarch Midwives
Dedication to Angela Diaz de Leon
Angela Diaz De Leon was one of the original founders of Monarch Midwives in 2018. Angela was a mother, wife, birth worker and community advocate. She loved all things babywearing, lactation, birth and postpartum. Angela was dedicated to serving the community and had a strong vision for supporting aspiring midwives. We lost Angela early in the pandemic. Her departure left our San Diego birth community in shock. Monarch Midwives mourned Angela for an entire year, leaving the non-profit at a standstill. Monarch Midwives want to pay dedication and homage to Angela by continuing that work that she was so dedicated to. Angela, thank you for all you did when you were with us. We will not forget you!
Image of Angela
