Kennedy-King College and Black Midwifery Collective Launch New Pathway for Chicago’s Next Generation of Midwives

New midwifery program aims to expand career opportunities, honor the legacy of Black midwives and strengthen culturally responsive maternal care
Midwives coming together to share stories and to support each other. Photo courtesy of Appreypr
Midwives coming together to share stories and to support each other. Photo courtesy of Appreypr

Kennedy-King College and Black Midwifery Collective Launch New Pathway for Chicago’s Next Generation of Midwives

New midwifery program aims to expand career opportunities, honor the legacy of Black midwives and strengthen culturally responsive maternal care

A new partnership between Kennedy-King College and the Black Midwifery Collective is creating a pathway for aspiring midwives in Chicago while honoring generations of Black women who have served as trusted caregivers to mothers, babies and families.

On Tuesday, August 25, Kennedy-King College and the Black Midwifery Collective will officially launch a new direct-entry midwifery program designed to connect students with education, professional training and career opportunities in maternal and infant care.

The program comes at a critical time as Black maternal health disparities remain a significant public health concern in Chicago and across the country. Black women continue to experience disproportionately high rates of pregnancy-related complications and deaths compared with white women, making access to high-quality, culturally responsive maternal care an increasingly urgent issue.

For generations, Black midwives have played an essential role in caring for women and families, particularly in communities where access to traditional health care has been limited. Beyond assisting during childbirth, midwives have historically served as educators, advocates and trusted community health leaders.

Despite that legacy, formal educational and credentialing pathways into the profession have often been difficult to access.

The partnership between the Black Midwifery Collective and Kennedy-King College seeks to change that by creating a direct pipeline from the community to the classroom and ultimately into careers serving mothers and families.

Students will receive education and training in areas of midwifery care that include prenatal support, childbirth, postpartum care and lactation guidance, preparing them to become skilled birth professionals who can bring their expertise back into Chicago communities.

“This program is about honoring the Black midwives who came before us while creating a pathway for those who will carry this work forward,” said the founder of the Black Midwifery Collective. “Black midwives have been trusted caregivers, advocates, educators, and leaders in our communities for generations.”

The founder added that the partnership is about more than preparing students for a profession.

“Through this partnership with Kennedy-King College, we are creating opportunities for aspiring midwives to receive the education, training, and support they need to step into this calling and serve families with knowledge, compassion, and culturally responsive care,” the founder said. “This is more than the launch of a program—it is an investment in the next generation of birth leaders and in a future where every mother and family has access to the care and support they deserve.”

The program represents an intersection of maternal health, education and workforce development.

By establishing a formal educational pathway for aspiring midwives, organizers hope to expand the number of trained birth professionals available to serve Chicago families while opening career opportunities for people interested in entering the maternal health field.

The initiative is particularly significant because of the continuing national conversation surrounding Black maternal health.

Research has consistently documented racial disparities in maternal outcomes, including disparities that persist across socioeconomic and educational levels. Advocates have increasingly pointed to culturally responsive care, patient advocacy and a more diverse maternal health workforce as important components of addressing the crisis.

Midwives can play an important role in that effort by developing long-term relationships with mothers and families and providing support throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

For the Black Midwifery Collective, strengthening the profession also means recognizing the history upon which today's midwives are building.

The theme of the August 25 launch, “Honoring the Legacy of Black Midwifery. Building the Next Generation of Birth Leaders,” reflects both goals.

The event will bring together students, aspiring midwives, practicing midwives, birth workers, maternal health professionals, educators, advocates, families and community leaders to recognize the contributions Black midwives have made throughout history and celebrate the opportunities being created for a new generation.

The partnership also demonstrates how community organizations and public educational institutions can work together to address both workforce needs and health disparities.

Kennedy-King College, part of the City Colleges of Chicago system, has long focused on providing educational and career pathways connected to Chicago's workforce. Through its partnership with the Black Midwifery Collective, that mission is being extended into a field with direct implications for maternal and infant health.

Organizers hope the initiative will not only create opportunities for Chicago students but also demonstrate what is possible when solutions to health disparities are developed in partnership with the communities most affected.

The Midwifery Program Launch will take place Tuesday, August 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kennedy-King College's Great Hall, 740 W. 63rd St. in Chicago.

The event will celebrate the program's launch, recognize the historic contributions of Black midwives and introduce the community to the next generation of birth professionals preparing to continue that legacy.

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