Carmen Mojica, also known as Ynanna Djehuty, is an Afro-Dominicana born and raised in the Bronx. She is a midwife, writer and reproductive health activist. The focus of her work is on the empowerment of women and people of the African Diaspora, specifically discussing the Afro-Latina identity. She utilizes her experience as a midwife to raise awareness on maternal and infant health for women, highlighting the disparities in the healthcare system in the United States for women of color.

From the process of writing her first book (Hija De Mi Madre), she then grew an interest in understanding womanhood. Exploring her own connection to her body, Carmen became aware of holistic methods to address her needs and identifying self-care. This awareness in cultivating a healthy body and spirit further fueled her interest in empowering women throughout the lifespan of their lives, particularly in pregnancy and childbirth. During this time, Carmen continued to expand on her success, publishing her first collection of poetry in Spanish entitled “Odas de La Mujer de Miel,” and contributing to anthologies such as “The Period Project” and “Walking in the Feminine”.

In August 2011 through a fellowship with Hudson Perinatal Consortium, Carmen became a certified birth doula. Graduating from Maternidad La Luz, a midwifery school and birth clinic in El Paso, Texas, Carmen attended over 90 births and provided prenatal and postpartum care in Spanish to mothers. As a doula, she provides mental, emotional, and spiritual support for women during and after the course of the pregnancy as well as providing additional support to the women’s family and friends.

In addition to being a midwife and a published writer, Carmen has been a public speaker presenting on issues ranging from reproductive health, Afro-Latinidad, systems of power, and healing. Since 2008, Carmen has presented at over 20 colleges, universities, and conferences including the Black Girls Project Sisterhood Summit, Syracuse University, National Dominican Student Conference, Cornell University, Hampshire College, New York University, “Afro-Latin@s Now!” Conference, and the Clinton Global Initiative. In 2014, Carmen co-founded La Galeria Magazine in an effort to address, discuss, and provide an online platform surrounding the issues within the Dominican Diaspora. Carmen is currently the Program Coordinator at the Women’s Health department at the Institute for Family Health. For more information on Carmen’s work or for booking information please go to www.thesewatersrundeep.com

*bio shortened with permission from Carmen Mojica.