In Philadelphia, Doulas help immigrant mothers navigate pregnancy

Doulas are a key resource for Philadelphia’s immigrant and underserved populations. From culturally empathetic support to in-person advocacy, doulas offer a range of services.

Pregnant in Philadelphia: A Resource Guide for Immigrant Mothers

Immigrant women face many challenges during pregnancy, many of which are related to language and cultural barriers. This article highlights prenatal care and support resources for Philadelphia’s immigrant mothers-to-be.

Through intimate storytelling and community voices, Empowering Madres Latinas—an initiative by Afro-Latina filmmaker Gabriela Watson-Burkett in collaboration with Centro Integral de la Mujer Madre Tierra—offers a grounded look at how migrant mothers in Philadelphia navigate motherhood shaped by migration, resilience, and care.

By Alyssa Reynoso Morris, originally on HipLatina. May 22, 2025. 
As a Queer Black Latine award-winning children’s book author, public speaker, community organizer, and mother, Alyssa Reynoso Morris has spent her career advocating for equity, especially for Black, Brown, and immigrant families. As a mother to three, she’s also seen how financially overwhelming parenting in America can be. Child care in the U.S. is outrageously expensive: for Reynoso Morris, it’s $4,200 a month or $50,400 a year. Reynoso Morris discusses why is child care so unaffordable.

By: Almeta E. Cooper, National Manager for Health Justice, and Liz Hurtado, National Field Manager at Moms Clean Air Force

‘I was terrified. I didn’t know if I’d survive,’ said Luz Drada, who suffered preeclampsia during pregnancy. She later learned air pollution and extreme heat may have contributed. ‘No one warned me,’ she said. Her story highlights how climate change and environmental injustice disproportionately harm women of color.

By Gabriela Watson-Burkett. March 6, 2025.

At the “Flores para Gloria” event, Afro-Cuban filmmaker Gloria Rolando showcased her films, including Diálogo con mi abuela (2016), highlighting the history of Black women and the challenges of the African diaspora. Rolando addressed racism and social fragmentation in Cuba, connecting personal memories to collective struggles. A night of reflection on identity and resistance.