MANA President Diane Holzer opened the conference by introducing the MANA Board and sharing information about her over 20 years as a MANA Board member.
Because this is Diane's last conference as a Board member, Abby Kinne and Gera Simkins presented her with a lovely bouquet of her favorite flowers.
Venus Mark gave an inspiring keynote address with a Sankofa, the conference logo, in the foreground.
(photo by Barbara Lahey)
The concept of Sankofa is derived from Adinkra of the Akan people of West Africa. Sankofa is transliterated in the Akan language as “se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki.” Literally translated it means “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” Sankofa is used today across the pan-African world to promote the idea that African people must go back to our roots in order to move forward. Visually and symbolically “Sankofa” is expressed as a mythical bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sankofa. This symbol was used for our conference to mean that, as midwives, we “must go back to our roots in order to move forward,” without losing what is precious and powerful in birth.
The Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery (FAM) Board presented information about what they have done this year. L-R: BJ Mackinnon, Priya Morganstern, Maggie Bennett, Linda McHale,
Michelle Medlin, Karen Webster, and Barbara Lahey (not pictured,
Marie Meakin).
Karen shows the new fundraising project "My Grandchild was born with a midwife."
Shafia Monroe, International Center for Traditional Childbirth president, introduced the ICTC board members present.
