Sherveriria Harris

My name is Sherveriria Harris and I am the founder and owner of Karibu Mama Pregnancy Services formerly known as Gifted Doulas llc, established in 2018. Karibu Mama means “welcome mother” and provides competent, assessable, affordable child birth education, lactation, and full circle doula services to local families (full circle means from conception through 1 year postpartum). My mission is to improve birth outcomes, and put an end to the high infant mortality and maternal morbidity rates for black birthing peoples in North East Ohio. I bring a unique combination of formal birth education and lived birth experiences to my work in maternal support and education.

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I have been married to my husband for 19 years and we birthed five children naturally. I am a stay at home mom and achieved my lactation goals for 4 out of my 5 children, I nursed them for at least their first year. My experiences with nursing my first child, and ultimately stopping before I was ready, fuels my passion to support and educate BIPOC lactating families. I have provided breastfeeding and natural birth support to friends and family for over 20 years. In 2014, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Social Science with a concentration in education, from Ashford University. In 2015 I developed and administered a birthing program for a local non-profit agency. In 2018 I began taking yearly formal doula trainings with several national known doula agencies: DONA, Sufficient Grace Ministries, Ancient Song, Madrella and SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Attendants. Shafia Monroe Consulting Birthing Change trainings were very impactful to my birth-work, they focused on the traditions of the African American Midwife, and providing culturally competent care to families. In 2019 I began my formal lactation training with The Healthy Children Project and received my Certified Lactation Consultants license from ALPP. I am currently studying to become an Advanced Certified Lactation Consultant. I also continue to study traditional birthing practices around the world especially those cultures of the African Diaspora.

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My passion for formal birth-work blossomed in 2015 while working for a local non-profit to develop a program to help improve the birth outcomes of black mothers in Stark County. I quickly learned that there is a void in quality, skilled, racially competent maternity education and support for black birthers in North East Ohio. I can attest to having first hand knowledge of pervasive medical racism, a lack of skilled support, mistreatment and the ignorning of BIPOC bodies and thier voices within the maternal health care system. I made a commitment to serve black women unapologetically and to do all that I can to be sure that they are seen, heard, educated, loved and fully empowered. It is my goal for Karibu Mama to be a safe space for BIPOC families to receive the physical, emotional and educational support they need and deserve to thrive.