The Collective

Felisa Yzaguirre is a Xicana partera/ midwife licensed in Texas. She was born and raised on lands of the Tigua of Ysleta del Sur Pueblo. Known as the vast desert that unites El Paso, TX, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, along the Rio Grande River. She made her way to Tonkawa land in 2008 to attend the University of Texas at Austin. After earning her Bachelor’s in Developmental Psychology she was blessed to be pregnant but found herself unsatisfied with her care. She decided to shift to home birth, and seek out the care of midwives. She wanted warm individualized care, someone she could relate to, a provider that trusted her wisdom to birth and respected her bodily autonomy. The search for a midwife of color came up short. Giving birth to her sweet daughter at home in 2013 led her to a journey of empowerment that aligned her to her life’s path; the midwife she looked for was looking her back in the mirror.

The call to be a midwife came with an accidental homebirth as a doula. Soon after this birth, I started my studies with the non-profit midwifery school at Mercy in Action in 2016. During my clinical training, I was able to serve many clients and their families in several home birth practices as well as a birth center in Austin Texas. As a Latina and an Afrocaribbean, I will make sure your voice is heard. I want to help you be in control of your prenatal/birth/postpartum care and health with the latest evidence-based information. I am committed to lessening the disparities in maternal health among People of Color, Latinos and the LGBTQ Community.

Ellen/Elena Gonzalez is a multi dimensional healer following ancestral alignment, on the path toward traditional midwifery. ExperienceHealerd using ancient practices, combined with holistic natural healings. She offers frequencies of yoga therapy, meditations & deepening relationships with plants, trees & fungus medicines daily. Honored & humbled to support folx & families as a full spectrum reproductive justice Doula. And creating a lifestyle committed to decolonization & fiercely protecting, cultivating, preserving the earth & waters. Ellen/Elena Gonzalez (ella/ella) es una sanadora multidimensional siguiendo la alineación ancestral, en el camino de la partería tradicional. Experimentado usando prácticas antiguas, combinadas con curaciones naturales holísticas. Ofrece frecuencias de terapia de yoga, meditaciones y profundización de las relaciones con plantas, árboles y hongos. Agradecida por apoyar a personas y familias como Doula de justicia reproductiva de espectro completo. Creando un estilo de vida comprometido con la descolonización y protegiendo, cultivando y preservando la tierra y las aguas.

Irasema aka Iris is a Spanish/English speaking full spectrum doula and bodyworker/sobadora, as well as a Reiki healer. She has supported parents and families in the Austin area, as a doula since 2009. Iris volunteered with GALS for 7 years where she got most of her birthing experience. She uses a traditional Mexican textile called the Rebozo which can help with optimal fetal positioning and comfort during birthing time. Iris also teaches classes on the use of the Rebozo in pregnancy birth and postpartum as well as using it as a self-care tool. She has trained with DONA International, Vida Luna Massage y Mas, Mercy in Action as a Midwifery assistant. Traditional Rebozo techniques with Marucha Ilhuakatzin and techniques passed down from my abuela Juana Solis Martinez.

Hi! I’m Zulmy Galindo, a certified birth and postpartum doula and owner of Mama Nueva. Becoming a parent inspired me to pursue this work as I experienced how powerful and transformative the birthing process is. Being a doula has brought me so much joy. I believe that connecting with and supporting families during such a vulnerable and important time in their lives, providing access to care, educating and overall empowering birthing people is truly fundamental for healthy maternal/ birthing outcomes. I am the proud mama of a magical 3 year old. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, reading, listening to podcasts, and baking. I was born in Guatemala and moved to the states when I was 7 years old. Spanish is my first language. I got a Bachelors in Marketing at Missouri State University and moved to Austin shortly thereafter. I have been married for 5 years to a man that makes me laugh:) I look forward to working with you and your family!

Teresa Martinez, also known as Tere, is a Bilingual Educator, Public Speaker, and the Founder of Roots & Remedy (R&R). As an Latinapreneur and Licensed Massage Therapist, Tere experienced two life-changing home births with the support of a Midwife. These profound experiences ignited her curiosity about Midwifery, leading her to obtain her Doula certification shortly before the birth of her third child. With family roots in central Mexico and a lineage of indigenous curanderas, Tere honors her heritage by blending traditional Mexican and ancient healing practices with modern technologies to enhance well-being. Her extensive training includes bodywork, pranic healing, rebozo therapy, redox cellular health coaching, and scalar plasma acupuncture. Tere firmly believes that healing oneself also heals one's ancestors and future generations. Tere's personal healing and spiritual journeys fuel her mission to empower individuals to reclaim their health and well-being. She volunteers as a bilingual doula for GALS, LAMP and serves as a PIP leader for bilingual groups. With a deep passion for inspiring women and teen girls to heal, evolve, and reconnect with their roots, she leads women's circles and retreats, fostering a sense of community and self-discovery. Tere looks forward to working with you and your beautiful family through your own birth and healing journeys.

Hello friends, I'm Hannah! I grew up in Houston, Texas and have generational roots in Mississippi. I originally came to Austin in 2015 for college. After graduating into the pandemic, I was in search of my life's work, not a career path. This led me to become a student of trauma-informed yoga, and I began cultivating my relationship with herbs and the medicine they provide. The more I began to learn about women's health and our intuitive nature, the more the wisdom of birth revealed itself to me. I'm a full-spectrum doula, trained yoga teacher, home herbalist, and placenta caretaker. Since the fall of 2023, I have been on the path of becoming a traditional midwife. This path continues to unfold, shift, and transform as I follow the lead of Allah SWT and my guides. It is truly my honor to serve families as they embark on this wondrous and transformative path. I believe it is only right that each new soul who chooses to be born here is not only greeted well, but ushered in with Love. I have trained with Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, Montse Olmos of Mujer de la Tierra, Maestra Paula of Ancient Healing Arts, Maestra Irasema of Las Manos Magicas, and Whapio Bartlett of The Matrona. I have also worked under Austin Doula Care and Mama Sana Vibrant Woman. In my free time, I enjoy being outside, watercolor painting, reading, sitting in ceremony with plantcestors, cuddling my cat Nala, or drinking several cups of herbal tea.

Elena Colón (she/her) is a queer boricua (puertorriqueña) single mami, student midwife, community health worker, full spectrum birth companion (doula) and herbalist. She has a background in birth and reproductive justice work, community organizing, and medical case management. Elena started a free community reproductive health clinic called Luz de Atabey Midwifery Project (LAMP) in Austin, TX.