Sitting here going through the images of my dear friend Kristianna giving birth, I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and admiration for this woman. Being able to capture such an incredibly sacred and spiritual moment in my friend's life reaffirmed for me the need for black women to share our stories, boldly and unapologetically.

As a person that doesn't have children, watching her, listening to her be so candid and actually being able to be in the room with Kristy and her family and loved ones, was one of the most powerful experiences I've ever had. Honestly, up until now, I've been super afraid of pregnancy and childbirth. I'm assuming that this is due to my lack of knowledge around what would happen to my mind/body/spirit during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

You hear stories of when people go into labor, sometimes it's something funny like, "Oh I was sitting at a restaurant and my water broke all over the floor," or you'll hear little stories about the way your body changes. For me, I can't remember hearing any stories from people that were detailed and honest accounts.

We live in a society that functions off of fear and isolation as a form of control. The one thing fear hates is to have a light shined on it because once we see it, all there is left to do is conquer it. Kristy is out here with a flashlight and giving us all light and hope.

My friend opened up her life to the world, she showed us and is continuing to show us how important it is to tell your story so that others can see themselves. She is pushing back on societies narratives about black mothers birthing.

Again, I am so grateful. There are very few moments in life that have taken my breath away. Here's Kristy's birthing story...

Make sure you check out Kristianna's blog, "The Curl-Less Journey" to read about her journey!

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