The California Black Infant Health (BIH) Program’s aim is to improve health among Black mothers and babies by empowering pregnant and mothering Black women to make healthy choices for a brighter future. BIH focuses exclusively on empowering Black/African American women by connecting them with the vital care and support needed to promote healthy behaviors during pregnancy and continuing after her baby is born.

As an AWBW Facilitator at BIH, it has been my joy to use the AWBW curriculum to support my clients, African American women who are pregnant and parenting.

I created a variation of the Touchstone Journey workshop to invite them to create a resource to anchor their path forward as a parent.

I welcomed each participant to think of 5 gifts they wanted most to pass on to their children: 5 character traits, words, or expressions. I invited them to express each one onto a card, and then use a touchstone hole punch to create a touchstone from that card.

Each participant created a beautiful set of 5 touchstones representing the gifts they want to give their child, so when their child is born, they have something tangible to pass on. They can say: “These five gifts are things that I committed to you, before you were even born.”

I encouraged them, as a parent, to hold onto their cards to support their journey and remember: “If I’m giving these gifts to my child, I must have them within me as well, because I cannot give something I do not have.”

So with the cards AND the stones, the workshop was a powerful commitment not only to their children but also to themselves.

I love how AWBW invites me to create pathways for continuous self-care. Having a tangible reminder clarifies our purpose through ups and downs. I like to tell my participants: “Through your purpose, enjoy the journey.”

I invite anyone reading this story to use this project with expectant mothers in your life, and/or create your own variations of Touchstone Journey. And of course, feel free to share your stories back. Together we transform trauma.