CoCo Doulas
You deserve care, respect, and support throughout your birth journey.
For many Black birthing people in Contra Costa County, that experience has too often been shaped by stress, dismissal, and unequal treatment.
CoCo Doulas exists to change that reality.
We provide no-cost, community-based doula support for Black birthing people and families, alongside training and apprenticeship opportunities that grow a strong, local network of doulas rooted in care and justice.
Bringing a child into the world should be a time of care, dignity, and connection.
Whether you are pregnant, planning for birth, supporting a loved one, or seeking to learn more about birth justice, you are welcome here.
What Is a Community-Based Doula?
A community-based doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.
What makes community-based doulas unique is trust.
Our doulas are members of the communities they serve.
They bring cultural understanding, lived experience, and deep respect for each family’s values, needs, and choices.
This kind of support can help birthing people feel informed, grounded, and supported as they navigate pregnancy and birth.
About CoCo Doulas
CoCo Doulas is a community-based doula program and training initiative operated by FIERCE Advocates in partnership with Contra Costa County’s Perinatal Equity Initiative.
We serve Black birthing people throughout Contra Costa County by offering no-cost doula services and by training doulas who are committed to birth justice, community care, and collective healing.
We know that racial disparities in maternal and infant health are not caused by individual choices.
They are the result of systems that have failed Black families for generations. CoCo Doulas works alongside families to provide support, advocacy, and care within those systems, while also building long-term change through community leadership and education.
Doula Support for Black Birthing People
If you are pregnant or planning for birth, CoCo Doulas offers free support to walk with you through this season of life.
Our goal is for you to feel heard, respected, and supported every step of the way!
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Prenatal Support
Guidance, education, and emotional care as you prepare for birth
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Labor and Delivery Support
Continuous, trusted presence during birth
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Postpartum Support
Hands-on care, emotional check-ins, and resources for the first three months after birth
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Community Connections
Referrals to services and programs that strengthen family and community well-being
How to Request Doula Support
If you are interested in receiving CoCo Doula services, you can complete our interest form. A member of our team will follow up to learn more about your needs and availability.
Submitting the form does not guarantee enrollment: Due to high demand, families are contacted based on due date and program capacity.
Referrals for Providers and Community Partners
We work closely with healthcare providers, clinics, and community organizations to support Black birthing people across the county.
If you are a service provider and would like to refer a client to CoCo Doulas, you can complete our provider referral form. Our team will follow up to coordinate care and next steps.
CoCo Doula Training and Apprenticeship
CoCo Doulas also offers a community-based doula training and apprenticeship program for those who feel called to support Black birthing people and families.
The training is a two-year fellowship hosted in collaboration with Contra Costa County Health Services staff and community health practitioners.
Graduates of the program go on to provide doula care to Black families throughout the county.
Training includes instruction using the Health Connect One community-based doula curriculum, hands-on learning, observation of clinical births and classes, and ongoing mentorship.
If you are interested in future training cohorts, we invite you to connect with us!
Our team will reach out when applications open.
Why Birth Justice Matters
Birth outcomes are not equal, and that inequity is not accidental.
Black birthing people experience higher rates of pregnancy complications, infant mortality, and poor treatment within healthcare systems.
These disparities are rooted in systemic racism, economic inequity, and long-standing neglect of Black communities.
Birth justice means that every person has the right to safe, respectful, and culturally responsive care before, during, and after birth. It means listening to Black birthing people, trusting their knowledge of their own bodies, and ensuring they are supported rather than dismissed.
CoCo Doulas is part of a broader movement for birth justice locally and beyond.
We stand in solidarity with efforts like the Deliver Black Justice campaign to end racism in maternal and infant health.
CoCo Doulas is built on relationships, trust, and shared wisdom.
From client experiences to reflections from our doulas, these stories show what care can look like when it is rooted in community.
Shared Journeys: Birth & Community
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Radical Love in Action: 4th CoCo Doulas Graduation
18 new community-based doulas graduated from FIERCE Advocates’ CoCo Doulas program, bringing the total trained to 60.
Many were once clients themselves, now stepping into advocacy, healing, and birth justice to support Black families in Contra Costa County.
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Erica’s Journey to a Supported Birth
After past traumatic birth experiences, Erica found advocacy, care, and reassurance through the CoCo Doula Program. Her story shows how culturally rooted doula support can transform fear into confidence and connection.
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Supporting Black Births With Care and Dignity
Meet the community-based doulas of CoCo Doulas and learn how their culturally responsive support is helping Black birthing people navigate pregnancy, birth, and healthcare systems with confidence and care.
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Confronting Racial Inequities in Maternal Health
Maternal health disparities are not accidental. This piece unpacks how systemic racism and bias shape pregnancy and birth outcomes for Black mothers and birthing people and why birth justice requires both awareness and action.
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Black Doulas Responding to the Maternal Care Crisis
As Black families continue to face disproportionate risks in pregnancy and birth, community-based doulas are stepping in where systems fall short.
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The Power of Us
CoCo Doula Program is strengthening maternal health, expanding culturally responsive care, and supporting families across Contra Costa County through community-led solutions.
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Black and Latinx Women Leading Birth Justice
In honor of Women’s History Month 2025, this story lifts up Black and Latinx women driving the birth justice movement locally and beyond, and highlights how CoCo Doulas is advancing culturally rooted care, leadership, and healthier birth outcomes in Contra Costa County.
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Reducing Maternal Mortality
Maternal mortality disproportionately affects Black and Latinx mothers, driven by systemic inequities in healthcare.
Learn how FIERCE Advocates is addressing these disparities through advocacy, education, and culturally responsive support for families in Contra Costa County.
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Self-Advocacy During Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be both joyful and challenging, especially for Black mothers navigating systemic inequities in healthcare.
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Stronger Together: CoCo Doulas + Breast Friends
FIERCE Advocates partners with Breast Friends Lactation Support Services to provide culturally affirming breastfeeding education and support for Black and Brown families.
This collaboration expands CoCo Doulas’ no-cost prenatal, birth, and postpartum care to include lactation guidance that celebrates culture, heritage, and wellness.
You are not alone
Whether you are seeking support for your birth, learning more about birth justice, or considering becoming a doula, CoCo Doulas is here to walk alongside you.
We are here to ensure your journey is supported and your voice is heard.