Birthing the birthright: Midwife Leadership Style with African American clergywomen

Abstract

Internalized oppression is a reasonable response to the inundation of messages that are disempowering and devaluing. In this project, movies have helped African American clergywomen explore and deconstruct these messages. The Midwife Leadership Style created a participant-centered environment where women became free to share even as they would if they were gathered around a kitchen table. Within the project, movies were used to stimulate dialogue and as a disseminator of educational content. It was my finding that women were able to learn to identify these messages and to gain skills that enable them to develop healthy responses. The project establishes a foundation for additional work in exploring the unique and powerful understanding of faith that African American women possess.