TULSA, Okla. — There is a sacred revolution rising in Tulsa, one rooted in love, sisterhood, and unapologetic Black healing. This November, Queens Village Tulsa, a program of the Oklahoma Birth Equity Initiative (OKBEI), will host its first official Queens Village Week, an expansive, week-long celebration designed to empower and uplift Black mothers and families across the city.
Held November 3–9, this year’s theme, “Rooted in Sisterhood, Rising in Power,” reflects a movement in full bloom, one that centers community care as a strategy for survival and success in the face of staggering Black maternal health disparities.
According to Oklahoma Maternal Health Morbidity and Mortality 2024 Annual Report, Black and Indigenous mothers in Oklahoma are the most likely to face life-threatening complications during childbirth, a stark reminder of racial inequities in maternal health.
What is Queens Village?
Queens Village is a supportive, community-led space created by and for Black women. It fosters connection, healing, and engagement through culturally grounded programming. The initiative, originally founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in response to Black infant and maternal mortality, has since expanded to multiple cities, including Tulsa. Now in its fourth year here, Queens Village Tulsa is building powerful momentum under the guidance of local leaders like Brittany Stewart and Megan Buyckes.
“Queens Village is about rest, relaxation, and repowering,” said Stewart, a Tulsa-born doula and program specialist with OKBEI. “It’s about showing Black women that we matter, that our stories matter, and that our healing is sacred.”
A Personal Mission
For Stewart, this work is deeply personal. Her own traumatic birth experience left her feeling unheard and unseen. Today, she uses that experience to help other women advocate for themselves. “If you can’t take care of yourself, how are you going to take care of your babies or your community?” she asked during her interview with The Black Wall Street Times.
Buyckes, who serves as OKBEI’s Community Engagement Specialist, echoed the sentiment. “So many Black women don’t have sacred spaces. Queens Village gives us a space to be seen, to connect, and to just be ourselves.”
DeShara V with actress Tatyana Ali | Photo courtesy of Queens Village Tulsa
Queens Village Week 2025: Schedule of Events
The inaugural Queens Village Week will include four cornerstone events:
Nov. 5 | 4–8 PM — Maternity Photo Session: A celebratory photo shoot for expectant mothers.
Nov. 6 | 5:30–8 PM — Mommy & Me Stroll on Greenwood: A gentle community walk through Tulsa’s historic Greenwood district, led by historian Christy Williams.
Nov. 8 | 8 AM–4 PM — Rest, Relax, Repower Conference: An immersive day of wellness and empowerment workshops.
Nov. 9 | 1–4 PM — Community Baby Shower: A joyful gathering for expectant families with gifts and support.
Changing the Narrative
Black women in Oklahoma are up to three times more likely than White women to die from pregnancy-related complications. Queens Village and OKBEI aim to change those outcomes by providing education, advocacy, and culturally competent care.
OKBEI, through partnerships like “Team Birth,” now includes doulas as core members of hospital birthing teams, empowering mothers to express themselves during labor and beyond.
“Doulas are now counted as part of the birth team. We can have a voice in those rooms for moms, joining the doctor, nurses, and midwife in each phase of labor. That way, moms feel comfortable expressing themselves or having their doula or partner advocate for them,” Buyckes explained.
The Future is Black, and It’s Birthing Justice
Looking ahead, both Stewart and Buyckes envision a future where Queens Village is as well-known in Oklahoma as Black Wall Street itself. With expansion already underway in rural communities like Muskogee, the movement is growing fast.
“When Black women are supported,” said Buyckes, “the entire community rises.”
Get Involved and Follow
Community members can donate or volunteer by visiting okbirthequity.org and noting “Queens Village” in the comment section. Follow Queens Village Tulsa on Instagram for updates and event details.