LA'Patricia Washington

Kit Heintzman

LA'Patricia Washington

kheintzman@gmail.com

#abortion, #Alzeimers, #antiBlackracism, #babies, #bereavement, #Black, #cats, #CDC, #colorblindracism, #commissioning, #compassion, #dissociation, #education, #family, #fear, #fostering, #GeorgeFloyd, #gigwork, #gradschool, #graduation, #grief, #hair, #hugs, #Ivermectin, #Jackson, #loss, #masks, #medicalracism, #mentalhealth, #military, #Mississippi, #nursinghomes, #overworked, #parents, #pets, #policebrutality, #poverty, #PPE, #prayer, #pregnancy, #prisons, #queer, #race, #racism, #rural, #school, #selfcare, #socialmedia, #suicide, #testing, #therapy, #trauma, #vaccination, #war

Video

Jackson, MS, USA

woman

25 to 34

African American

“I am 30 years old. I am a soldier in the military. I have obtained my Masters in social work. I am a birthing doula currently. I have a background in child welfare, mental health, forensics, social work, geriatrics care. And I have been an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic for the past 12 years.”

Some of the things we discussed included
Celebrating small moments
Joining the military at 17; leaving the traditional workforce for independent contract/gig work: doula, photo editing, jewelry making, online broadcasting
Father passing away at the end of 2019; nursing homes before the pandemic
Mother has Alzeimers, and that impact on mother’s ability to make decisions; mother catching COVID; mother living without internet connection and in a house with poor insulation
Providing medical support to the state of Mississippi for 15 months during the pandemic through military service: COVID testing in prisons, nursing homes, etc.; reactions to uniform
Under resourced pandemic healthcare: supplies, people; traumatic working conditions; numbing
Working 17-days straight; sleep deprivation; needs for accommodation in schooling
Patient anxieties about COVID testing, conspiracies; compassionate listening and communication
Changing regulations/policies in work and in school
Service in rural areas of Mississippi
Picking up on the energy of others
In-person vs. online therapy
Anti-masking sentiments in Mississippi
Poverty, low incomes, and lack of education in Mississippi
CDC messaging on Ivermectin directed to Mississippians
Commissioning late, Jackson State University lack of communication and direction when dealing with soldiers/students during the pandemic and graduation process
Getting training as a doula during the pandemic, virtual doula teaching and online doula mentorship; pre-COVID expectations about doulas
Living with cats and emotional support (Cleopatra and Dynasty)
Family experiences of attending birthing and labor for family members, nurturing cousins
Hospital COVID restrictions on doulas accompanying pregnant patients; preparing pregnant clients to go through medical appointments and the birthing process alone (without doula, friends, or their partner); teaching pregnant people about their options
Medical racism and the importance of self-advocacy; 3x higher mortality among Black mothers in the USA; assumptions that Black people don’t feel pain or feel less pain than white people
The value in teaching black clients about medical racism and pregnancy
The value in teaching white clients about medical racism and pregnancy
Having lost a child from an ectopic pregnancy that doctors ignored; medically terminating the pregnancy to survive
Abortion advocacy and right to choice
Overt and colorblind racisms
Anti-Black racism and police brutality; police knowledge about domestic violence and their assumptions about survivors; fearing for the safety of Black family members; not wanting to see another #justicefor…
Racist associations with Blackness and aggression, violence, addiction, and anger
Having locks; assumptions based on hairstyle; hair as a part of a spiritual journey
Having survived childhood and adult trauma; dissociation and humor as coping strategies
Transgenerational impact of domestic violence starting in the womb
Trauma in the welfare and fostering system; trauma in staying with parents who are not prepared to nurture their child’s needs
Bio-psycho-social assessment; the importance of health maintenance
Learning about the “spark of life” from Dr. Trenia Allen, PhD at Jackson State University School of Social Work (professor), gratitude for transformative lessons
Elaborate bubble baths as selfcare, treating self with meals and drinks
The wisdom of pandemic babies
Wondering what parts of the pandemic policies will be considered inhumane in hindsight

Cultural references:
I Love Lucy, George Floyd, Yahoo, Facebook, Google, TikToc, Cryptocurrencies, Chelsie Kryst’s suicide, George Lee popular as Conscious Lee

Background

Enlisted in the United States Army as a National Guard service member - 2009
Completed Basic Training for the Army - 2009
Graduated from high school - 2010
Completed Combat Medic training (AIT) - 2010
Enrolled at Jackson State University - 2011
Justice and Converse - 2012-2018 (sales associate to Brand Experience manager)
Military Deployment - 2014-2015
Beauty Make Up Artist (Makeup Designory L.A, California) - 2016
Bachelors of Social Work (Jackson State University) - 2018
Enrolled in MSW Program (Jackson State University)
Birthing Doula Training (National Black Doula Association) - 2020
Masters of Social Work (Jackson State University) - 2021
Covid Rapid Response Team (Army) - 2019 - 2021
Independent Birthing Doula - La Thee Doula - 2021

See also:
https://nara.getarchive.net/media/cadet-lapatricia-washington-a-senior-medic-with-the-1b399a
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/752771/why-serve-cadet-washington

2022-03-01T13:10