Brittany Martin Oral History, 2022/05/10

Some of the things we discussed include:
Beginning of the pandemic: canceling travel plans, nature taking back the city, shortage of PPE and toilet paper, uncertainty about the seriousness of the problem
Young kids learning through mailed-out packages from the school, transitioning to online learning, sending children back to school
Talking with kids about the pandemic without scaring them
Positive experiences with a doula, becoming a doula in wanting to serve Black women so those women could have doulas who look like them; needing more Black healthcare professionals in general
Hospital pandemic policies separated doulas from their clients
Virtual doula work
Medical hierarchies in the birthing process, physicians dismissing doulas, certification
Hospitals making decisions for birthing people that are about speed and money, not the birther’s needs
“Birthing person” word choice, inclusive language
Staying away from the news
Not wanting to get on a plane, go to a mall or a concert, avoiding and missing out on celebratory events, becoming less spontaneous
Health policy weaponized against vulnerable people; racism and maternal mortality rate; home births being criminalized or not covered by insurance
Government policy and healthcare access; universal healthcare
Impersonal, for-profit healthcare
Pollution and the poor quality of food making people sick; climate change and a dying planet; planets for sale
Driving rather than taking public transit
The new experience of worrying about asymptomatic illness
Love and health; warmth and safety
Finding hope in the work of younger generations: the student led walkout in Florida over “Don’t say gay” Bill, youth working for clean water
Getting support from friendship and family, providing support to clients and receiving support from clients: feeling “seen” and “loved”
Preparing for first vending event
Moving back in with mother after eviction
Comparisons between the USA and other government policies to support citizens with housing, unemployment, and health needs during the pandemic
Easy application for government pandemic assistance; slow turn around on getting assistance
Consequences of inadequate unemployment support
Unaffordable housing and minimum wage; site unseen renting
Landlords rejecting Rent Assistance Funds
Landlords and apartment management companies exploiting the housing market
The importance of regular people in history; those most impacted by legislation and policy that exploits and harms them
Police brutality, policy murdering Black people without consequence
Fatal homophobia and transphobia
The freedom to “just be”
Men controlling women’s bodies and pregnancy

Other cultural references: Beyonce, Lysol, Saturday Night Live, Florida’s HB 1557, Baltimore Gas and Electric, Baltimore Birth Festival (https://marylandfamiliesforsafebirth.org/event/new-2nd-annual-baltimore-birth-festival-may-15-2022/), Love After Lockup, Pearl Burk’s “the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members”

See also:
https://www.msfdoula.com

May 10, 2022

Kit Heintzman

Brittany Martin

Kit Heintzman

Video

English Gender & Sexuality

English Business & Industry

English NGOs (non-profits)

English Economy

English Education--K12

English Healthcare

English Government Local

English Entrepreneurs

English Public Health & Hospitals

motherhood

doula

rent assistance

racism

vendor

healthcare family

Baltimore

BigPharma

Black

capitalism

children

doula

education

empathy

eviction

food

healthcare

homophobia

hospitals

housing

landlords

LGBTQ+

love

Maryland

masking

medical racism

motherhood

news

optimism

race

racism

resilience

school

transportation

Motherhood

Black Voices

06/15/2022

08/02/2022

08/06/2022

01/27/2023

03/08/2023

05/10/2022

Kit Heintzman

Brittany Martin

Baltimore

Maryland

United States of America

Video

English

01:50:45

Beginning of the pandemic: canceling travel plans, nature taking back the city, shortage of PPE and toilet paper, uncertainty about the seriousness of the problem. Young kids learning through mailed-out packages from the school, transitioning to online learning, sending children back to school. Talking with kids about the pandemic without scaring them. Positive experiences with a doula, becoming a doula in wanting to serve Black women so those women could have doulas who look like them; needing more Black healthcare professionals in general. Hospital pandemic policies separated doulas from their clients. Virtual doula work. Medical hierarchies in the birthing process, physicians dismissing doulas, certification. Hospitals making decisions for birthing people that are about speed and money, not the birther’s needs. “Birthing person” word choice, inclusive language. Staying away from the news. Not wanting to get on a plane, go to a mall or a concert, avoiding and missing out on celebratory events, becoming less spontaneous. Health policy weaponized against vulnerable people; racism and maternal mortality rate; home births being criminalized or not covered by insurance. Government policy and healthcare access; universal healthcare. Impersonal, for-profit healthcare. Pollution and the poor quality of food making people sick; climate change and a dying planet; planets for sale. Driving rather than taking public transit. The new experience of worrying about asymptomatic illness. Love and health; warmth and safety. Finding hope in the work of younger generations: the student led walkout in Florida over “Don’t say gay” Bill, youth working for clean water. Getting support from friendship and family, providing support to clients and receiving support from clients: feeling “seen” and “loved”. Preparing for first vending event. Moving back in with mother after eviction. Comparisons between the USA and other government policies to support citizens with housing, unemployment, and health needs during the pandemic. Easy application for government pandemic assistance; slow turn around on getting assistance. Consequences of inadequate unemployment support. Unaffordable housing and minimum wage; site unseen renting. Landlords rejecting Rent Assistance Funds. Landlords and apartment management companies exploiting the housing market. The importance of regular people in history; those most impacted by legislation and policy that exploits and harms them. Police brutality, policy murdering Black people without consequence. Fatal homophobia and transphobia. The freedom to “just be”. Men controlling women’s bodies and pregnancy

Kit Heintzman 00:03
Hello.

Brittany Martin 00:05
Hi.

Kit Heintzman 00:06
Could I ask you to start by stating your full name, the date, the time and your location?

Brittany Martin 00:11
Yes, Brittany Martin. It is May 10, 2022. 5:55pm. I am in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

Kit Heintzman 00:25
And do you consent to having this interview recorded, digitally uploaded and publicly released under Creative Commons License attribution noncommercial sharealike?

Brittany Martin 00:35
Yes.

Kit Heintzman 00:37
Would you please start by just introducing yourself to anyone who might find themselves listening to this, what would you want them to know about you?

Brittany Martin 00:44
Hmm Good question. Um I am a doula, I do birth work. Sody postpartum support, pregnancy, laws, abortion, birth, all of the things. Lactation support, placenta encapsulation. I am 30 years old, I'm a mom, I would consider myself a a whew a few words came about when I started to think of that I would think of myself as like a pioneer in a sense. I am resilient, I've had to learn to be brave and courageous and do the things that terrify me um. I think that's it how now I'm already done the fun loving person then consider myself a free spirit, I love nature and outside and being a mom and Beyonce, cats, animals, in general but especially cats. Yeah, I think that's all that comes to mind right now.

Kit Heintzman 02:33
Tell me a story about life in the early side of the pandemic.

Brittany Martin 02:37
It was very chaotic it seemed it was a time where nobody knew what to believe. If this was a really big thing if it was not a big thing I personally had I was supposed to be going to a conference that weekend for to me that with other birth workers I guess that networking event so to speak, and could not that the day. I believe I was supposed to get on a plane they were like you shouldn't and everything shut down. What was open like grocery stores, liquor stores, gas stations. Probably in our whatever they was deemed essential. Gas prices were really low. So that was nice. Probably around like $2 a gallon. Give or take. Um, it was really nice for a while I remember because it seemed like nature was happy again, there was but it seemed like a Disney movie. And the birds are singing, be enjoyable and all the bugs came out to play and it seems more. So much more green outside. Yeah, and then there was on the other side, a lot of confusion and devastation and a lot of people were sick and loss in hospitals were overwhelmed. Nurses, Doctors were overwhelmed.

Brittany Martin 04:51
There was PPE just like personal protective gear and surgical masks and all these things that we were supposed to be wearing. But there was a shortage of, there was no toilet paper in the stores. Everyone was buying all of the toilet paper.And what else was there it was hard to find hand sanitizer and cleaning products for a while and then when we could find them, they were severely overpriced. For a while. I feel like Lysol is still more expensive than what it was, which is a disinfectant. Because there was nothing to do and nowhere to go. Everyone was at home and even on there was a sketch comedy show called Saturday Night Live. And they were also recording from home. And it was very strange. Because everyone was at home, everything was virtual. Everyone was talking to each other on computers and through video chat on computers or phones. We were not supposed to be gathering in groups of more than 10 I believe. There was a lot of misconceptions about how COVID-19 spread and things you can do to prevent it, it was craziness.And then the kids they were not in school, they were at home. They were also learning on the computer. Ah. And they were with us. So working from home and then our children learning from home. And it was that was a lot in itself. I still to this day, wipe off my groceries when I get home from the store but there was a lot of ordering in whether it be groceries or just meals. That didn't even seem didn't seem to be a lot of people outside at all for a little while like even to the plate there was no kids on playgrounds for a while I know a lot of playgrounds have been blocked off and then hospitals were not allowing doulas and I remember that. So we were not able to support our clients and then that was something else that had to be virtual and there was controversy around that so to speak because doulas are not you know consider visitors although hospitals were grouping us in as visitors and many health organizations it's stated that we are an essential part of the birth team so it was a lot a lot of people that were in the hospital because of COVID-19 were in the hospitals alone we're not allowed to have anyone there with them so their loved ones were having to you know were like in the parking lot or even call it in one video chat on the phone and that was all the contact they could have it was a really I don't know I think I said devastating but the only word I could think of it was devastating but then had its beautiful parts where you know we were we were able to slow down a lot of us and just be still for a minute and kind of rest and be with our families and then other people were not able to of course emergency workers police and medical staff and you know emergency services those who work in grocery stores gas stations all the like but yeah, so ahead it was it was a time it was it was a time.

Kit Heintzman 09:08
What was it like interacting with your clients virtually?

Brittany Martin 09:18
Did not like it. Um but it was also good to know that we had a way to connect with them with each other. It was something we had to get used to. Because prior to that many of us were not, like none of our visits were virtual they were all in person but we did our consultations and we did any birth prep it was all in person. So now for it to be just you know video which A text message or phone calls. It almost felt like that a sense of connection was lost to you and then of course, supporting someone having a baby on the computer it it felt like I was not being helpful. It felt like how am I helping and I'm just sitting here watching everything. But that was something it was an adaptation we had to make and we've had to adjust. And now it's normal. But it's the time it was very strange. It was very uncomfortable. And I don't think any I don't think doulas or clients liked it. But also I know that it allowed a lot of doulas to connect with clients in different states because now it's like, okay, well, or even for consultations now. Okay, we'll go we don't have to travel. We can meet on the computer now. So it was oh, I guess it had its upside. But, um, but mostly, no, I didn't, I didn't enjoy.

Kit Heintzman 11:29
What brought you to this career path?

Brittany Martin 11:33
Um, I had a doula for my second birth, and I did not for my first and there was a huge difference in the way that my births went one birth I felt completely unprepared for. I did not know what was going on. I just showed up because I thought that's what we do you you're pregnant, then you go into labor, and you go to the hospital, and they do what they do. And baby got me. When I had a doula with my second birth, I was like, oh, so there are things that I can actually do to prepare and that I need to be aware of, and all of those things. So having that experience and having someone be that emotional, emotional support for me that I could call and, you know, whenever you know that, we were to return my call, and I was not a I wasn't, I guess, restricted to just visits when we would talk like I will, I wouldn't be with my doctor. I don't know. It was very, super helpful. Eye opening. It was a lot of things. But so I wanted to give that to other people, specifically, people who look like me black women. Because even at that time, seven years ago, it was it was very difficult to find black doulas. I didn't have a quick look. And I feel like that would have been nice. My doula was amazing. But it would have been nice. But anyway, so that was why I got into it to just I want it to I want it like I'm gonna have that type of support and have that had access to that type of information so that we're not going into births blindly, or you know, and we're able to make our own decisions and like, well, am I okay with this? And do I, you know, I haven't understanding what's going on and not making decisions in the moment and all of those things so that's my long answer to why I became a doula.

Kit Heintzman 14:07
Do you remember when you first heard about the pandemic?

Brittany Martin 14:12
First heard about it? Probably the week that every ad would standing out anyways, that first week when everything started to shut down, and then it's like, oh, this is really a thing.

Kit Heintzman 14:33
Yeah, what are your initial reactions at the beginning?

Brittany Martin 14:37
I was one of those people that was like it was really this is really that serious? Is it really a thing like is it you know, like, oh, is this just like the flu like, I wasn't certain what to believe, and probably because of the way that I'm done liters air quotes have led on and made it seem? Ah. So yeah, I didn't really I didn't feel I wasn't a person that was really paying. They've been freaking out about it. I was just like, well, it's so text, Jared. We're like, is this just another one? Yeah, so initially, that was my initial, my initial reaction.

Kit Heintzman 15:34
When did your reaction change to something more serious?

Brittany Martin 15:39
Oh, sorry. Could you repeat that?

Kit Heintzman 15:41
Oh, when did your reaction start to change?

Brittany Martin 15:44
Um I think when I learned like people that I knew were affected by it, because again, it was very weird. It was like being shut down. But it was only for a short time. I think in comparison to probably other country. But things that shut down. It seemed like, I could be misremembering, but I feel like it was only like, one or two weeks, it was something very brief. And so that added to me being like, um, but yeah, it was, it was a very brief time. But I had, I believe, at the top that year, I think, three of my relatives, they contract the COVID-19. And then just a friend and then I think their grand parents or something, like, just seeing because I try to stay away from it was a lot happening in the news. I was not, you know, fully invested because, you know, move. But like, hearing and seeing, you know, like counts like, oh, I had this or my relative to say this. I'm like, "Oh, okay. All right."

Kit Heintzman 17:34
What was it like when someone when you would hear someone in your vicinity social network family had contracted it?

Brittany Martin 17:45
Um, I think the one of the first ones were my aunt and uncle. And I don't know for sure at the time. I'm not sure they said at first that that's what it was. I just remember they gotten sick. I remember. That's the language that we should use anyway, like, Oh, they're really sick. And they're older. So I was concerned. And then later on, I had a cousin who said that they didn't have it. But we found out that they did. So I will say that that made me more paranoid about it. Because it's like, oh, people are like, have this and they're not being honest. I don't know if that's the question. I feel like I went a little bit left. But yeah. Yeah. That was my, how I was affected. I felt like I was it made me more like yeah, let me I'm gonna just the

Kit Heintzman 18:58
How did your kids react to things going online?

Brittany Martin 19:04
Um, they did not like so my oldest was in second grade. And I think at first it was who actually so I think probably every school or something or state, I don't know did something different here but they initially weren't online. They were email packets, and not emailed sorry. They were mailed packets. So that was chaotic to mail out work packets to an entire school. So that was a lot, and we were getting things out of order. And then it may have been this was March so tour. Maybe, May June ish, they kind of started to like, okay, just do these things on the computer. So, at that point, it wasn't I don't think it was too strenuous. They were Maryland was not prepared. So, the work on the computer was not too strenuous. It was the following school year where it was like, my kid was like, “No, I don't like this.” And then the so the following school year, in the fall of 2020, my youngest started kindergarten. So that wasn't fun. Because, you know, he was so excited to go to school. But now he's a reader. And that really shifted the way that he felt about school. So, they didn't, they didn't like it, they wanted to be with their friends and see their friends. And you know, and talk to them and be able to play at recess and all of those things, and they were not able to, and then just sitting in the computer, and then it'd be such little people. I don't think grownups competed for a long amount of time. But they did not. They did not like it.

Kit Heintzman 21:17
How much do you think they understood about what was going on?

Brittany Martin 21:21
Um, I felt like they understood what they needed to understand. I am not a person again, like I don't really watch the news that much just because it's always so much going on. And then there's, it can be anyway, fear mongering and all those things and uncertainty and, you know, so I didn't talk to them about it by first showing them the news. We just had our own, you know, it was more so like, “Okay, well, this is what's happening. And we need to make sure that we're, you know, washing our hands and I ain't know how kids are, they put their hands in their faces and all that.” So, you know, we go to the store, making sure that you're doing this and we went by groceries and all Bob because, you know, you can get really sick because there's something you know, so I tried to be gentle, but also like, Okay, this is serious. You know, without like, terrifying them, you know? Yeah.

Kit Heintzman 22:27
What are some of the things that have changed for you? Due to the pandemic?

Brittany Martin 22:32
Everything, I feel like a lot of people I'm 30 now and I feel like the past few years like I did not like to change I feel like I kind of become like a recluse. I do not want to be around a whole bunch of people just because you know, you know that people are germy anyway, but then the answer is like, oh, I can rest my life just you know, going to the bar or going to you know, wherever so I'm still a person that wears a mask everywhere to the gym, like everywhere and some people might find it ridiculous but I still wear a mask all the time I try to do things outdoors and not you know huddled indoors I wanted to homeschool my kids anyway but then all of this really kind of pushed that along. As I began homeschooling my kids they are not required to wear masks in school anymore like they can if they want or something strange. So um yeah everything has changed I kind of felt like the you know like the rest of my 20s was like robbed for me and like I don't like it so many things that I wanted to do like I don't want to you know, I wanted to travel and now I'm like, I don't want to get on the plane. I don't want to get on a plane. I don't want to do this I don't you know so. I don't know when the last time is I've been to a mall. So I do not have a few you know people that are still socialize with and see. Because you know, we're human and we need some type of connection. But definitely, I don't think my family has even gathered. Really since all of this.

Kit Heintzman 24:40
How did you feel when the schools opened back up?

Brittany Martin 24:46
I felt like what the hell is wrong with them? Why would they do this? Because children are lovely but they are gross touch everything and each other and have their hands everywhere and their noses in their eyes and their mouths. And they, you know, in their, in their innocence of sweetness, they just want to be so close. And you know, and I'm like, This is not a good idea. How are they going to do this and also a sadness because you're putting them together and then telling them that they can't be together. So they waited all this time to see their friends and then they can't go hug their friends. So it seemed very premature to me. And scary. And I remember I think the first year I did not send my kids to school, we just kept it virtual. Then the second year that schools were opened, I sent them back and I was very, very paranoid. All of the time. And yeah, I was like, Alright, come home, strip at the door, go take a shower. Like, that's how you know. And luckily, they have really good teachers. I know, my youngest teacher told him that like, "Okay, well, when you eat lunch, just take a bite and put your mask back up," you know, and she's like," I really care about you all, and I don't want you to get sick," you know, and all of that, but it was so. So sad and so stressful. So...

Kit Heintzman 26:33
When you started spending time with other people in smaller groups, how did you negotiate your like, boundaries and needs?

Brittany Martin 26:42
Well, luckily, I didn't have anybody around like that. I guess didn't feel the same way. Um, so I think the first part like aside from my mom because of you know, the work that I do, I think is some can remember at what point during 2020 rough feel like maybe it wasn't funny. I don't know. But my mom would be, would watch my kids while I worked and stuff. So and she's the closest, you know, in distance to me. So, it's my mom. And so, it was an understanding like, I'm in the house. She's in the she works from home. And at the time, I couldn't go in the hospital and things. So that was the first that was the first person and then later on in the year. My best friend and they you know, understood like, Okay, this is. So, we all know, we all kind of had an understanding. We're not like oh, outsides back open. Let's go do them out. You know, so wasn't Yeah, everybody that I've been around was understanding like, Okay, this is a thing and I'm going to be as safe as possible. And if I had to go anywhere, like I'm going to the grocery store, I'm going back in that was it. So I wasn't worried about anybody. Really anybody around me like that? I felt like okay, well, they've contracted this and they're not going to be honest about it, or yeah, I don't know. I didn't enough because I think my goddaughter had a birthday party or something that was like, You know what, I will all wear masks, you know, it was and it wasn't any pushback about it. It was just like yeah, how do we know like, how do we know who you know? So I don't know i It wasn't really I didn't really have to establish any boundaries. I feel like we were all kind of on the same page. "Please now go from peace" (to child in background).

Kit Heintzman 29:04
You've mentioned for like, dizzying quality of the news from 2020 to present. And like last few years have been a lot more than the pandemic I'm wondering what other issues have been taking up space in your mind. So hurt..


Brittany Martin 29:27
Um what comes to mind? I will say okay, um, what comes to mind? Is I remember I don't know just how I mean over the past few years, how difficult it's been to, I know, I've missed a lot of things? Um, and then that kind of feels, you know, you feel bad, like, someone has a celebration for whatever reason, but in this like, no, like, “Is it you or me,” you know. So that's, that's not been fun, then the I guess having to be a parent while working at the same is. That's been interesting. That was very interesting. I'll say, I don't know. And then the other thing that stands out to me is, again, like with birth work. It seems like prior to the pandemic, we were not too much once in the hospitals anyway. And then the pandemic was like, the perfect excuse. And now even, you know, to this day, it is a fight is so many obstacles in place for us to be there to support our clients who wish you know, I felt like, you know, the whole team, the doctors, like everybody should be on the same you know, we're supposed to be here providing this service to this birth in person. And but there's something else going on this night that and that's very scary. Because that when we look at it, it looks like they're not wanting to do lists there because now your patients are advocating for themselves or they're asking questions or they're saying no, or, and, you know, in here in the states where cesarean rates are out of control, induction rates are out of control if you can and do lose our seats, it's statistically proven to reduce this area and rates and you know, medical interventions and so many other things then like why do you want these people in your facilities that are costing you money while losing you know, money for a while, I guess the same costing my issues that are you know, so but, you know, and that's like the focus is supposed to be on the safety of these birthing people and their babies and it kind of makes you go so that's a that's a big thing that I that I think about that's been like heavily on my mind and then like all of the all of the things currently that we have to fight for his it is there where it you know, rights that are being lost and all of those things. But yeah, just I don't know and all of the know everybody that is not that should be. They feel like okay, I'm prepared. I've done what I was supposed to do. I've hired to do it. I've done this work, and then they get to the hospital and having to leave, leave that doulas behind where it's and then not getting that same support from the nurses. Because there's a nursing shortage and nurses are not you know, a lot of nurses are not trained as doulas and so many things. So all that comes of that, you know, just all that comes with that and the you know, not feeling safe when you're giving birth because of that you don't have the person you know, the people that you wanted with you to get you through this very intimate and special, like, huge moment in your life I don't know, I just have so many like thoughts all at once about it, but that's something that like, every day, there's just like who so that's a you know, fighting itself in trying to change that because, you know, the providers that don't want us there, you know, the powers that be are can then say, well, oh, this is a you know, we just want to slow or stop the spread of COVID like we are we wear PPE we are taking these precautions as well. We are we've already been with alkalines and personnel. You know, prior to this, you know, we're not here just to kick it. We're in one room with It's one family, you know? Where is you know, nurses and doctors, anesthesiologist, anybody out there that they have to bounce around no matter if another thing whatever family has COVID They still have to go. You know, so it's so many things that don't make sense about it. But um yeah, so that's I guess that's, that's that's what comes.

Kit Heintzman 35:30
I'd love to hear more about how you understand and navigate the like different pi...power hierarchies that happens in medical spaces.

Brittany Martin 35:44
How do I navigate that? That is a great question. I do not know, I am... What I began to do. I think prior, okay, so I can tell you prior to COVID and then the pandemic and versus now I learned that if I went to the hospital and scrubs nobody would like look twice at me, I felt like I my opinion or whatever was a valued if I appeared to be a nurse, even if I was not a part of their staff, I look like a nurse. And now that they are post COVID or pandemic, they are just posts so it was still in there. But you know, now, you know since the pandemic, it's they've set up obstacles. So now they can like screen to see how" Okay, so this person says like, Okay, well, this is my doula and what hospitals so just to give a little hospitals are now like, Okay, well, you can have a seat." Some of them are one person, some of them are two. So, the interesting thing about it is if I'm say I'm the one person that said they just want one person, I don't have to disclose that I'm a doula. And I get in. But once I disclose that, I'm a doula. Now, depending on the place, there some places have very strict policies. I know like Anna Rundle, Medical Center, very strict, they want a copy of your contract copy of your vaccination records copy all your COVID vaccination, copy, oh, or proof that you or your clients do the proof that what was the other one? Oh, and then your a copy of your certification. Um, as far as navigating there, it's been very difficult because I guess there's gatekeeping going on, in a sense. And of course, there's always somebody higher up. But if they don't want you to talk to that higher up, you're not going to be able to talk to the higher up. Um, I, I've heard in other states, where it's wasn't it's been cases where one hand didn't know what the other was doing. So, finding out whoever is above them. And then speaking to them about it then was like, Okay, we didn't know that this was going on. So no, we're shutting this whole thing down. This is not how it's going to be. But then here in Maryland, specifically, it seems to be and I'm sure one of the states to a lot more tricky than they are a lot more tricky. And then it gets murky, because as doulas we are not our work is not regulated. So, there's no licensing required. And you do not have to be certified to practice because we're not medical providers. And so, then there's that issue of like, well if I don't have a certification because one out have to or what if I'm trying to gain certification, I have to attend the birth or a few depending on you know, what organization you're trying to with. It just becomes really murky. And the big thing I always say is we don't work for the hospital, like our clients hired us and if it was good enough for them, you know, they were like you know, you're fine. You know, it's okay if you don't have a certification, I trust you you are, you know, give me what I need you to give me and you know all of that then that should be all that matters. But again, gatekeeping and so navigating, it is tricky and I don't fully have an answer. I know things that have worked for others. I have not found anything that has worked for us just yet. I know that we are still in Maryland specific Um, although we're still working on that, and trying to find a way to, you know, overcome this because despite, again, major health organizations, you know, speaking how to do this, I'm like, no, they're essential, they should not be thought of, as they should not be thought of as visitors or whatever. Again, each hospital is able to do whatever they want to do. So hopefully, sooner than later, much sooner than later, I will have an answer for that.

Kit Heintzman 40:36
You use the phrase, birthing people earlier, and we're in a moment where there's a kind of language shift happening at a wider scale, I just wanted to ask you to talk a little bit about that word choice.

Brittany Martin 40:47
Yeah. So, um, I use it to be more inclusive, because well, you know, I'm a believer that all types of peoples all have always existed, while maybe they were oppressed, or whatever, it may have been wiped from history, so to speak, does not change they've always been, and everybody that gives birth does not identify as a woman, everybody has many anybody with the you know, uterus and you know, does not identify as a woman. And so birthing people kind of is like a general term to cover that a, I guess, group of people it is not a word to erase woman or anyone's womanhood, it is just general. So if someone identifies as a woman, we call them a woman, they do not mean you know, we call them what they want, you know, what they would like to be called as, I mean, any, you know, you tell anybody, you know, this, I want to be called this or, you know, whatever your name or I prefer to be caught my nickname or whatever it may be, you know, you respect that and you honor that you call them that. And it's the same thing. Yeah, just just the general term, and then it's specific to each individual person with you know, you refer to the maze. But again, when I'm talking about people who have babies, I can always be very general. So not exclude you know, anybody who has babies unless, again, I'm talking specifically, you know, about someone or you know.

Kit Heintzman 42:40
Thinking back to the pre-pandemic world, what was your day-to-day life looking like?

Brittany Martin 42:47
Hmm. Day to day. Well, I certainly was not wearing a mask. I wasn't so much worried about like, just contracting some, like, airborne, like, killer virus, like I wasn't worried like, although, you know, like the common cold and flu and all types of stuff. I wasn't worried about that on a day-to-day basis. But I've always been, you know, like, Okay, I'm out. I'm gonna wash my hands like I'm in the house before I eat, you know, all of those things, but I wasn't like, I wonder if they're sick and they just they're asymptomatic. I wasn't worried about that. I was you know, I will consider myself more of like a spontaneous person and I could like okay, didn't maybe didn't have plans. And now if someone invites me I'm like, okay, cool. I'll go and my kids were in swim class. They then in they were in like, aftercare it was. Before I got my car, I will ride the bus. I have not I have a car and I can sell me certain places you know, you want to go downtown you can still get on the train. I will drive because now because I you know COVID. But prior to you know what we were going downtown and something I would park at the train station we ride the train down. If there were any like, usually in the summertime, there are a lot of festivals and I would go to the festivals. Not worry about like, oh wait a minute too many people. I was not worried about that. I was I don't know I felt a lot more free. I didn't feel like I had to be too calculated. I guess as far as that went if you know my family wanted to gather. We weren't like okay, but wait, how are we gonna do this so we're not too too close to each other. I don't know yeah that's it felt a lot more I mean you know the world was always gonna have its dark spots and things but as far is just day to day I felt like come in comparison to now I guess it was just it felt normal normally like this is we get up and we we do things and we go see our loved ones and we do fun things and that is life and I'm okay and if we get sick with something we were not like oh my god what is this is this is this it is this the thing? It was just like okay all right let's you know we'll I've always I will say I've always been that person I'm sick I'm staying home keeping my kids home all of that but I'm just because I don't want to be responsible for getting anybody else sick and like who wants to be out and about when they're sick anywhere? But now super-duper deeper. Like "alright, maybe I'll even take if I if I would if I get sick." I think I've gotten since 20s I'm probably gotten sick like twice and never heard I was think because last summer I say I didn't get tested at the time before that I did not have COVID felt like a regular cold but I was still take that extra time to just like let me make sure you know just in case like maybe they didn't detect it maybe just in case it is let me just stay you know but um no like holidays were different like so many things just mean like we were out here he was outside and inside and you know what a bunch of people and you know concerts and so many things I don't know if I will ever go to a concert again...yeah.

Kit Heintzman 47:06
Without any restrictions on which house holiday What was it like one of the last holidays she went to

Brittany Martin 47:16
It was me my mom and my kids that's it it was me know my aunts and cousins and it wasn't you know none of them were there wasn't a fan of a big family and it was not that it was very you know small and intimate and just us and I think one of my cousin's invited me over how many people so yeah, it's definitely a difference in definitely kind of I don't know holidays feel kind of lonely now. Yeah.

Kit Heintzman 48:05
Staying in the pre pandemic world to the extent that you're comfortable sharing one of some of your own experiences of health and healthcare infrastructure been like?

Brittany Martin 48:25
Well in the States healthcare has led just isn't that like the greatest No, it's not the worst but it's not the greatest. We don't have like universal health care anything so there are people that just can't afford to see a doctor or to get surgeries whatever it may be. And know that and there have been you know, like laws and whatever bills and stuff passed to make it more accessible to more people but then you know, you get different presidents and things like that with different motives and want to be like no none of that for you. You don't need me you don't deserve health care you know, so things like that. I...Maryland, like I don't think they were maybe Baltimore. I don't feel like we pre pandemic they didn't have the best doctors either. I'm just feel like a number going in and out. Oh, what's wrong? It's this all right. Well, um, let's prescribe you this. See like it was very impersonal, very sterile. Like you know with our within I don't know like our health health care systems pre-pandemic let's see I still feel like pre-pandemic they were you know there was a I felt like this is an appropriate word and attack on women's bodies anybody anybody's bodies that is not a sis white males bodies seem like there was there has to be some type of control and whether it's even with abortion then or any type just reproductive health care and whoo it's just so many things that should not involve the government that in the definitely the the government was involved in the catches my mind keeps going back to the birth space because I'm have to learn but like even the what am I trying to say even with the with births and things of the racial disparities black women and babies being three to four times more likely than white women in dying in childbirth or you know, things like that, like, that was still a thing and I think so many I know you said pre pandemic but I think that a lot of things were brought to light maybe or there was more time to focus on them once the pandemic hit, and we had that moment of being still and it was like there was no way to not see what was going on.

Brittany Martin 52:19
There was no way to not see and so even like over I will say since the pre pre pandemic I think even the work that I did was a doula birth worker was still kinda like you might have heard of that and then even this is something that's been we've been highlighted over the years it's like no like we need to get you know like birthing people women whatever like no we need to get this because this is what's going you know these things are going on and you need to know what's going on you need to have an advocate and you need to so I think so many I don't know I feel as far as healthcare I it's been the same we just are more for whatever reason I don't know if it's totally I will say you know that first year and just kind of you know, I'm being remote and slow having I guess just to be able to slow down to the senses. Like I say, everybody's able to kind of process more what's going on and I think that's it's bringing things more to bringing more attention is being paid to what's going on but I don't think I think it's healthcare has been healthcare in this country is trash and yeah, trash and everybody is just like or I won't say everybody but a lot more people in agreeance like oh, this is not this is not good. This is like this is unacceptable and we need you know, better we need more so. Oh, no, that's it. I felt like I'm rambling. That was like a question I just was not prepared to answer.

Kit Heintzman 54:31
It's a truism of oral history interviews that you actually can't ramble. Because everything you're offering is a representation of this moment, so you really can't do anything wrong. Sure. I wanted to ask how you think we might what are what are some of the paths to fix this trash healthcare system?

Brittany Martin 54:55
Oh, I'll just say like all like the I think the main thing is is just universal healthcare like why did we not like why is it a thing like why is it again back to my you know birth record brain even the difficulty it is right like we say like oh you know you have this insurance so even when like with state what is the like state issued insurances or whatever or government with like Medicaid and things like that so you wouldn't have to necessarily pay for a provider but you also don't get a good provider or you don't you're not getting good care i quality care through this free insurance that best I forgot what you asked me what I'm gonna do. Because I feel like it's in there somewhere the answer. But so back to my birth burqa brain when we think of, you know, thinking that we are that's Sorry. Okay, so with when we think of that, you know, our insurance and all those things, it's almost poses that we have a choice, right, that we had this system that's in place so that we can, you know, do the things and make sure that we're healthy and bla bla bla bla but um there are far more hospitals and labor and delivery units than there are birth centers, they've pretty much made home births like illegal and a lot of places only 37 states have birth centers. Insurance and a lot of places won't cover home births. So many things so if we have universe that's what I'm saying. Got it. Alright, so if we have universal health care then we you know, people would truly have a choice and when they go to have a baby, you know, they don't want you know, if they're not a high risk birth and don't need to go to a hospital if they you know, so that they have a choice and who you know, they can actually go to someone that they trust and say okay, well what about the people that are the you know, these are the women in my community birthing people in my community, this is the person they trust and this is where I want to go to as well you don't have to worry about if this provider is in or out of network or will be covered by your insurance or not, you won't have to worry about that. If it will be covered you won't have to you know, think about parental leave and things like oh my gosh, the list is so long but like you know people will have time to fully recover and bond you know, with their children and things like that but even on when if I think about postpartum depression and things like are provided see it until about six weeks postpartum then so many things can happen within that that's a month and a half that are missed. And I think about I don't know if I'm thinking about healthcare than I have to think about the quality of our food the quality of our food like that is something that's making us sick like this pollution like this making us sick and it's it seems like our healthcare system I’m saying universal health care but then I felt like it was still need to be like a whole new thing in general because our health care here is not preventative. It is seems like it's just you know, it's about Big Pharma and you know, money and it's more beneficial to keep people sick. So there's medications for everything there's no oh, well you know, try eating this try moving your body try you know, son, you know, doing these things. Just "Oh, here take this medication, this medication might make you even worse, but it might stop this one thing" like and that's that's how our help it's not a full out when I think another thing therapy, if we had universal health care, like so many people would have access to therapy and you know, like mental health services and but, um, yeah, so I think I would, I would say universal health care and then like, also a whole like reworking of that, like, what that actually means to actually benefit people so that people can actually be healthy

Brittany Martin 01:00:00
And have fun quality competent providers…just there to collect a check I think that there may be there wouldn't be I mean in reworking it you know from a certain contexts a lot of you know black people people of color had a fear of medical practitioners so you know I having access to more or there being more doctors even that look like us and you know how beneficial that would bebecause the that's another thing that the racism that is so you know, deeply rooted there where we're we're treated or diagnosed differently because of the color of our skin. Yeah, definitely that sort of keeps coming back to universal but like let's rework it let's let's make this something new because this is right now it's not working.

Kit Heintzman 01:01:09
I'm curious what does the word health mean to you?

Brittany Martin 01:01:14
Hmm. What does health mean to me I think that health is an am body meant of things so I would say health is more has to do with being and feeling your best self from the inside out. So yes, it's about you know you know, making sure I guess I don't want to use the word to describe a word I also have to say healthy you know, making sure that you're getting the nutrients and all of those things that you need but then also in order to be healthy you need the right type of relationships in your life you need the right or maybe love that's where we go that's where that's the real word so love within yourself from other people around you to be able to give it to other people you need or help them not to be happy but health Yes, you think that's it like you need love you need health is thriving health is a thing health is a lifestyle sense of being I don't know I feel like it's levels to it because it can be it can pertain to you know, the mental or physical or emotional it's can be so many things with all of those things being properly nourished. Again, whether it be you know mentally or physically emotionally whatever just being properly nourished and yeah that's what I that's my that's...

Kit Heintzman 01:04:12
What does the word safety mean to you?

Brittany Martin 01:04:17
Safety to me, means safety. Just play it out. Whatever comes no feel. And I think of the word safety, I think of warmth. I think of the ability to be vulnerable think of protection think about this they have faith and I don't know I guess the service thinks they think like a cocoon a soft place to land. I think of safety out there also makes me think of love that also makes me think of health you know because I guess depending on how you look at it like that can be you know, that would have to be a healthy environment safety just I guess goes without saying you know void of harm or perceived threat

Kit Heintzman 01:06:27
How are you feeling about the immediate future?

Brittany Martin 01:06:33
Don't know the optimist in me, my faith makes me You know, I have to have hope that despite all of the very ugly things in this world that the light will win that we will heal ourselves heal each other heal that are...thus the optimist in me. And that is more so what I choose to focus on, I won't even learn 10 that necessarily, like don't fear will feel, you know, we all feel fear but that's not something I want to like, focus on. So, I just feel like despite all of the things, that people are trying to take away all of the harm all of the all of the things, the illness, all of those things that just as many if not more people are working to combat those things and you know, bring forth life in love and you much much better things. So, maybe future...yeah, I will say I feel like sometimes things get worse before they get better. But I feel like things have been pretty bad. So, you know, just optimistic that the, you know, those who are here now, especially the younger people, they're amazing. I love them so much like they're so like bold and brave and like you know what, no, we're not doing this. I have hope in you know, that they are going to do tear this shit down and build something so much more beautiful. Like that is that is what I mean, immediate future. But I know that they're here and I know that they're currently doing the work and that brings me peace. So, and I know that in my own ways, I'm doing the work you know, and so many of us are so yeah.

Kit Heintzman 01:09:43
What are some of the things that you're seeing younger people do that move you?

Brittany Martin 01:09:49
Um, the first thing that comes to mind is when I saw I think was it in Florida. Like the kids I had like a walkout Oh, Back to what was it like don't say gay. And they it was just so beautiful because if we look at high school, I think we've all many of us have had high school experiences was like, you get that message often like, oh, because high school is like the worst and bla bla bla bla bla and, you know, kids are so mean, but to see these young people just like exploding with love, like no if I were not, I don't know what you're talking about. But these are my friends. These are my loved ones like and they are who they are. And I support them. And I support them fully. And I love them. And I don't I just that that warmed my heart. And that's that's the that's what's been standing out. I think maybe like the past few weeks that's been and then all of the kids like that I hear about that. They're like, Oh, we figured out a way to like, I don't know, like clean water and I don't know just all that I'm like, how are these babies doing this? Family I don't even know long division you know, so many it's so yeah, just so many things in the just that there's so long. I feel like there are a lot more free. And just bold and courageous than that to be themselves. And you know, there's a mic to say something about.

Kit Heintzman 01:11:33
Who or what are some of the things that have been supporting you over the last two years?

Brittany Martin 01:11:39
Oh,sorry. One more time. That's something my children

Kit Heintzman 01:11:43
Is there been anyone or anything supporting you over the last few years?

Brittany Martin 01:11:48
Yes. I have, you know, can you is it audible? The screaming?

Kit Heintzman 01:12:03
I can't discern the words.

Brittany Martin 01:12:05
Okay. All right. Good. Just finding again. Um, yes, I've I will say more recently. The blessing has been because of the work that I do, and I'm constantly pouring, you know, into my clients, I found more recently that my clients have been pouring back into me and being supportive of me just as a person like oftentimes, you know, we walk away friends, you know, from you know, that's been great. I have a sister, my mom I have friends who have been really really great and just like when I feel even my kids like my kids are doing a lot right now. They're they're just really so like empathetic and yeah, like I just have a lot of really loving and warm people around me who remind me who I am when sometimes I may get off track or like oh this and then like you know, but this isn't it this is just you know, this is this gets better and you know, just you know just speaking life back into me and making it not seem so lonely you know? So...

Kit Heintzman 01:13:35
Would you give an example of one moment where you felt supported?

Brittany Martin 01:13:41
You're gonna make me cry

Kit Heintzman 01:13:46
I’ll be the first person to cry in one of these interviews.

Brittany Martin 01:13:51
Um, think of it also against the words like most recently coming to mind so for the last few weeks, like things have been interesting. I've had to move back home or move my mind and like be lost housing and all of these things. But in the midst of that, you know, it's I have an event I'm vending at, you know, all of these things. So, it's been a mix of things, I guess, you know, good and bad happening. And my friend who we've been friends since like, ninth grade. He you know, even you know, through it, and I'm like, Oh my gosh, there's all this happening about buying. I'm just like, This is too much and I'm stressed and I'm out I wish I could remember verbatim. Like, just the, the gist of it just like reminding me like, you know, but this is not the, like, don't get, don't be discouraged, like you're still, you know, like, basically, like, you're still on the right path like, this is, you know, like, You're right where you need to be, you know, like all of the, all the things that you kind of the, you know, deep down inside, but like, the grief gets you. So, they're just having this and he's very, I always make fun of him, like you're always like, so poetic. Just write a normal text. Like these, like, really deep, you know, like, philosophical texts and things that are just, you know, just really, but it's helpful. And, you know, you know, just reminded me, like, you know, you're doing it, and I'm, like, really proud of you. And, you know, keep going, like, this is the thing, don't let this knock you off your path and what you're doing and you know, like, basically, like, it's just a bump in the road, like, don't, you know, like, don't lose your focus. And like, all the time, it sounds like you probably, you know, proud of you and like, just doing, you know, just being supportive anyway, like, like I said, the event I had coming up like he's been giving me ideas and like, let me bounce ideas off a hill. And it's, I mean, it's not just like I said, it's a bunch of people around me, one of my clients even today actually just gave me a bunch of things that I could do to like raffle off it, you know, and I needed the tent for my table and 70s I don't know I haven't seen I have the tent I have that you know, and such and she makes body products and she was like, you know, and I'll donate them to you know, so it was really and and then even heart just reminded me like you know, this is this is my first time then then something big for me and she was like well I'm just remember this is your first one. So don't try to it doesn't have to be perfect. And doesn't have to be perfect. Just continue to do what you're doing. And you know, you're doing great, I'm so excited and also you know, what have you and let me know what you need if you have any questions you know, because I've done this you know, a few times you know, so many so many things and another one like they brought up I was doing postpartum work for her and she like got me in journal and like left me this beautiful note inside about you know, I how healing that work was for her you know, just me being there. And it's oftentimes I don't even realize the impact that I have on other people I'm like, "I knew nothing" but you know, but then it's so like monumental and then to get the appreciation you know, do you beautiful beautiful light you know and while you know you're doing healing work and you know stay the path and stay who you are and continue to love hard and you know stay soft and all of that you know and so I'm gonna cry but just so mean like just so many people they like I think the word or phrase on is that people I feel that I have around me now actually see me and that is I don't know like the feeling that that brings about it's like indescribable I couldn't I couldn't put into words what that feels like but they see me and I you know I don't feel like I have to explain myself or anything they just see me they get me and they love me you know just does I mean like that's it that's a lot so...yeah.

Kit Heintzman 01:19:04
Are you willing to say anything more about the housing situation?

Brittany Martin 01:19:09
Um, yes sure. I'm so America's trash. So, I'm not like a well-traveled person. So, I haven't been like up there, you know, country. This is I don't know. I mean, I know that this is not the worst country on Earth, but capitalism is like, people don't matter. It's money over people. And pretty much tied to the pandemic. So, in America where I'm aware that there were some countries who were kind of paying their citizens to stay at home. America was not one of those places. There was unemployment. But many people had not gotten unemployment for several months or even years. It was so many issues with that. They did not. I believe there was like a, what is it a, was it a moratorium, I don't know if that's the right word, but basically supposed to be something put in place so that for a certain point, nobody can be evicted from their homes. It was not in place long enough. And I believe. And in that, so I want to say, I want to pause and clarify. So, because of the pandemic, a lot of people had lost their jobs. A lot of people have lost their jobs and not have worked. Some people were able to work from home, a lot of people were not. And, or they had to leave their jobs, there was so many things, they had their kids at home, there was so many things. And by them not having any income, because unemployment did not come through so many things, people were falling behind on bills. They had a they started like finding so like we had electricity, you know, parents PGE, Baltimore Gas and Electric. They had started funding with that. So, you can apply, they will help with your bills, all of that stuff. That was run assistance, and yada yada yada. So, my situation. As a doula I'm self-employed. The pandemic assistance, actually, which was a form of unemployment only lasted until so it was in to that from March 2020, to September 2020. And then in that time, they had a whoever was on unemployment, and if any kind of just an extra, I can't remember if it was. Yeah, I think it was an extra $300 or $600, I think, for a certain point every week, excuse me. And then they stopped the extra funding. So it was whatever you had. And I remember when they cut mine, the extra funds, I was only getting like $174 Every week, which is like nothing. Rent is the time. Two years ago, it was I had a one-bedroom apartment, and it was about $1,040. A place I just left was $1,400. So, either way, $174 was getting nothing. Then I want to say December 2020 they cut it off, and then they reinstated unemployment. Then they stopped that again. So, in 2021, January 2021, they started it up, then that was slow. There was a whole bunch of issues with that a bunch of people's payments were put on hold again, mine included, moved into the $1,400 Freeze. And they did give out I think a total of was it it? Did it total, I think maybe it totaled there were checks that went out federal payments that had gone out on top of the unemployment payments. But they were not consistent. It was like Oh $1,400 Here Oh, $600 here like randomly, so anybody that falling behind on bills that's not catching you up. Um, people who didn't eat it was all types of things. It was a bunch. So, with me again, my work my paints are placed on hold for several months. So, from I think from April to December. So not only did I fall behind on rent, but yes, electric all of these other things and now falling behind. It's hard to catch up. But then remember, we talked about this rent assist. This is my property manager. This is important to detail as well. Because of the pandemic because of the pandemic because of COVID-19 a lot of places started to prior to moving in prior to the pandemic, you will be able to view your place before moving in, excuse me, you will be able to view your place before moving in because of the pandemic. There were like No well COVID So now you have to pay you get your keys and then you see it please. So, at that point, you're locked in your lease, meaning you're obligated to stay in this place. And to go 12 or 15 month or I guess in some places six months lease is up. And you are obligated to pay every month on the first interval. That's it. So, if you break it's a penalty, you have to pay until they find another tenant or tenant until your lease term is over. So, either way, you're caught in a jam. So, in my case, I moved in, I had mold in my apartment. Again, I'm paying $1,400 there was mold in my apartment that was quite hair. And there was the baseboards. Terrible that the paint was chipping off the doors and peeling off of the doors. There was like dirt and things kicked up in the corner, it was terrible, the refrigerator was clearly used and dirty. So many things, so many things.

Brittany Martin 01:24:01
The building itself had water spots in the ceiling, it was it just I could go on and on. So, excuse me about complaints, after you know, contacting, putting in maintenance requests, contact the property manager, all of those things it didn't, didn't go anywhere, was not able to call corporate who was above them, which is a huge red flag, because why are you guys not available ever. So, I wound up filing with the Attorney General's Office, which basically means that this is on file public record, you know, in there like they do like mediation, so to speak. So, in my case, despite me communicating like, hey, my payments are on hold, I'm waiting, I'm running systems, all of these things and still making payments as I could. What mattered more was that I caused trouble for them. And now there's public record of this. And so, they would not accept my rent assistance money. And I found out a week before I was due to be evicted that I was going to be evicted. I have received no notice from the court at that point, just something from the leasing office. So, I didn't think it was you know, until I called the court. They were like, oh, yeah, this is where so I had, at that point six days, because I had to be out April, Wednesday, April 27. That's why we'll be evicted by April 27. So, I had to be out by that Tuesday. And I did not find out, I want to I had an eye. So, this is April 27 of 2022. That this is good, this eviction is scheduled, which means that they will come in and take my things and put them outside my apartment and remove us from the property. We will no longer live there. I had a platform rent assistance in August of 2021. And none in all this time they have been blocking that assistance, because they accepted their rent assistance, I would have to they will have to allow me to stay pretty much to the end of my lease term, which would have just been till July 2022. So that is more so I would have you know, and and it's naughty, I learned that that is something very common that was happening as well. The housing market is trash. And they know that so a lot of apartment management companies so to speak, are hiking up they're evicting. Because it because they're not legally obligated to accept the funds.

Brittany Martin 01:28:41
They can then evict you and then you're responsible for whatever money you owe, you have an eviction on your record, and then they can hike up the rent despite them not renovating the apartment not upgrading it in any way. Now they're able to hike it up because it's people have to live somewhere. So, it's like, well, people are gonna pay this, but then it's getting more and more difficult for people to pay. And we already had a homelessness problem. And yeah, so pushing people out so that they can make more money. Like, you know, and then more people in shelters or may not have anywhere to go and then you know, then there's some like me, thankfully, I was able to go, you know, stay with my mom, you know, but they didn't know that they didn't care about that. I have two games, you know, eight to 10 So yeah, so that's, that's currently a lot of what is going on around the world. They were in there and not in the world. And I know during even in during 2020 There was still landlords and things and still evicting people in that time and even though it was you know, it shouldn't have been because if we have this you know, global pandemic you know Why are you pushing people you know? So it was you know it has been absolutely awful and now I mean even turnabout house is awful it's like even you know people I know who own homes are like no it's not matter it's not all good away either so you know until you actually pay off the house you the bank owns your home anyway so you're paying your mortgage every month but until it is paid off you still do not own your house so it's um rent is very high the area I'm in on smells to get a nice apartment is upward of $2,000 so per month in lead we talk about how I think did have they raised minimum wage up yet to $15 an hour and you know, so normal people are supposed to be able to afford to pay all of this rent and you know, let's say you had to pay insurance and you had to pay daycare you have to pay whatever other hidden fee whatever you know on anything else you know paying for food paying for clothes you know basic necessities gas electric water, oh those things so this is the state of the world.

Kit Heintzman 01:31:39
What was the application process like when you were trying to get those resources?

Brittany Martin 01:31:47
Very simple, you could just go online and gather just fill out fill out an application online put your name information in the head if you had any documentation from the court like something a failure to pay rent or warn them restitution which was basically like stating that they could come in you know, repossess the property, whatever or whatever they anything like that. So that your application can be expedited. But the application process was like really simple. But again, because of the pandemic lots of places are short staffed and then the process has slowed down dramatically so application easy actually getting to the point receiving assistance we didn't know when that was going to happen.

Kit Heintzman 01:32:46
What brought you to vending?

Brittany Martin 01:32:48
Um, I this is so this is my first time and I one of my Doula friends sent it to me sent me the it's called the bar more say first festival I believe this is this second year doing it and I just it's an opportunity to immerse myself in the community and get on know I mean into network with other birth workers but then also you know, put myself out there for my name out there you know, and so that's what got me to do it it was terrifying because I'm like, Oh, my God, I've never done this before but that's what got me that's what got me to do it like okay, this is a really good opportunity. And you know, this is my bread and butter but also like really super passionate about this work. And I know that this is really super important like that ID so making others aware that they're you know, advocates out there for them that's what got me to like okay, I have to do this.

Kit Heintzman 01:34:08
And what are some of the ways you've been taking care of yourself?

Brittany Martin 01:34:17
Oh, good question. Um, I have been consistently pretty consistently going to the gym I found for me that's really good. Like for me and my mental health to like move my body to find some time to get outside to rest to talk with my loved ones. Therapy. Therapy has been amazing. Yeah, music comedy. Live after lack. That is a reality show. It is terrible, but so entertaining, plain sight watching.

Kit Heintzman 01:35:07
And coming to the end of my questions, and the last ones are a bit odd. The first of the last ones is I want you to think about sort of people in the humanities in the social sciences. So, people who study literature and film and history and poli sci and sociology, what should we be doing right now to better understand the pandemic? Who should like what should we be studying? What kinds of questions should we be asking?

Brittany Martin 01:35:39
Hmm. That's a good one. I don't know if I can answer that on the spot. Hmm. Yeah. I don't know if I can answer them on the spot.

Kit Heintzman 01:36:04
That's okay.

Brittany Martin 01:36:05
That is a that is a good question. I can say who I think you should be talking to. But

Kit Heintzman 01:36:10
I love that. Give me that. Okay.

Brittany Martin 01:36:13
Well, who you should be talking to? We're definitely the regular people. That Well, definitely regular people, I would say, speaking to service workers regular people with they don't have the access that it is portrayed that you know, America promises whatever it like. What just me anywhere really regular people who are the most impacted by whatever laws and statutes or whatever, that are not a that were not a thought of with us in mind, I will say that there's a quote that I want to quote, but I cannot remember. But like something, what is it? It's something about, like, you can tell the, I guess, like the health of the society by like, the poorest people, something like that poorest people within the society. I butchered that. But that's the gist of it. Because those are the people, you know, the the wealthy people who have the access and the resources and whatever, are going to have a totally different experience than the regular people who are having to, you know, rob Peter to pay Paul, like we don't, you know, don't know, like, how is this bill gonna get paid? How are we going to do this? You know? Even sure, you know, we have this assistance, but this assistance only goes but so far or? Yes, we are working, we work 60 hours a week, and still cannot afford to pay our bills, you know? Those are the people? Absolutely, I don't think that you would get it that you would get an accurate perspective. Someone who sees the world through, you know, their wealth.

Kit Heintzman 01:38:31
What kinds of histories of COVID Do you think might get written? How do you think this moment will be remembered?

Brittany Martin 01:38:41
I think it will be remembered. Oh, I'm not sure. Because if there is an accurate, I guess recording so to speak of. of what happened? I think it would be I think it will vary like everything. Like I'm seeming like depending on what types of people asked what countries they're in what you know, how the pandemic was responded to by their leadership. If they were affected, you know, directly by it. You know, whether it was them or a loved one, maybe they lost a loved one to it, it would all depend because I can only imagine if I were you know, somewhere else I'm looking. I mean, even just in America, like What are y'all doing? Like throughout this whole thing? I would, it would seem like that this was a very crazy and chaotic time and it has to be some sort of like worldwide like mental illness everything because it is all of the things like wow the pandemic was going on that were happening like very bizarre things I get I'd be I guess like remiss if I didn't even address like the climate issue right like if we get state like this climate issue we've been talking about this and how the Earth is dying and like within a short amount of time like the we have we are running out of time so like if all goes well then you know we won't have you know, this will be one day right and this will be remembered Wait a minute, but um that that was not the not a number one priority of like oh let's get it together because we all have to live on that like we live on this planet and there are people buying plants that is a it would I would guess that I guess it would depend on how accurate the the recordings of everything in the accounts and because depending who you ask, you may get varying responses. There was a lot of things happening all at one time. Um hmm, that's my answer. It would be it would just look I think you'll be remembered as chaos by what is this sort of pretending like is this this is a thing but we're all pretending that it's not it's not happening and we're just going to move on and you know, despite the fact that people are still getting very ill and dying from this but no, just keep going you know? Yeah, open up the schools open up all the bowling alleys and the clubs and the restaurants and just just go on like no it's no problem you don't have to wear your mask and now it's fine just and yeah, and yeah, five planets and you know go to space and just yeah ignore you know all of this crazy weather and yeah that's Institute you know, stripping you know, each other of rights and craziness that's I don't know. And then some hoping there's some good stuff in there somewhere, but you know.

Kit Heintzman 01:43:08
I want to thank you so much for the generosity of your time and the beauty of your answers. Those are all of the questions I know how to ask at this moment, but now I just want to open some space if there's anything you'd like to say about the pandemic 2020 to present more generally please take so now.

Brittany Martin 01:43:35
I'm like Melissa so interesting. I wonder if they'll be like what is the laptop um ah I don't know I think in it the only other thing I may not have addressed was like the I don't know they'd like like mass incarceration is still is the thing probably police brutality and you know racism, although it's very stupid it's still well alive and thriving unfortunately Yeah, and it's seems to be legal here in America apparently for you know, police to murder black people. And, you know, go on unpaid leave. Come back and all this fine, it seems there's still a man in America specifically. Because I don't want to see you know on anywhere else in America specifically just so many very stupid and divisive things just there's you know there's issues found with people just being who they are loving who they love there are people dying for because they love you know they they're men who love other men or women who love other women or that you know they were assigned male at birth or female at birth and they're like no that's actually not who I am you know and they're dying just for that reason, because it is so unfathomable for people I think that is a result of our I guess religious practices or beliefs that certain yes people that do not fit into this mold are not worthy of life or love or protection or certain liberties or something mention I don't know at this moment, I hope that one day we can get to a place where money is not more important than people were more family centered and care about people and care about the Earth and the creatures in it and I'm not so busy and fast paced and here and there and all over the place and more centered and intentional. No, no, they were just everybody is allowed to just be just be I don't know, man, we get back to how to you know, like, eat five bodies and utilize the medicines that the Earth gave us to heal ourselves and I think that I might be that uh, oh, please, I don't know, this is just me talking. I think um, I don't know but like for for I don't know, for women to feel safe. I mean, sure everyone but like for women to just be safe just like walking around without fear of like being you know, attacked by men or now No, that's, you know, it seems like it's a thing everywhere. But um, yeah, to be safe to be us to be. To tonight have men and our universe is controlling what we do with our bodies and if you had babies and I just keep coming back to just want us to be able to be in the code list with one another and then we find better ways to subtle differences than risking other people's lives for our own egos. to say. That's all that's all that comes to the mind.

Kit Heintzman 01:50:30
Thank you so much.

Brittany Martin 01:43:39
Thank you