Rooted in lineage. Guided by experience. Strengthened through community.
The journey of The Cypher Collective began in 2023 at a midwifery training in Denver, Colorado. It was there that Audrey, Kandice, and Trinity first connected—not yet realizing that their paths would intertwine far beyond that initial gathering.
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What started as casual conversations between learning midwives soon evolved into deep connections forged through virtual trainings, endless Zoom study sessions, and collaborative student projects.
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Fate had more in store for them. Each of them eventually found their way to Virginia, securing apprenticeships within Richmond’s midwifery community. When these Learning Midwives weren’t in the clinic, they were together—practicing hands-on skills, running roleplays in their living rooms, and diving deep into their studies. What began as support and accountability organically transformed into something bigger: a space of learning, growth, and radical empowerment.
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Thus, The Cypher was born.​
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Our Story
Inspired by 1990 rap cyphers—The Cypher Collective is a space where Black midwifery students and baby midwives come together, each bringing their own strengths, knowledge, and wisdom to the circle. With the blessing, blueprint, and encouragement from 4th-generation, 22-year Midwife Racha Tahani Lawler-Queen, this will serve as a space of exchange, rhythm, and movement where skills, stories, and traditions flow freely, lifting and amplifying each other’s voices.
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How We Move
The Cypher is a space where learning midwives gather to practice, ask questions, be challenged, and be supported—without ego, without competition, and without being left to figure it out alone.
Inspired by the tradition of the cypher, we move as a circle where each person brings their voice, their skill, and their presence. Learning is shared, not withheld. Growth happens in real time, in community.
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OUR APPROACH
Hands-on skill development
Scenario-based learning & clinical thinking
Consistent study & knowledge-building
Community accountability & support
Our work is grounded in traditional midwifery—honoring how knowledge is passed down while ensuring learning midwives are clinically prepared, confident, and capable.
We prioritize:
Too often, learning midwives are expected to figure things out on their own—navigating gaps in training, limited access to hands-on practice, and a lack of consistent support.
We are here to change that.
The Cypher Collective exists to create the spaces we needed—spaces where midwives are not only learning, but being shaped, refined, and prepared for the responsibility this work carries.
Because this work is not just about attending births.
It is about holding lives, families, and futures in your hands.
Meet The Collective