Shantae Johnson

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Shantae Johnson is a community health worker, doula, urban farmer and food justice warrior based in Portland, Oregon. With a solid background in community organizing, she began working as an International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) full circle doula and ICTC Oregon state representative 10 years ago, which fueled her love for maternal and child health. She is a parent, healer, chef, and referee to six beautiful children. In her spare time, she enjoys taking a 5-minute shower by herself, writing with Strong Families Echoing Ida comrades, camping, hiking, growing things on her farm called Mudbone Grown and having living-room dance battled with the kiddos.

Stay Out of My Bedroom: Women of Color Have the Right to Decide If and When to Parent

If you happen to be a woman of color, you simply don’t have any business that is your own, as far as society is concerned. The Jezebel and Welfare Queen stereotypes shape the responses you receive from others when you have a belly full of baby. So, the next time someone asks me how many more babies I’m going to have, I will have to respond with a “Girllllll, stay out my bedroom.”