Cihuapactli Collective

Doctora Crescenciana Rodriguez Nieves

Dr. Crescen is a medical surgeon and traditional midwife, curandera/healer, and an international social activist from Puebla, Mexico, currently based in Tijuana. Her focus is in ethnobotany, traditional medicine, holistic medicine, bioenergetics, and biomedicine.

Jessica Restrepo

"I envision a world where we feel comfortable in our own skin and are happy about being alive. A world where everyone loves and values themselves, beginning in childhood, and carries that self-awareness on throughout life. My mission is to help families by facilitating spiritual healing. I believe this soul level care is vital to our overall wellbeing."

Jessica Restrepo is a Colombian American mama of two walking the path of Andean ceremonies and rituals. She is a mindfulness coach, Usui Reiki master and partera in training. She practices Kundalini Yoga and is dedicated to supporting families in our community by facilitating spiritual healing. She believes this soul level care is vital to our overall wellbeing.

Maria Del Carmen Parra Cano

Maria Del Carmen Parra Cano is a Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director of the Cihuapactli Collective. Maria is a Xicana Indigena born in Phoenix, Arizona with her lineages stemming from the Mexica People from Texcoco, Mexico & Raramuri People from Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Maria was raised in Barrio Garfield, along with her 7 siblings. Maria is a community organizer and activist at heart. Maria has experience in program development, grant writing, finance, evaluation, and implementation of social service programs for over 25 years. Maria received her undergraduate degree from Arizona State University in Non-Profit Administration & Sociology, her MBA with an emphasis in Finance from Grand Canyon University, and a culinary arts degree from Scottsdale Culinary Institute - Le Cordon Bleu. She has been married to Brian Cano for the past 9 years and has birthed social entrepreneurship wings while also birthing 4 little ones - Yolehua Luna, Quizani Texcohtli, Tonaliztli Mitohtiani, and a son - Ayocoyani who is in the spirit world. Maria is a mother, wife, sister, aunt, community organizer, danzante y mujer de ceremonia starting with the Calpoalli Nahuacalco, learning with other ceremonial circles throughout the continent over the past 21 years and recently holding space for families at the direction of elders among the Calpoalli Tlacahuatzin & Mitohtiliztli Huehuetlalli. Maria is an Ancestral Foods Chef, Indigenous Lactation Educator, birth & postpartum CoMadrita/birth worker, flower essence specialist, and traditional babywearing & rebozo use educator with Indigena. Born in the Sonoran Desert, Maria has deep connections with plant relatives from the territory and has been working with local community groups to expand their knowledge of ancestral/traditional foods by providing community cooking classes, demos, and workshops. Maria is grateful for the teachings and trust she has received from Elders, Comadres, and relationships with Indigenous Peoples from around the globe.

Lavern Calvin-Stevenson

LaVern has been in Phoenix since 2011. Relocated from El Paso, TX by way of the Virgin Islands –St. Thomas and Chicago IL.  Mother of four adult children and eight grandchildren. A community educator, Licensed Chaplin, and midwife. 

I have had four live births, two miscarriages, one with twin boys at five months. As a midwife one fetal death at birth. I understand both sides of this trauma.

Currently working at Tanner Community Development Corporation providing resources for underserved communities.  Intentional living is LaVern’s focus on physical, emotional and spiritual of a person. Eating healthy, moving the body, and learning how to balance life is intentional. Useful classes with hand-on demonstration LaVern is committed to intentionally imparting knowledge.

Fatima Muhammad Roque

Fatima Muhammad Roque was born near the ocean in a small town called Lewes, Delaware. As a Black woman with indigenous roots, she has had a passion for the health and wellness of her people especially when it comes to life's transitions. Over, the last 25 years she has made her home in Arizona. She embraces many blessings as a wife, a Mother, an Auntie, a Village Mother, a Birthworker, an advocate, a visionary and a manifestor. She created MODABA, LLC: Moms, Dads, Babies as a place where love, support, information and optimal wellness is always offered especially during the time surrounding pregnancy. Her vision is that "Every family THRIVES!"

Dr. Deshawn Taylor, MD

Dr. DeShawn Taylor, MD is a Gynecologist and Family Planning Specialist, Gender Affirming Care Provider, and Reproductive Justice Advocate who established Desert Star Family Planning clinic in Phoenix, Arizona in 2013 and founded Desert Star Institute for Family Planning, a non-profit organization for which she is President, in 2017. Recognized by the Maricopa County NAACP as a Trailblazer and a Champion of Choice by the National Institute for Reproductive Health, Dr. Taylor works to advance access to reproductive health care for people who can become pregnant through service provision, education and training, advocacy, and thought leadership.

Traci Hughes Hamilton

Traci Faith Guw Thonalig Hughes Hamilton is an Arizona based Licensed Massage Therapist, Indigenous Lactation Counselor, Womb worker, Full spectrum birth worker, Nutritional Consultant, Herbalist, and Traditional foods gatherer, single mom of two. Traci is of Mississippi Choctaw, Hiaki, adopted Tohono O’odham and European decent. A ceremonial wombyn who knows her journey of healing and helping others is her way of life, her strength. Traci has been involved with the Chukson (Tucson) community in many healing aspects. The Desert Institute of the Healing Arts in Tucson was the beginning of her formal massage training in 1996. Advocating for natural and indigenous Pre/post-natal care, breast/chest feeding, and involvement with Chukson chapter ICBLC events. Traci spent four years with Ha:san Preparatory and Leadership School teaching rainwater harvesting, traditional in ground gardening; planting with the moon and rain cycles, seed to plate style teaching and food prep. Her informal and formal training is ongoing with family healers, ceremony, as well as the CEU state license requirements. Traci is a natural teacher and most at home teaching groups of clients, friends and family the high value of Self~Care with indigenous geographical appropriate foods and healing ways. The 26 years of professional service in healing ways has shown her many aspects to healing in her community. She believes the community has been misdirected by the colonial medical system and Womb Sovereignty is the foundation of original healing ways. Helping relatives remember and understand their true value. Traci’s specialty is lifelong womb health and vitality, abdominal therapy, breast/chest therapy and full spectrum birth work. Her passion for protecting families ties in very closely with the old healing ways of her teachers and elders. As a mother and knowledgeable community member she stays strong in outreach and knowledge sharing. Traci continues to work on a sliding scale basis to make sure this important healing work is accessible.  Her commitment is to honor her culture, be a strong community member and support a community of healthy warriors who step forward to make that effort for wellness. 

Teresa Cabrera

Teresa Cabrera is a Colombiana , South American Native, who was raised in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes amongst her first teachers; the waters, trees, plants, animals, and the soil. These initial interactions allowed her to witness and appreciate the beauty of birth, the life cycles and nature’s interdependence, ultimately leading her into birth work.

Teresa is a Doula/Comadre, Birth Assistant, Lactation Peer Counselor, Nutritionist, Womb Nurturer, Herbalist, Community and Plant- based food Advocate. Her learning and studies have been with DONA, MoDaBa, Health One Connect, Zaagi’idiwin, in conjunction with traditional indigenous knowledge passed on to her from the Elders/ Healers/Birth Workers in her communities in the US and in Mexico. Teresa has resided in the Phoenix area for the past 17yrs. Her passion is working with birthing families and exploring nutrition with them that is whole food/plant based. She loves to nurture and support them through their birth journey, so they can create the stories and optimal experiences they desire. She actively participates in several community spaces and circles that teach and promote food sovereignty, womb wellness, traditional birth practices and optimal birthing outcomes, postpartum care and support, and experiencing vitality through Yoga and movement. She loves to be active and outdoors, but also appreciates stillness and the beauty within. She is a life time student.

Angelica Medina & Jahaira Fajardo

In Lak'ech Dance Academy in Oakland, CA is the direct result of the passion directors Angelica Media & Jahaira Fajardo share for Latin Dance and for their community. In 2014, Angelica and Jahaira met and fell in love on the dance floor. They soon after decided to grow as dance partners while training for competitions. In December 2015, they placed 1st in the Latin Ladies Same Gender Division at the World Latin Dance Cup (WLDC). Jahaira also made history as the first Bachata female leader to become a World Champion. In 2018, they returned to the WLDC and placed first in the Bachata Couple Pro Cabaret Division

Treasure Howie

Born in Pittsburgh, PA and now resides in New River/Phoenix, AZ. Child of the Creator, wife, Montessorian, entrepreneur, Citizen of the World, Chef, Doula, RSS parent, artist, drummer, philanthropist, poet whole health behavior BHPP/advocate and inclusive faith minister/reverend in training.

Jaleaa Lewis

Jaleaa is of Whole Harmony offers Kemetic Reiki, an ancient energy healing technique. Kemetic Reiki is used to aid the client in releasing stuck and stagnant energy. Stagnant energy may show up as pain, trauma, and repeating thoughts within the body. The after effects of kemetic reiki leaves the client feeling lighter and in some cases pain free.

All Nations Wellbriety

All Nations Wellbriety is a Non profit organization. Their mission is to create a healing forest to restore the individual to a state of well being who in turn will help to heal the family, the community and the nation.