The Beloved Early Education and Care Collective (BEE Collective) presents its 2nd Annual Just-Us INDABA

Charleston, South Carolina – The BEE Collective announces its second annual Just-Us INDABA: Birthing,
Education, and Healing Justice Summit, arriving Saturday, November 2, 2024 at the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1422 building located at 1142 Morrison Drive, Downtown Charleston,
South Carolina.

This all-day event will begin at 10 a.m. with on-site registration beginning at 9:30 a.m.

All are welcome, including babies in arms. Elders, those with disabilities, birth workers in Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities, and all birthing people are especially encouraged. Free and ample parking is available. Food and refreshments will be provided. Pre-registration on a sliding scale is required.

The BEE Collective’s Just-Us INDABA: Birthing, Education, and Healing Justice Summit is a transformative gathering and full-day event dedicated to pregnant, birthing, and parenting families, along with their healthcare advocates, reproductive justice champions, and supportive healing arts practitioners.

This event is a gifted opportunity to register, engage, and co-create community-driven solutions that safeguard the well-being of pregnant, birthing individuals, and young children in the beloved community.

Speakers, participants, community partners, and activities will be announced, with a full schedule to follow. 

The 2nd annual Just-Us INDABA is centered around the theme of “cooperative economics,” also known as “Ujamaa,” the fourth principle of Kwanzaa. Ujamaa is the commitment to the practice of shared social wealth and the work necessary to achieve it. It is a practical approach to building and sustaining businesses and profiting from them together.

“Together, we are committed to dismantling the alarming rates of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity among Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities in South Carolina. Let’s listen, learn, and collaborate for a brighter, healthier future.

We aim to explore how cooperative models can enhance economic resilience and community empowerment, particularly within BIPOC communities,” says BEE Collective’s co-founder, Adrienne Troy-Frazier. “This year we will feature various sessions and workshops designed to delve into the potential of cooperative economics in fields such as birthwork, healing arts, and early childhood education.”

This program is made possible with support and partnership from the following: Cooperative Education Fund, Sisters of Charity, I Am Voices, Tri County Play Collaborative, BEE Collective, Southern BEE Alliance, and the community-at-large.

For additional information regarding the Just-Us INDABA: Birthing, Education, and Healing Justice Summit presented by the BEE Collective and the Southern BEE Alliance, visit justusindaba.com. For specific inquiries or to schedule an interview, contact Adrienne Troy-Frazier.

The Southern BEE (Birthing Entrepreneurship Empowerment) Alliance is a Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) birth and child care worker-owned cooperative. Its mission is to empower maternal and perinatal professionals in the Carolinas while embracing and uplifting the diverse, traditional wisdom embedded in our communities. By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, we enable birth and child care workers to thrive and offer culturally responsive care that honors our heritage. Visit southernbeealliance.coop for more information.

Just-Us INDABA is a transformative gathering and full-day event dedicated to pregnant, birthing, and parenting families, along with their healthcare advocates, reproductive justice champions, and supportive healing arts practitioners. The event is curated by The BEE Collective.