05 It Takes a Thousand Cups of Tea: Teaching Anti-Racism in Midwifery Education

Speakers:- Tania Fleming, Teresa Krishnan & Anna Fielder

Facilitator :- Celine Lemay

Abstract:- The course HEAL869 Resisting Racism in Reproduction was designed to confront systemic racism within reproductive health and midwifery practice. This abstract reflects on the experience of teaching this postgraduate course, which positions racism as a structural determinant of health and challenges students to critically examine power, privilege, and equity in reproductive care. While research consistently documents racial disparities in maternal and infant outcomes, midwifery education often lacks explicit strengths-based, anti-racist frameworks. By centring Indigenous and marginalised voices, the course seeks to disrupt dominant narratives and foster culturally safe practice.

Teaching HEAL869 revealed that anti-racist education is as much about relationship building as it is about content, hence the metaphor of  ‘a thousand cups of tea’. Students entered with diverse understandings of racism, and the course design incorporated dialogic pedagogy, reflective practice, and critical theory to support transformative learning. Methods included asynchronous online modules, interactive discussions, and assessments grounded in praxis, linking theory to professional action.

 Key insights from this teaching experience highlight the importance of creating a safe yet challenging learning environment. Students reported increased confidence in identifying and addressing racism in clinical contexts, though some expressed discomfort when confronting personal biases. These tensions underscore the need for sustained institutional commitment to anti-racist education.

 Implications: Embedding anti-racism in midwifery curricula is not optional; it is essential for dismantling structural inequities and ensuring justice in maternal health outcomes globally.

Check the time in your location here https://bit.ly/VIDM26-session-05