Nicolle Gonzales

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Nicolle Gonzales (born March 15, 1980, in Waterflow, New Mexico) [1] is a Navajo certified midwife. She is the founder of the Changing Woman Initiative, which is the nation's first combined Native American birthing and reproductive wellness center, in her home state, New Mexico. [2]

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Biography

She studied at the University of New Mexico. She first received her bachelor's degree in nursing, followed by a master level midwifery degree. [3] She is a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and is certified with the American Midwifery Certification Board. [4]

Gonzales trained as a midwife after traumatic experiences during the birth of her first child. [1] [5] At the time, she was the only Native American midwife-nurse student in the country. [3]

She has worked at Santa Fe Indian Hospital. [6]

Gonzales lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. [3] She is a long-distance runner. [5]

Changing Woman Initiative

Gonzales is the founder of Changing Woman Initiative (CWI), a non-profit organization which aims to improve the experience of childbirth for Indigenous women. [1] [5] [7] The cost of child birth is expensive, and access is limited for rural, indigenous women. Gonzales aims to create spaces where Native women are safe, respected, and spiritually cared for, and where Native healthcare professionals can incorporate traditional healing into their practice. [8] They offer prenatal care, fresh produce, at-home services, doula assistance, and bodywork. [3]

Gonzales also aims to cut the costs of birth and provide services to help with the cost of women's health in general. The clinic's policy is that they "don’t turn any woman away," and they secure grant funding to ensure they can still support uninsured women and women with insurance providers such as Medicaid which do not always cover traditional medicine. [1]

CWI also funds education for Native and Indigenous midwives who want to provide similar services in their communities. [3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Monet, Jenni (March 8, 2021). "Could Indigenous Midwifery Improve Maternal Health for Native Women?". The Nation . ISSN   0027-8378 . Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  2. ↑ Bermel, Marlena (December 12, 2022). "Leader & Innovator". HSC Newsroom. University of New Mexico . Retrieved June 12, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Rizzo, Angie (December 2, 2019). "New Mexico Women: Nurse-midwife Nicolle Gonzales". Southwest Contemporary. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Native Women We Celebrate". kweksociety.org. January 21, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Van Gelder, Sarah (May 24, 2017). "For Native Mothers, a Way to Give Birth That Overcomes Trauma". Yes! . Archived from the original on June 1, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  6. ↑ Gonzales, Nicolle L. (November 13, 2020). "The United States Commission on Civil Rights Virtual Briefing on Racial Disparities in Maternal Health – Testimony of Nicolle L. Gonzales, BSN, RN, MSN, CNM" (Testimony/Visual briefing). United States Commission on Human Rights.
  7. ↑ "Changing Woman Initiative 460 Saint Michaels Dr. Ste 804, Santa Fe, NM 87505". Changing Woman Initiative 460 Saint Michaels Dr. Ste 804, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  8. ↑ Gonzales, Nicolle. "Nicolle Gonzales". Maternal & Infant Health Award. Retrieved June 12, 2025.
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