Smiling woman standing in a greenhouse with plants

Taccara Aaushi Dowdell (also known as Midwife Aaushi) is a dedicated community midwife, educator, maternal-child health advocate, and reproductive justice organizer serving families across the Twin Cities metro area and surrounding communities.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Taccara’s journey into midwifery began from a place of deep personal transformation. After the tragic loss of her son due to medical racism and systemic harm in 2015, she felt a powerful calling to ensure that other families would not have to endure similar experiences within the healthcare system. That calling became the foundation of her life’s work.

She began her path in birth work as a birth doula, supporting families in hospital settings throughout Southeast Michigan. Her work quickly expanded beyond clinical spaces into community-based care, where she provided education and support to pregnant and postpartum individuals navigating substance use recovery programs. Through this work, she offered guidance on pregnancy, childbirth, infant care, family planning, and overall well-person health.

In 2019, Taccara advanced her training as a Birth Assistant, working alongside experienced home birth midwives across the Metro Detroit area. As the COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for out-of-hospital birth options, her commitment to midwifery deepened, leading her to pursue formal midwifery education. She trained through the Preceptor Education Program (PEP), gaining hands-on experience in both home birth and birth center settings under the mentorship of multiple midwives, including a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM).

After welcoming her own child in 2021, Taccara returned to her studies with renewed focus and purpose. She completed her midwifery education through a MEAC-accredited program at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, graduating in December 2024. Her training included working with diverse preceptors and care models, equipping her with the ability to provide adaptable, culturally responsive, and client-centered care.

Taccara has supported over 400 families and brings a depth of experience grounded in both clinical skill and community connection. Her work is rooted in advocacy, autonomy, and trust—centering the voices and experiences of the families she serves.

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Aaushi’s Approach

Home birth photographer doing newborn exam

Taccara’s unique blend of personal experience, professional training, and unwavering dedication to the families she serves has shaped her into a compassionate and skilled midwife. She continues to fight for the rights of marginalized people to receive equitable, respectful, and supportive care during pregnancy and childbirth, all while honoring the sacredness of the birth process.

‍ ‍Affiliations

  • Michigan Midwives Association (MMA)

  • Minnesota Council of Certified Professional Midwives (MCCPM)

  • International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN)

  • Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality (GLMA)

‍ ‍Specialties

  • Trauma-Informed Care

  • Well-Person & Preventive Care

  • Lactation & Feeding Support

  • Newborn & Infant Care Support

  • Reproductive Justice Advocacy

A woman sitting on a couch holding a sleeping baby wearing patterned clothing and gloves. There is a laptop and a pink jacket beside her.
Black and white image of two women assisting in a home birth, smiling and holding medical instruments, with a bed in the foreground.
A woman sitting on a couch holding an infant wrapped in a dog-patterned onesie with a pacifier.
A mother holding a newborn baby in a blanket while a midwife in scrubs uses a stethoscope to check the baby's health. The Detroit midwife is also holding a smartphone displaying heart rate information.
A woman holding a baby with a polka dot blanket, both appearing relaxed and content. The setting is indoors with soft lighting and a decorative mirror in the background.
A woman in a birthing pool holds a newborn baby close to her chest while another person, possibly a midwife, assists her. The scene appears to be a home water birth with supportive care. The woman is emotional and possibly relieved after childbirth.
Southeast Michigan Midwife aiding another leaning over stair railing, indoors, in labor.
Person handling placenta on a medical pad
A woman lying in a birthing pool during a water birth, with people assisting and a newborn baby on her chest.
A woman using a Doppler fetal monitor
Woman in scrubs holding a yawning baby on a couch
Woman weighing a floral-patterned bag with a digital scale indoors.
Person assisting another in a birthing pool, indicating a home water birth setting.
Midwife Aaushi - What it's like to work with me
Mother holding newborn during water birth with assisting woman and child.
A man is holding a newborn baby wrapped in a towel. A woman is crouching nearby, providing assistance. Another person is leaning on the couch, watching with a smile. The setting appears to be a home environment.
A group of people in a room, with one person sitting on an exercise ball next to a birthing pool. Another person is standing, partially visible in jeans. The atmosphere suggests a home birth setting.
Person wearing colorful headscarf attending to a newborn baby on a hospital table.
A person holding a baby on a couch, laptop nearby, wearing a shirt with the word 'MIDWIFERY'.
Person wearing a bonnet and sweater supporting a kneeling person during a moment of physical or emotional need in a room with laundry in the background.
A newborn baby being held during a water birth.
Newborn baby on a white blanket while the umbilical cord is being cut by a healthcare professional's hands with gloved assistance. The placenta is visible next to the baby.
A person changing a baby's diaper on a wooden table.