FEATURED PROFILE: Micky ScottBey Jones
By Helen McNeal, Senior Advisor to the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab
If you ask Micky ScottBey Jones about her core identity, the answer is very clear: “I am a doula.”
Today, Micky serves as a “justice doula,” with a focus on accompanying people as they work to “birth more love, justice and shalom into our world.” She does this from her home base in the Faith Matters Network, where she is the Director of Resilience & Healing Initiatives. But before being a justice doula, she was simply a doula, and this general model informs all her work.
Although the profession is growing, there are still many who are unclear on what a doula does. “A doula is a trained non-medical companion who supports someone through a significant health-related experience such as childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion or stillbirth, or non-reproductive experiences such as dying. A doula may also provide support to those close to the individual during this process. The overall goal of a doula is for their client to be informed, feel comfortable and empowered, complementing the role of health professionals providing medical care.” (Wikipedia)
As a doula Micky was able to provide nurturance and support.
Three key elements of the work of a doula are at the core of Micky and her work.
First, a doula works with others in transformational experiences. Micky’s work as a doula began in the more traditional setting for doulas: providing assistance to the birthing person, the baby and their loved ones through the birthing process, and then after the birth of the baby. Freed from the role of the medical professional, who needed to ensure the health and medical safety of the birthing person and child, as a doula Micky was able to provide nurturance and support. This nurturance could take whatever form was needed in the moment. This gave Micky confidence in her own instincts in difficult or challenging circumstances while also giving her the sense of reward that comes with loving service of another in those circumstances.
Second, the goal of the doula is to create a sense of safety and provide support and comfort in circumstances that are often challenging. Initially, Micky’s work was in the arena of birth but, over time, and with her own awareness that “something needed to change,” she moved out of what had become a comfortable arena. Always a person of faith, she had explored the full dimensions of religion-based spirituality from extremely conservative Christianity to the very liberal, progressive spirituality found in Black folk religion and the beliefs of indigenous peoples. The sense that “something needed to change” was simultaneously grounded in the sure knowledge that she was called to caregiving. The new awareness was that she was called to advocacy work and to caregiving in service of faith-rooted justice.
This led her to undertake a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies from the Portland Seminary and the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies. Based on her own journey and her studies, she related deeply to the social justice movement but realized that with the “struggle” came the stresses of social action. She saw the importance of both resilience building and a form of infrastructure support for activists. The concept of chaplaincy, which involves both walking with and caring for others, regardless of their belief system or lack thereof, seemed a perfect fit for what this new initiative should invoke. Thus was born the Daring Compassion Movement Chaplaincy Project aka Movement Chaplaincy.
Finally, the doula is not leading or responsible for the event but rather is trained to accompany and provide care as a peer supporter. In 2016, Micky began to talk about, research and explore the idea of movement chaplaincy in her role with the Faith Matters Network. Out of these conversations came a gathering of about 30 changemakers in the social justice movement. They agreed that many in the movement were struggling and there was a need for formal support. There was also a recognition that this work of care and accompaniment had been done by others informally for a long time, but the time had come for these individuals to unite as a field.
They may not wear collars and they may not be the activists.
In the past, faith leaders have played an important and “out front” role in supporting activists and activism but, with the role of religion in American life changing, this is no longer always the case. This has led to what Micky refers to as the “emergence of others who draw from deep wells of faith to care for those involved in sacred change.” They may not wear collars and they may not be the activists. They may be simply supportive observers. But they provide care and support to those campaigning for change. What was needed was a way for those involved in or interested in the field to come together, be trained and then function as para-professionals.
In 2019, Micky launched an online course, the Daring Compassion Movement Chaplaincy Training, to provide a means for those wanting to do the work to build their skills, be affirmed and find their community. “I am the latest in a longstanding tradition of Black people, particularly Black women, that take elements of larger culture and remix them to accomplish what is needed but unseen. I didn’t know if anyone would take the course but I felt a need for building strength in our community,” says Micky. Today, 115 people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and from around the world, are going through the course. Micky affirms the history of the work often, saying “We are building a continuation of what our elders have done. Even in spite of fear or danger, there is a moment of clarity and strength where the divine meets the people. Our charge is to hold people in these moments of fighting for another way.” Through the course, she is helping to birth the cadre of people to do the work of social change.
By way of an example of movement chaplaincy in action, in 2018, a grassroots activist gathering on immigration that was led by Miijente sought support. To support its work, Micky assembled a national team to plan support and then put out a call for chaplains. Eight movement chaplains came forward, hosted a caring circle in advance, were present at the march for the marchers and later facilitated a debrief.
Doulas accompany individuals in transformational moments.
In November 2019, the Daring Compassion Movement Chaplaincy Project hosted a Gratitude Brunch for activists from different organizations. With brunch, chair massages and the sole intention of gratitude and connection, it was a restorative gathering. Activists had the opportunity to sit with no formal business to accomplish and have the chance to have conversations and form relationships that benefit all. These are but two examples of the activities that movement chaplaincy has undertaken in support of social justice and activism.
Doulas accompany individuals in transformational moments. Micky ScottBey Jones has not only accompanied those giving birth to babies but also activists seeking to give birth to social change. Now she is creating a field full of doulas in the social justice movement. From one doula to many, Micky and the movement chaplaincy effort is about making an important difference in the world of social justice, today and tomorrow, here and around the world.
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Learn more about this article’s author, Helen McNeal, here.
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