This certified nurse midwife has a passion for helping people

Whether at work as a certified nurse midwife or in her personal life, LuVerda Martin has a passion for helping people.

“It’s wonderful for me to be a part of the education and empowerment of moms-to-be and to work with them in their readiness and anticipation of the transition from pregnancy to labor and ultimately bringing life into the world,” she said about her work at the Women’s Care Center at Aurora West Allis Medical Center Women’s Pavilion.

Martin also focuses on helping people in the Milwaukee Community outside of work. She is active in her church and Sorority and  also serves as the President of the Milwaukee Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.,  an organization of mothers who are committed to raising the next generation of African American leaders. As a part of this role, she recently participated on a panel for a Milwaukee radio station to talk about the COVID-19 vaccine and children.

“I am not a local authority or a celebrity of ANY kind, but it is important to serve as a trusted provider of color who speaks up about things impacting our community,” Martin said. “I know what I know in terms of that trust factor in our community – and it is fragile for multiple reasons. There is significant history that goes back for several hundred years in terms of how people have been mistreated.”

“When you have someone who looks like you who is providing care and who is taking a stance about a controversial topic, it hopefully helps. I am hopeful that someone will hear me and say ‘Well, maybe I need to look deeper into this and perhaps I need to pay attention to good sources of information’ as opposed to going to Facebook or Instagram or other places that may not have the best information.”

Martin received the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it was available to her and said says she would have even been part of a vaccine study if that had been an option for her. She never had any concerns about the safety or efficacy of the vaccine because she was familiar with the science, so she received the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it was available to her. She would have even been part of a vaccine study if that were an option for her.

Martin’s parents and her husband’s parents were vaccinated as soon as they became eligible. Her three children have also received the vaccine. She said her motivation for promoting the vaccine with her immediate family was getting back to a new normal and keeping her family alive.

“What really scared me was the possibility of losing our parents to this, because we are Black and COVID has disproportionately impacted communities of color,” she said. “That possibility had my fear and anxiety about C COVID-19 very high. I did not want one of my children to expose one of our parents and for that to be part of our family’s story.”

She says people should speak to their providers about the vaccine. She hopes she can be a trusted resource for those in her community.

“For my community, I know that I can make a difference one person at a time. That is a special part of my life’s work,” she said.

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