DeMarisa Steeley
New York
Summary
Community organizer and maternal health leader with 17+ years in advocacy, program development, and culturally rooted care. Founder of Divine Harlem LLC and Faculty Doula at Black Women's Blueprint, managing citywide maternal health programs and training doulas. Experienced facilitator in South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, and the Dominican Republic, blending arts-based healing, radical leadership, and grassroots organizing to advance health equity and community resilience.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
6038
6038
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work History
Founder
Divine Harlem LLC
New York
01.2024 - Current
- Established and lead a community-rooted maternal health and wellness business serving Harlem and NYC.
- Developed borough-based maternal health programs, including doula training, youth engagement, and public health outreach.
- Designed and implemented survival programs addressing maternal mortality, food justice, and reproductive health disparities.
- Built partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and public agencies to expand service reach.
- Coordinated community events, workshops, and wellness popups tailored to marginalized communities.
Faculty Doula
Black Women's Blueprint
New York
01.2023 - Current
- Managed a caseload of 650+ clients across all five boroughs of New York City, providing holistic maternal health support from preconception through postpartum.
- Supervised and mentored a borough-based team of 40 doula interns, ensuring delivery of high-quality, culturally responsive care.
- Facilitated prenatal groups, maternal health retreats, and postpartum support circles.
- Developed and maintained systems for tracking client outcomes, documenting case notes, and ensuring timely follow-up.
- Secured donations and cultivated relationships with partner organizations to expand client access to resources and referrals.
- Led community outreach initiatives and built strategic partnerships to increase access to maternal health services, including hosting community events and workshops.
Personal Protection Officer
Independent Contracting
New York
03.2022 - Current
- Monitored client environments to ensure safety and security protocols were followed.
- Coordinated transportation logistics for clients to maintain secure travel arrangements.
- Conducted risk assessments to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Certified Doula
Independent Practice
New York
09.2010 - Current
- Provided culturally sensitive, client-centered support to families during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum periods.
- Advocated for maternal health equity, working to reduce disparities in care for underserved communities.
- Delivered education on birthing options, infant care, and wellness practices to empower informed decision-making.
Youth Entrepreneurship Coach
E Through F: Entrepreneurship Through Fashion
New York
01.2019 - 01.2024
- Designed and led workshops for underserved youth ages 4-21, promoting creative expression and financial literacy.
- Trained participants in basic sewing techniques and screen printing garments, enabling them to create tangible, marketable products.
Arts Project Coordinator
Department of Corrections
New York
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Facilitated music, poetry, and healing arts programs inside Rikers Island, transforming correctional spaces into sites of creativity and restoration.
- Partnered with the Deputy Warden of Programs to design rehabilitative and trauma-informed initiatives serving 600+ participants weekly.
- Introduced sound healing, drumming, and rhythm therapy to support emotional regulation and community building.
- Coordinated artist residencies and performances highlighting incarcerated voices in citywide justice reform efforts.
- Developed frameworks that informed later Healing Justice Circles, Doula Trainings, and Cultural Wellness Programs across NYC and abroad.
Youth Development Specialist / Class Representative
Administration for Children Services (DYFJ)
New York
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Support the emotional, social, and educational development of youth involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
- Facilitates group sessions, mentorship, and restorative practices to promote accountability, leadership, and personal growth.
- Acts as a liaison between youth, staff, and program administrators, ensuring young people's needs and perspectives are heard and integrated into service planning.
- Committed to fostering resilience, stability, and positive outcomes for system-involved youth.
Special Education Teacher
KIPP NJ Team Academy
Newark
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Supported students with diverse learning needs through individualized instruction and IEP implementation.
- Collaborated with teachers and families to create inclusive, trauma-informed classrooms.
- Used data-driven strategies to improve academic and social-emotional outcomes while fostering student confidence and self-advocacy.
Healing Justice Organizer: Youth and Community & Curriculum Developer
H.O.L.L.A
New York
- Develop and facilitate healing justice and abolitionist education curricula, including the Nat Turner Legacy Curriculum, integrating trauma-informed, art-based, and culturally rooted practices.
- Lead healing circles, youth leadership trainings, and reentry support programs, bridging emotional wellness, organizing, and community transformation.
- Design creative identity and storytelling projects (e.g., "I AM / I AM NOT" runway activity, justice zine workshops) to strengthen self-determination and collective healing.
- Collaborate with educators and justice advocates to advance liberation-centered pedagogy connecting street, school, and system spaces.
Education
Associate of Arts - Community and Human Services
SUNY Empire State College
B.S.W. Coursework -
CUNY Hunter College
High School Diploma -
Satellite Academy
Skills
Program Development and Leadership
- Maternal and Reproductive Health Advocacy
- Community Engagement and Outreach
- Healing Justice and Trauma-Informed Care
- Youth Development and Workforce Training
- Curriculum Design and Facilitation
- Crisis Intervention and De-escalation
- Public Safety and Risk Assessment
- Partnership Building and Resource Mobilization
Certification
- Full Spectrum Doula Certification
- Lactation Specialist Certification
- Childbirth Education Training
- Youth Development Specialist Training | 2020
- Safe Crisis Management (SCM) | 2020
- CPR Certification | 2020
- Home Health Aide | 2009
- SCIP-R/First Aid | 2014
- Person-Centered Training | 2014
- Mandated Reporter Training | 2015-2021
- HIPAA Training | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015
- LGBTQ Cultural Competency | 2016
- Non-Coercive Approaches to Conflict Management | 2016
- Cultural Competency: How Biases Impact Our Workplace
Publications
- Anyiwo, N., Palmer, G., Auguste, E., Ortega-Williams, A., None but ourselves can free our minds: Towards a theory of collective Black consciousness., Society for Social Work and Research, 2025
- Anyiwo, N., Palmer, G., Auguste, E., Ortega-Williams, A., None but ourselves can free our minds: Towards a theory of collective Black consciousness., Society for Social Work and Research 29th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, 01/01/25
- Read, B., Ryan McGinley photographs New York Pride 2018., Vogue, 2018
- SteeleySmith, DeMarisa, Healing (Her)Historical Trauma: Legacy Tours Organizing Project., H.O.L.L.A! (How Our Lives Link Altogether), 2025
Lectures
- Beyond The Bars, 2022
- National Research Foundation, 2022
- Anarchist Studies Network Conference, 2022
- National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, 2022
- Comparing Domains of Improvisation: Columbia University, 2022
- Montclair State University Music Therapy Symposium, 2022
- Beyond the Bars, 2021
- The Institute for the Development of Human Arts, 2021
- Community Board 11, 2024
- Department of Probation Youth Summit: Community Organizing, 2024
- University Of Pretoria in Johannesburg, Africa, 2025
- National Postpartum Awareness Week, 2025
Timeline
Founder
Divine Harlem LLC
01.2024 - Current
Faculty Doula
Black Women's Blueprint
01.2023 - Current
Personal Protection Officer
Independent Contracting
03.2022 - Current
Arts Project Coordinator
Department of Corrections
01.2021 - 01.2022
Youth Development Specialist / Class Representative
Administration for Children Services (DYFJ)
01.2020 - 01.2021
Youth Entrepreneurship Coach
E Through F: Entrepreneurship Through Fashion
01.2019 - 01.2024
Special Education Teacher
KIPP NJ Team Academy
01.2016 - 01.2017
Certified Doula
Independent Practice
09.2010 - Current
Healing Justice Organizer: Youth and Community & Curriculum Developer
H.O.L.L.A
Associate of Arts - Community and Human Services
SUNY Empire State College
B.S.W. Coursework -
CUNY Hunter College
High School Diploma -
Satellite Academy