Patanjali de la Rocha (they/them) is a queer Indigenous survivor, doula and perinatal health educator, herbalist, activist, health equity consultant, and parent living in Occupied Duwamish Territory (Seattle, WA). They specialize in anti-oppressive organizational healing, and decolonizing research by reclaiming evaluation and data through community-engaged practice. Their reproductive justice work includes working with carcerality-involved pregnant people to develop peer-led classes and perinatal health toolkit for the carceral system. As a chapter representative for Equal Health's Campaign Against Racism, they coordinated with grassroots health organizers globally for hyper local change to undo racist practices within health care and health systems. They have also served as a core member for the Washington State Maternal Mortality Review, and a member of the UCLA Center for the Study of Racism, Social Justice, and Health's COVID-19 Equity Taskforce.
As a descendent of Tepehuan, Mexicatl, and Kalinga tribes of Mexico and the Philippines, it is an honor to work with Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services to connect and reclaim traditions and work in solidarity with the local Indigenous communities. As the program director of the Nest, they are piloting the first guaranteed income program nationally to work with Indigenous communities.
