01/10/2026
“I got work to do” isn’t just a lyric — it’s a reality for those of us who show up for birthing people every day, often in quiet, unseen ways. From hospital hallways to late-night documentation to sunrise drives on the way to the next birth, this work continues because it has to.
This video is shared in loving memory of Dr. Janelle Smith, a Certified Nurse Midwife whose life, labor, and legacy mattered deeply. There is no reason she should not be home with her newborn daughter.
Her passing is a reminder that birth work is sacred, demanding, and far too often undervalued and unsupported. It asks much of those who commit their lives to caring for others — and it calls all of us to reflect on the systems meant to protect healers, providers, and families.
We honor her by remembering her fully, by refusing to look away, and by carrying this work forward with intention, responsibility, and care.
