When you meet Markesha, the first thing you notice is her motherly warmth—the kind that comes from raising four children while building the life she wants for all of them. Her oldest is twelve, her youngest is baby Marley, and in between are two lively boys who keep her days full and her heart even fuller.
What brought Markesha to Community of Hope was simple: A dream to have a water birth, but what has kept Markesha connected has been a circle of support including birth services, WIC, CenteringPregnancy©, CenteringParenting©, and the sense of community.
Twelve years ago, when she was expecting her first son, Markesha dreamed of having a water birth, but the option felt out of reach due to cost.
Later, during her third pregnancy, that possibility came back into focus.
Her grandmother, Ms. Cornelia Harris, who warmly greets families every day at the front desk of Community of Hope’s Conway Health and Resource Center, immediately made the connection. “My job just opened up a building—I think they offer water birthing there,” she told her.
She remembers calling right away to check whether her insurance would be accepted. After hearing how expensive her other birthing options would be, she was relieved when Community of Hope told her it’s included.
Markesha went on to deliver two of her children—Dylan and Marley—at Community of Hope.
“She was so good,” Markesha said of her midwife, Bayyinah. “That’s another reason why I like Community of Hope. It’s family oriented. They know me by face. When I walked in it wasn’t like, ‘Here’s a random doctor.’ It was more like ‘Girl, come on,’” she joked.
Today, Marley continues to receive pediatric care at Community of Hope—but for Markesha, it’s the ongoing support that has made the difference.
Through every stage—pregnancy, birth, and parenting—she’s found community, connection, and care she can trust. Markesha is active in both our WIC and the CenteringParenting programs—two resources that have helped her family thrive in very different ways.
Through WIC, Markesha has access to nutritious foods, guidance on healthy eating, and lactation support that makes it easier to provide for her family every day. “When you used to get WIC, it felt like the bare minimum. Now, they upgraded the list so much that I feel like I’m grocery shopping regularly. The extra fruits and veggies, it really helps.”
CenteringParenting, though, holds a special place in her heart.
She loves the space it creates to learn, share, and be reminded that she’s not doing this alone. “You get to meet other parents who are going through the same changes. We talk about milestones. And they always give you something to leave with a little keepsake or milestone gift.”
She even enjoyed the CenteringPregnancy group when she was expecting. “We learned what to expect, and we shared stuff we personally go through that people don’t always talk about.”
Together, these group care programs create space for health through connection, learning, and support—reminding parents they are not doing this alone. The model of group care has resonated with Markesha. “Being a mother means trying to give my kids everything they need. Making sure they know I’m here. Giving them more than what I had. Raising them to be the best little people, so they can grow up to be the best big people they can be.”
In many ways, that’s what Community of Hope strives for too—walking alongside parents as they nurture strong, healthy families like Markesha’strives for too—walking alongside parents as they nurture strong, healthy families Markesha’s.
