Questions you're probably about to ask.

Do I have to be a doula or birth worker?

No. Yemaya is for clinicians, doulas, midwives, journalists, columnists, podcasters, and advocates working in women's health. The work is broad — maternal, gynecologic, reproductive, mental health, advocacy, policy. Birth work is a focus area, not a gate.

I'm not a clinician — am I welcome?

Yes. Tier 6 (Media Partner) exists for journalists, podcasters, columnists, bulletin publishers, and investigative reporters covering women's health. You're a first-class member. The clinical tiers (1–5) are for clinicians; Tier 6 is for the people telling the story.

I'm international. Can I still apply?

Yes. Most of our infrastructure is digital and reaches anywhere with a connection. The marketplace currently runs on US Stripe; if you're outside the US the marketplace listing may have constraints, but the editorial, intelligence, and salon access work globally.

I haven't been invited. Can I join?

Yes — through the membership pathway. $35 / $65 / $129 monthly (or annual). You get full Pro-tier benefits, marketplace listing, salon access, intelligence vault. The invited tier is reserved for partners we recruit directly because of specific work we want to amplify or build on.

If I'm an Invited Partner, do I pay anything?

No. Invited partners receive full Pro-tier access at zero cost. The exchange is your contribution — one piece of clinical or editorial intelligence per quarter — not money.

How do I get paid for co-created products?

60/40 in your favor. When we co-author a Digital Asset (CE module, masterclass, clinical template, playbook), revenue is split 60% to you and 40% to LC. You bring the clinical expertise; we bring instructional design, hosting, marketing, distribution.

Payouts run on a monthly cadence: end of each calendar month, your 60% disburses via ACH within fifteen days, with a transparent sales report.

What's the marketplace commission?

10% on actual bookings. Flat. No listing fee. No monthly charge. We earn when you secure a client — not before. The 10% covers Stripe processing (~2.9%) and infrastructure; the rest funds the platform.

Can my employer pay for membership?

Yes. The Organization tier is built for that — $129/month (or $1,290/year) covers five seats and includes co-branding for client handouts. Invoiceable to a practice or institution; many of our members run it through CME or professional development budgets.

Can I deduct membership as a business expense?

For most practitioners using membership for professional development and clinical reference, yes. We're not your accountant — check with yours — but membership receipts are clearly itemized for tax purposes.

How much time does this actually take?

Depends on tier. The minimum to keep your invited status is one piece per quarter. That can be a written column (a few hours of writing) or a fifteen-minute dictated story (we synthesize it for you). Tiers 1–2 are designed for two to six hours per month total. Tiers 3–5 scale up because the role does.

What if I miss a quarter?

One missed quarter, with notice, is fine. Life happens. Two consecutive missed quarters without prior coordination is the trigger to either move you to the paid Open tier or pause access. We don't penalize you for a busy quarter; we do ask you to stay in the loop.

Can I take a sabbatical or pause?

Yes. Tell us. We pause the contribution clock and keep your access intact. We'd rather hold your seat for six months than have you grind through a piece you don't want to write.

Can I write more than one piece a quarter?

Yes. The quarterly minimum is a floor, not a ceiling. Tier 2 (Clinical Contributor) is built around one piece a quarter as a baseline; many partners write more. The cap is your time, not our capacity.

Will I be edited?

Yes. Every piece passes through copy edit, fact-check, and design before publication. We don't change your argument. We do tighten language, verify citations, confirm URLs return 200, and check screenshots for high-stakes claims. We send the edited draft back for your sign-off before anything goes live.

Can I publish elsewhere too?

Yes. You retain rights to your work. We hold first publication; after that, you can republish wherever. Co-created premium products (CE modules, masterclasses) are jointly owned and don't get distributed off-platform without mutual consent — that's the only constraint.

What if I have a clinical observation but I'm not a writer?

Use Track 2. Record fifteen minutes of audio — on your phone, in the car, between patients — and send it. Our editorial team transcribes, structures, and synthesizes. You speak. We write. You sign off before publication.

What's the review turnaround?

48 hours for Tier 1 review (the clinical accuracy pass). Full editorial cycle — pitch, draft, edit, fact-check, design, publish — is typically two to four weeks depending on length and queue. We tell you the publication slot when we accept the pitch.

Who's the marketplace for?

Doulas, lactation consultants, holistic care providers, advanced practitioners — anyone with bookable services. Clients find verified providers through the network; you list your services, set your rates, take bookings directly.

Is the marketplace live yet?

Launching with the inaugural cohort. The infrastructure is built and Stripe-enabled; we're holding the launch until we have real density of providers — otherwise it's a directory of one or two people, which helps no one.

Do I have to use the marketplace?

No. It's an option. If you already have your own booking system, keep using it. The marketplace is for partners who want network distribution without managing a separate platform.

What if I want to leave?

Tell us. No exit penalties. No clawback. We'll do an exit conversation, pause your access at the end of the period, and keep your published work where it is (you retain rights). Either party can step back at any time with no hard feelings.

Can I move between tiers?

Yes. Annual reviews are when we formally check in, but mid-year moves happen. Up if your bandwidth grows; down if life changes. We'd rather adjust than lose you.

Do I keep access if I stop contributing?

Not at the invited free tier — that access is in exchange for participation. But you can transition to the paid Open tier without re-applying. $35/month keeps you in the room, just without the co-creation rev share and the marketplace listing privileges.

What do I sign?

Two documents, both short:

• Exchange MOU — covers the partnership, what we provide, the quarterly contribution, term and termination. Annual rolling.
• Co-Creation Revenue Share Agreement — only if and when we co-author a premium product. Per-product, not blanket. 60/40 in your favor, monthly payouts.

Who owns the content I create?

You retain rights to your underlying clinical knowledge. The specific co-created asset — the formatted product, the branded packaging — is jointly owned by you and LC. Neither party distributes it off-platform without mutual written consent. Your independent writing remains yours.

Are there conflict-of-interest restrictions?

Disclose, don't restrict. If you have a commercial or institutional relationship that bears on what you publish — pharma, device, hospital system, advocacy group — tell us. We'll add a disclosure. We don't ban relationships; we make them transparent.

Can I represent Yemaya externally?

You're listed as a partner publicly. For statements of position — on policy, regulation, controversial clinical questions — align with us first. Not because we control your speech; because Yemaya speaks with one voice on certain issues, and we want to make sure your statement and ours don't contradict each other in print.

How big is the network?

The inaugural cohort is small — targeting ten partners to start. Selective on purpose. The list of who is here defines what here is. We grow deliberately, by invitation, with each cohort cycle. There is no fast lane.

Who else is in?

The roster goes live as the inaugural cohort confirms and onboards. Until then, the people in the room are Dr. Yamicia Connor and the founding team. We'll publish the first cohort once everyone has signed.

What happens at the salons?

Cross-disciplinary conversation. Real questions, not pitches. Three to four times a year, virtual or in-person. Bring a problem from your practice or beat. Leave with three new contacts and at least one piece of intelligence that changes how you think about it.

Is there a Slack / community channel?

Yes. Partner Slack goes live when the inaugural cohort onboards. Cross-discipline conversation on demand. Editorial calendar is shared there, plus salon prep, plus whatever else partners want to start a thread on.