Media Contact:

Diana M. Hernandez
504.644.7641 | dmmd4444@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Art of Birthing Awarded a Silver Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America
PRSA New Orleans Chapter’s Highest Industry Recognition

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- During this year’s annual Fleurish Awards: Unprecedented Campaigns
& Champagne on Thursday, January 28, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New
Orleans Chapter awarded Laissez Faire Production Group and Sista Midwife Productions the
coveted Silver Anvil award, the industry's highest honor, for their September 2020 event, “The
Art of Birthing.”

The annual PRSA Fleurish Awards honor the achievements of top PR firms in the Greater New
Orleans area and are considered to be the marquee event in the public relations industry. The
Silver Anvil is earned by campaigns that have successfully addressed challenging issues with
exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. The Art of Birthing outperformed
hundreds of entries to attain the Silver Anvil award, scoring in the top 95th percentile from this
year’s judging panel, the Sierra Nevada Chapter of PRSA.

Initially created by Sista Midwife Productions (SMP) in 2016 as an infant mortality awareness
effort, The Art of Birthing is an edutainment event that raises awareness about perinatal
disparities, birth options and solutions for improving birth. The Art of Birthing is also a fundraiser
for SMP’s community events and their Healthy Birth Louisiana training initiative.

This year, SMP engaged Laissez Faire Productions to elevate and expand the event from a
local experience to a national holistic conference. From creating a modern logo and branding
package, which also won a PRSA New Orleans 2021 Fleurish Award of Excellence, to
executing an engaging virtual conference targeted at national doulas and healthcare
practitioners, Laissez Faire Productions spearheaded logistical event planning and
communications alongside the creative direction of Sista Midwife Productions.

Heather Ferdinand Gonzales, CEO of Laissez Faire Production Group, said the decision to work
with SMP and The Art of Birthing was a no brainer. “As an advocate for improving Black
Maternal health myself, I immediately saw the vision and wanted to be a part of this project.”

SMP Founder and CEO Nicole Deggins said, “Working with Laissez Faire was critical to this
year’s elevation of The Art of Birthing. Countless hours of research and planning went into the
successful execution of the event to bring it to an expanded national audience.”

Rebranded and dubbed "A Virtually Vibin’ Experience,” The Art of Birthing celebrates Black
mothers and birth professionals and covers a myriad of topics surrounding birth. The 2020 Art of
Birthing virtual conference hosted over 150 birth professionals and their families from 35 cities
across 20 states. The events gave attendees an opportunity to discuss solutions for improving
maternal health in a way that had not been experienced before.

In addition to the Silver Anvil Award, The Art Of Birthing was honored with an Award of
Excellence for its new logo. Ms. Deggins said “The logo definitely helped solidify The Art of
Birthing brand. As we gear up to celebrate our 10th year in business and our 5th year producing
The Art of Birthing, this award could not have come at a better time. Partnering with Laissez
Faire was a great decision that elevated The Art of Birthing to a national stage and earned this
event the highest PR industry honor. I continue to be proud of the work that we have done to
improve birth in Louisiana and to place ourselves as leaders in the national birth advocacy
arena.”

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