Alixandra Bacon RM MA (she/her)
Alixandra is a first generation Canadian, her mother was a settler of Irish decent. She graduated from UBC Midwifery in 2012 and has been serving families in her hometown of Richmond (& South Delta) ever since. She is Past President of the Canadian Association of Midwives and Midwives Association of BC and Adjunct Professor at UBC Midwifery. Alixandra has a special interest in ADHD/AuDHD/ASD and Pregnancy...want to learn more? Check out www.adhdpregnancy.ca. Outside of work Alixandra is mother to a lively 7 year old and sings soprano harmony and plays percussion in the Hillbettys.
Tanisha Gounder SMW 2
Tanisha will be joining me for their first clinical placements Nov 4 - 24, 2025. I hope you will welcome Tanisha into your home to learn the art of midwifery.
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My name is Tanisha, and I am a second-year student in the UBC Midwifery Program. I am
beyond grateful for the opportunity I have to gain valuable experience and knowledge from my
preceptors while supporting pregnant individuals across various communities. I hope to provide
a safe and supportive environment, and to build strong connections with individuals I care for
throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience!
As I have gotten older, I have developed a deeper connection to my Indo-Fijian heritage, and I
have gained such insightful knowledge about the history of my ancestors and community.
Midwifery is deeply connected to my family roots, however many traditional midwifery practices
were lost over time. Small villages within India and Fiji had midwives attending births from home
to home, which include the births of many elders within my family. I have grown up in quite a
large and close-knit family which means I have welcomed many babies into the world over the
years. Birth and babies has been an interest of mine for as long as I can remember, and it took
quite a long and windy path to discover that midwifery is something I want to pursue. I now see
it as an opportunity to reconnect with my cultural roots and introduce those traditional practices
within my community, and to others as well.
I have grown up in a loving community and carry such precious relationships with those around
me, which I cherish deeply. These experiences drive me to create such environments of warmth
and respect for the individuals I come across during my placements. I also aim to use my
fluency in English and Hindi to connect with individuals and provide care that is empowering for
them.
I spend most of my free time with my family, my dog, and a large group of loving friends, who
have provided unconditional support throughout my journey. On my own time, I love going to the
gym, going for drives, snacking on food and drifting away into my creative mode splashing paint
on a canvas!
Why Strawberry Midwifery?
In many cultures across the world, strawberries are associated with motherhood, fertility, and abundance. Strawberries are among the first plant to produce fruit after winter in the areas where they are native, signifying rebirth and a new start. The “seeds" you see on the outside of a strawberry are actually the plant's ovaries! Each “seed" is technically a separate fruit that has a seed inside of it. Strawberries are also recognized for their rich vitamin c and folic acid levels, which are great for promoting a healthy pregnancy.
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I was blessed to spend my early childhood in Steveston. Across the street from my house were strawberry fields which had been slated for development. On summer days I remember begging my mum to play the Beatles Strawberry Fields song and then toddling across the way to gorge myself on the strawberries in the abandoned field. At the time I fancied I would become a strawberry farmer myself!
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Berry picking has a long history here. For thousands of years, the Musqueam peoples canoed to what is now called Lulu Island to set up temporary summer housing for fishing and foraging for berries and plants. For the Musqueam people, June is known as the time of the salmonberries, təәm lil’əә.
A historical researcher, Dellis Cleland, spoke to more than a hundred people in 1972 to ask them about their memories of berry picking in Richmond. The report “Berrying in Richmond – Pleasure or Profit” can be found in the City of Richmond’s Archives. Strawberries were grown in Richmond’s “rich clay soil” starting from the early 1900s and were hauled to markets in Vancouver over the two connecting bridges in wagons, cars and even in milk vans run by Van Dusen and Hawke, Cleland writes. Cleland writes that strawberry festivals were the “highlight of early summer” and were “interwoven throughout the social life of the area.”Strawberry festivals were held by different organizations – at churches and at the Orange Hall in Steveston.While the annual Orange Hall Strawberry Festival “is hosted by men of the lodges,” Cleland notes “Many are the crates hulled by the women of Richmond in the name of neighborliness and hospitality.”
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Rantanen, M. (Aug 5/22). Berries have long history in Richmond, including inspiring wineries. Richmond News. https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/berries-have-long-history-in-richmond-including-inspiring-wineries-5665211