Our team
Kaniya Samm, DNP, MPH
Kaniya Samm is the co-founder of Rooted. Kaniya is an emergent midwife who honors physiological birth and nonviolent obstetrical practices to maintain bodily autonomy, preserve reproductive sovereignty, and engage the black family unit as a self-governing incubator across the reproductive continuum.
Born and raised in the California Bay Area and currently residing in New York City. Kaniya is influenced by these two distinct historical and contemporary epicenters of black radical thought, cultural diversity, and community-led survival.
Kaniya is committed to the practice of confronting institutional control of lineage, grooming for compliance, and racist rhetoric. Kaniya is inspired to redefine what it means to birth by ensuring a necessary epistemological break from the overrepresentation of western, eurocentric obstetrical practices.
Kaniya received her DNP from Columbia University, her MPH from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her B.A. in Ethnic Studies and Sociology from Mills College. Previously, she was the Director of Care Management at the Institute for Family Health. She brings 10+ years of experience in community health research, birth justice, digital healthcare design, and operational strategy.
Anika Carter, LCSW
Anika is the co-founder of Rooted. Anika is an LCSW who provides holistic mental health services to clients looking to gain support for their general wellness and perinatal mental health needs. Anika’s orientation is person-centered, which honors and respects individual autonomy and choice. Anika specializes in trauma, racialized psychological injury, and perinatal mental health.
Anika received her MSW from New York University and B.A in Psychology, Minor in Africana Studies from San Francisco State University. She holds various roles within Rooted including: psychotherapist, doula and Programs Director. She also serves as Program Director and Supervisor for the MSW Internship Program at Union Settlement. She brings with her experiences within program development, community health advocacy and trauma research.