“You have to be your own advocate, and insist upon receiving the tests and screenings that you need to make the best choice for you as a mother.” - K. Stewart | National Parenting Advocate

What Tests Do We Need To Take Before Picking A Parenting Partner?

KSF Live Interview Recap | December 22, 2025 | Richmond, CA

On this episode of KSF Live, host Prof. K sat down with K. Stewart, a masculine mom and sickle cell trait carrier, for an honest conversation about what families (especially Black, couples needing pregnancy support, LGBTQ+, and gender-expansive families) need to know before choosing a donor or partner on their parenting journey.

Too often, conversations about reproductive health begin after families are already navigating pregnancy, stress, or crisis. This episode intentionally centers what should come first: testing, informed consent, and empowered decision-making.

Why Testing Matters Before Donor Selection

In the episode, K. Stewart shares her lived experience navigating family planning while carrying the sickle cell trait. She lived her whole life not knowing she carried the sickle cell trait, in spite of attending all annual tests recommended by her physicians. She explains why genetic testing, including sickle cell screening, and comprehensive STD testing are essential steps before selecting a donor.

Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects Black families, yet education about trait status and inheritance risks is frequently minimized or delayed in medical settings. When families are not fully informed early, the consequences can impact both parents and children for generations.

This conversation reinforces a core truth: testing is not fear-based—it is care-based.

Masculine Moms, Queer Parents, and Medical Bias

The episode also explores the realities Black mothers, masculine moms, and queer parents often face in healthcare environments; from being misunderstood to having their questions dismissed. K. Stewart speaks candidly about advocating for herself, asking direct questions, and navigating systems that were not designed with her identity or family structure in mind.

These experiences are not isolated. They reflect broader gaps in culturally competent, inclusive reproductive healthcare.

Planning With Intention and Protection

Rather than framing parenting partner selection as purely emotional or logistical, this episode reframes it as an act of intentional protection: for the parent, the child, and the broader family legacy.

Listeners are encouraged to:

• Know their sickle cell trait status

• Understand STD screening protocols

• Ask detailed questions about donor health history

• Advocate for clarity and transparency in medical care

These steps are especially critical for families historically underserved by healthcare systems.

Why This Conversation Matters

KSF Live exists to surface the conversations people need before they reach crisis. This episode highlights how early testing, education, and advocacy can prevent harm, reduce uncertainty, and support healthier outcomes for families.

As shared during the episode, informed parenting is empowered parenting.

Watch, Share, and Learn

We invite families, healthcare providers, and community leaders to watch this episode of KSF Live and share it with anyone considering donor-assisted family planning.

By normalizing these conversations, we help ensure that more families begin their parenting journeys with knowledge, dignity, and support.

Pride + Purpose: From Conversation to Community Action

This episode of KSF Live directly supports the Pride + Purpose Blood Drive, hosted by the K. Stewart Foundation in partnership with TRK Events and the American Red Cross.

📅 Friday, December 26, 2025
🕘 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Richmond City Hall | 440 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, CA 94804

Pride + Purpose is about dignity, access, and showing up for communities that have historically been underserved by healthcare systems. Each donation can help save up to three lives, including those living with sickle cell disease.

👉 Register to Donate Blood

Community members are encouraged to register in advance to donate blood at the Pride + Purpose Blood Drive:

🔗 Register here:
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=KSTEWART

Walk-ins are welcome when available, but appointments help ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all donors.

Why This Work Matters

KSF Live exists to elevate conversations that lead to real-world impact. Public health equity, community education, and direct action are core to the K. Stewart Foundation’s mission.

As shared during the episode, systems don’t change on their own—communities change them.

By tuning in, sharing this conversation, and donating blood, you are helping turn awareness into action—and purpose into life-saving impact.