Jessica Bal
New York, NY, USA
Jessica Bal is a documentary photographer and filmmaker working on stories that explore women’s issues and representations of gender and identity. Her work has been published by The New York Times, VICE, The Miami Herald, Narratively, The Riverdale Press and others. In 2016, she received a Magnum Foundation Fellowship and was invited to participate in the New York Portfolio Review and the Eddie Adams Workshop. Jessica received her master's degree from CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in 2015 and holds a B.A. from Tufts University.
Jessica has produced work for clients such as eBay, The New School, The Rockefeller Foundation, Forbes, WIRED, The FRONT, The New York Civil Liberties Union, The Consulate General of Ireland, and the branded content studios of Gimlet Media and The Atlantic. She is available for assignments and commissioned projects in New York City and beyond, and is always eager to meet thoughtful collaborators.
2016 - Magnum Foundation, 2016 - NYT Lens Portfolio Review, 2015 - Punch Sulzberger Scholar, 2016 - Eddie Adams Workshop XXIX
- Audio capture
- Audio editing
- Editorial
- Entertainment
- Events
- Interview
- Portrait
- Reporting
- Video capture
- Video editing
Waist Up
Jessica Bal
Regina Conceicao (right), a doula with the By My Side program, meets with client LaCendra LaSane (left) at a Dunkin Donuts in East New York. LaCendra was subletting a small bedroom in the neighborhood and asked to meet at a neutral location.
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The U.S. has the worst maternal mortality rate of any developed country. The risk of maternal death is twice as high for Latina women and three to four times as high for black women as it is for white mothers. Doulas serve as an educational and emotional support system for pregnant people, focusing on the well being of a mother “from the waist up.” Despite research indicating doula care can significantly improve birth outcomes, only five percent of births in New York City are assisted by doulas.
Waist Up
Jessica Bal
Regina Conceicao, a doula with the By My Side program, shows her client a contraction app and several resources on labor positions.
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The U.S. has the worst maternal mortality rate of any developed country. The risk of maternal death is twice as high for Latina women and three to four times as high for black women as it is for white mothers. Doulas serve as an educational and emotional support system for pregnant people, focusing on the well being of a mother “from the waist up.” Despite research indicating doula care can significantly improve birth outcomes, only five percent of births in New York City are assisted by doulas.
Waist Up
Jessica Bal
LaCendra LaSane at a doctor's appointment, where she completed a fetal non-stress test. She was a week overdue and getting antsy, despite her doula's reassurances that the baby would come in its own time. This was LaCendra's first pregnancy.
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The U.S. has the worst maternal mortality rate of any developed country. The risk of maternal death is twice as high for Latina women and three to four times as high for black women as it is for white mothers. Doulas serve as an educational and emotional support system for pregnant people, focusing on the well being of a mother “from the waist up.” Despite research indicating doula care can significantly improve birth outcomes, only five percent of births in New York City are assisted by doulas.