There has been a lot of talk about African American moms and breastfeeding recently, sparked by the interest in Beyonce nursing in public.
I'm really glad to see this, because I think that one of the biggest and often overlooked issues in breastfeeding is the disparity in rates of breastfeeding between women of different races. (I did a podcast interview with Kathi Barber about African American women and breastfeeding a few years ago which is still one of my favorites.)
But long before the Beyonce story broke Kimberly Seals Allers was working on a project I hope you'll check out. It's called Black Breastfeeding 360°. As Kimberly describes it:
BB360° will serve as a global resource to the media to help them better understand the black breastfeeding experience as they research and report on this matter. The articles, interviews and commentaries can be downloaded for FREE by any online or offline publication. But most importantly, it is a place for black men and women to get helpful resources and hear the voices and see the faces of other breastfeeding women all over the world. It is a place to show the world who black mothers are, and for the media to take notice.
Kimberly is an accomplished journalist and author the Mocha Manual series of books on pregnancy and parenting, and an advocate for reducing infant and maternal mortality and increasing breastfeeding rates in the African American community. My favorite part of her totally intimidating resume is that she was named an Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Community Fellow, "with a mandate to increase awareness and engagement around “the first food”—breastmilk, in vulnerable communities." (Yes, breastfeeding=food!)
Kimberly launched Black Breastfeeding 360° in an event last week with Tonya Lewis Lee - author, award-winning TV producer, face of a national infant mortality campaign and wife of Spike Lee. She is spokeswoman for the A Healthy Baby Begins with You campaign against infant mortality.
This project was born out of frustration over the paucity of information and in-depth analysis on African American mothers and breastfeeding. And it's clear to me that when there is a void like this, misinformation, stereotypes, and uninformed policy prevails. I applaud Kimberly's effort to give voice to her community's diverse experiences.
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