For many reasons, 2020 was a historic year. While surviving a global pandemic with an unimaginable number of lives lost, we also have collectively mourned the loss of Black lives and once again felt the weight of social and racial injustice in our country. Nonetheless, we persevered together and we excitedly celebrated another year of accomplishments through Black Girls' Breastfeeding Club. With the support of our village and through collaborations with partners, we accomplished the following in 2020:
Partnerships and Publications
We continued to serve as a kindred partner to the Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA). Our Founder, Dr. Ayanna Robinson co-authored a publication with the BMMA Research Working Group in the Harvard Law and Policy Review, titled Black Maternal Health Research Re-Envisioned: Best Practices for the Conduct of Research With, For, and By Black Mamas." You can access the article here.
In March 2020, Dr. Ayanna Robinson published a case study, titled "Using Black Feminist Thought to Conduct Online Research with Black Mothers." The case study, based on research conducted on the experience of Black mothers using Facebook for peer-to-peer breastfeeding support, was published in the book, titled "Focus Groups: Culturally Responsive Approaches for Qualitative Inquiry and Evaluation."
We also published two new breastfeeding resources on our site in 2020:
New Products and Tools
In September, we opened bEarth Work with an initial cohort of online classes. bEarth Work is a web application that links Black women to online classes created by Black birth workers and health professionals on topics spanning preconception through the post-partum. Our vision is a digital space where Black mothers and birthing people can find needed educational courses and classes created by Black birth workers and health professionals to prepare for pregnancy, child birth, breastfeeding and beyond. We will be expanding to list additional courses and classes in 2021 and launching the mobile version of the app this spring.
Do you know someone who is planning a pregnancy or who is currently expecting? Share bEarth Work with them and the list of Black birth experts who can virtually provide the education and support they deserve to thrive during pregnancy.
As we continue to promote positive breastfeeding norms and celebrate Black women in breastfeeding, in November, we launched our first line of infant onesies, with the slogan Brown and Breastfed. They are available for purchase in our shop.
Community Outreach and Events
Due to social distancing, we held online events in 2020. The silver lining, however, is that it allowed us to interact with audiences from different parts of the country. In 2020, our Founder, Dr. Ayanna Robinson, participated in the following events to promote breastfeeding among Black women and to share breastfeeding research:
-July: Dr. Ayanna Robinson was a guest speaker on the "Dish with the the Doulas" podcast.
-August: Dr. Ayanna Robinson moderated the "What the Health" session during Black Mom's Blog, The Nursathon: A Virtual Experience.
-August: BGBC hosted "The Reclamation: Breastfeeding Boot Camp" for new and expectant mothers. This event provided participants with an overview on the benefits of breastfeeding, one on one informational sessions with lactation professionals, and gift bags and giveaways from our event sponsors, including Aden and Anais, Medela, Doula Box, Halo Sleep, Solly Baby, and Earth Mama.
-August: BGBC Founder, Dr. Ayanna Robinson, was a speaker on the BMMA Black Breastfeeding Week webinar titled, "Centering Black Mamas to Revive, Restore, and Reclaim their Breastfeeding Power."
-August: Dr. Ayanna Robinson, along with a panel of other moms, influencers, and health and medical professionals was a speaker at the Sugaberry's Milk and Suga Summit, a virtual summit created by actress, Tika Sumpter, and Thai Randolph.
In addition to our virtual events, we expanded our social media audience . Thank you to all who share our posts as we work to reach as many Black moms as possible. In closing, we would like to share a message from one of our social media followers, which serves as a reminder to continue in this work:
"Thanks so much for getting back to me. As the only female in my family to breastfeed, I’ve looked to this account for pointers. Thank you again."
We thank you for your support and look forward to continuing in 2021. If you would like to collaborate or book Black Girls' Breastfeeding Club in 2021, send us an email at blackgirlsbreastfeedingclub@gmail.com.