Last week, nearly 190 attendees convened on the North Carolina A&T State University campus in Greensboro to focus on normalizing breastfeeding within Black communities. On the same day, nine students participated in a ceremonial event, receiving their “white coats” as part of their entry into a pioneering lactation training program.
These students are joining a historic initiative, as this program is the first of its kind to be hosted at a public historically Black college or university in the U.S. Launched four years ago by N.C. A&T, the program aims to address the shortage of Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Asian lactation experts.
Andrea Serano, interim executive director of Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere, an organization dedicated to tackling breastfeeding disparities in communities of color, expressed her enthusiasm upon witnessing the new students don their lab coats.
“It was inspiring to see these new candidates preparing to become colleagues in this field. Their presence set a positive tone for the conference,” Serano said.
The following day, the conference continued at A&T’s Extension and Research Farm Pavilion, bringing together lactation professionals, maternal health practitioners, and other stakeholders to explore ways to boost breastfeeding rates among Black mothers. Despite breastfeeding being a natural process, many families face challenges such as sore nipples, difficulty with latching, and finding the right nursing position. Lactation consultants play a crucial role in helping families overcome these obstacles.
Nationally, only about 10 percent of lactation consultants are Black, even though Black mothers make up a significant portion of new mothers—21.5 percent in North Carolina as of 2022.
Janiya Williams, founder and executive director of A&T’s program, highlighted the ongoing need for diverse lactation consultants. “Our program helps community members see professionals who resemble them in this field,” Williams said.
Williams conceived the idea for the conference in 2021 while seeking grant funding from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation to support maternal and child health initiatives. Her proposal included a focus on “Black and brown breastfeeding.”
