Breastfeeding can be challenging, especially for black families. Introducing, Black Breastfeeding Week 2018. This national event now, it its 6th year was created to provide representation, empowerment, and increase awareness surrounding the unique cultural nuances of breastfeeding in the black community. For the first time ever, there will be a black breastfeeding week event happening in the state of NJ hosting in the great city of Newark. The NJ Black Breastfeeding Week Committee proudly debuts Black Breastfeed Week in Newark, NJ on August 25th from 1-5 pm.

The event is organized by passionate community members Nastassia Davis, Founder of Perinatal Health Equity Foundation, Takisha Miller, Founder of Families for Equity, and Michelle Gabriel-Caldwell, owner of Baby Please Birth Services and Co-sponsored by The Partnership for Maternal & Child Health of Northern New Jersey. The women united under a mutual goal to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding for black families across diverse economic and educational backgrounds. NJ has the 3rd largest racial gap in infant mortality in the nation. Areas of Essex County including Newark, East Orange, and Irvington were identified as areas with high black infant mortality rates by the New Jersey Department of Health. The event organizers strongly support the research that increased breastfeeding and access to breastfeeding support will help improve infant and maternal health outcomes and reduce black infant mortality.