Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Health and Human Services (HHS) Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris joined today with Mayoral Aide Shenell Ford and Heart2Heartbeat Lactation & Wellness to recognize and support National Black Breastfeeding Week on the front steps of City Hall as part of National Breastfeeding Month.
August is National Breastfeeding Month, with celebrations occurring throughout the month that began with World Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 1st -7th), Indigenous Milk Medicine Week (Aug. 8th -14th), Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week (Aug. 15th -21th), Black Breastfeeding Week (Aug.25th -31st), and Semana de La Lactancia Latina (Sept. 5th – 11th).
Black Breastfeeding week was birthed from the vision of three innovators in the field of maternal child health, Kimberly Seals Allers, Kiddada Green, and Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka, out of the need to raise awareness around the unique challenges and triumphs of being Black and breastfeeding.
Mayor Sarno states, “I want to commend Shenell for her continued efforts in supporting and helping to raise awareness on this life-giving cause. Shenell has worked tirelessly to spread the word and help educate everyone on this very important public health initiative focusing on nurturing mother and child, and my administration through Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, fully support her efforts in our community.”
“My administration, thanks to the efforts from Attorney Talia Gee – my first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, is also proud to have created a special dedicated parental leave lactation room for our city employees right here in City Hall so that they can care for their lactation needs in private and in a comfortable environment. I believe we are the first municipality in Western Massachusetts if not the State to have such a room,” said Mayor Sarno.
