The Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition was founded in 2020 to provide health and wellness support from individuals who reflect their community. They’re creating a network of trusted advisors who guide new mothers in protecting their babies’ health, and by extension, the future of their communities. This support is crucial in Wichita, the “Air Capital of the World.” While aviation giants like Cessna, Airbus, and Learjet drive the economy, their industrial legacy hits hardest in low-income neighborhoods like Matlock Heights. There, Black and brown families face toxic air pollution and hazardous waste at rates 90% higher than similar communities nationwide, while their infants die at twice the state average. The Coalition fights these stark inequities through peer support groups, community campaigns, and culturally aware lactation consulting. Together, they’re helping families use the protective power of breastfeeding while working toward healthier neighborhoods for their children.
This seven-member coalition of Black and brown mothers, healthcare professionals, and breastfeeding advocates is providing support through the power of community representation – leaders who look like and share both culture and identity with the families they serve. The team includes two Certified Breastfeeding Specialists, three doula-trained workers, and three Chocolate Milk Café facilitators who help Black families reclaim human milk feeding as their ancestral and cultural birthright. Their “Latched Legacy Project” celebrates Black and brown women who breastfeed, featuring a powerful campaign video that’s shared in breastfeeding 101 classes, Black Breastfeeding Week ceremonies, and conferences across the nation. WBBC highlights breastfeeding normalization and provides kits with supplies and information to encourage pregnant women to make breastfeeding their first choice. These efforts have successfully supported 97% of kit recipients in initiating breastfeeding upon delivery.
Wichita Black Breastfeeding Coalition hosted their second annual Black Breastfeeding Week celebration in August 2024 to address racial disparities in breastfeeding rates. This nationwide initiative, founded in 2014, aims to raise awareness of challenges faced by Black mothers and support breastfeeding in Black communities.