January 5, 2015

Dear Lactation Associates,

The advent of a new year is a time for fresh starts.   While breastfeeding rates have been slowly rising overall, rates in communities of color continue to lag behind the national average- disparities in breastfeeding still persist, and with them, inequities in infant, child and maternal health.   A new organization has been created to specifically address these issues.  As of January 5, 2015, the National Association of Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color (NAPPLSC) (pronounced “napple- C”) is offering yet another venue for redressing issues regarding disparities in breastfeeding.  

Our mission:

To cultivate a community of diverse professional and peer lactation supporters to transform communities of color through policy, breastfeeding, and skilled lactation care.

It is with great enthusiasm that we introduce to you a new player on the national lactation field.   We are excited to take our place among the community of lactation advocacy, support, and professional agencies.  We are proud to announce the birth of this new organizations whose role is to provide a national voice for persons of color who act in professional and or supportive frameworks to breastfeeding women within their communities.  We hope that you join with us in our celebratory moment as we move to positively impact breastfeeding rates by;

• providing amplitude for the national discourse on lactation disparities

• supporting candidates of color as they pursue careers in lactation

• serving as a vanguard  for innovation and problem-solving

• standing as a resource for others who desire insights into our communities

• representing the concerns and desires of  peer and professional support persons of color to the wider lactation community

• promoting our community cultures as topics of increased study and understanding in the social and biosciences as they relate to lactation

• working to decrease barriers to breastfeeding in communities of color

• promoting culturally congruent care models for communities of color among all lactation support providers

• creating published resources to contribute to the body of knowledge on cultural care

• illuminating our profession with the presence of national level leadership of color

So what can you do to become involved?  How can you be a part of this groundbreaking work?  Please consider joining NAPPLSC as an individual or as an organization.  Please visit our website to a learn more about who we are and what we do.  Don’t forget to read about the work of our committees and their various outreaches.  While on the website,  enjoy the bios of our officers whose impact in their local communities is bearing fruit all over the country.  Join our organization page on Facebook to stay abreast of current events and initiatives.There is so much to be done, and we are eager to get started.  We invite you to get to know us.

With warm regards,