A New Book, Free to Breastfeed: Voices of Black Women, from Praeclarus Press is Now Available In Honor of Minority Health Awareness Month
Amarillo, Texas (PRWEB) April 17, 2014 -- Statistics reveal that in the United States Black infants suffer from much higher mortality rates than White infants, and the month of April has been chosen as Minority Health Awareness Month, to highlight this glaring health disparity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the rate for infant mortality was 5.6/1000 for whites and 13.3/1000 for Blacks. Increasing breastfeeding rates among the Black population is one of the best ways to help close this gap. Free to Breastfeed: Voices of Black Mothers, a new book from Praeclarus Press, seeks to support Black mothers who want to breastfeed their babies. Compiled and edited by Jeanine Valrie Logan and Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka, the book provides stories of challenges and triumph. Free to Breastfeed serves to inspire and ignite change by giving Black mothers a collective voice as it offers intimate details of their unique breastfeeding experiences.
The Black mothers at the forefront of this very movement offer praise for the book. “Free to Breastfeed is a powerful, much-needed resource to dispel myths and stereotypes about black women and breastfeeding. Anayah and Jeanine have created an amazing compilation of personal narratives that is sure to positively impact perceptions and cultural norms around breastfeeding,” writes Kimberly Seals-Allers, an acclaimed journalist and author of the Mocha Manual series. Kimarie Bugg MSN, MPH, CLC, CEO and Change Leader, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere, Inc. (ROSE) states, “I applaud Anayah and Jeanine for bringing these compassionate community voices to life. We must learn to listen to our own stories and those of others. We must also have the courage to accept that we are the change for which we have been waiting.”
Free to Breastfeed: Voices of Black Mothers is now available from Praeclarus Press.
Jeanine Valrie Logan is a birthworker, homebirth mama, nursing student, and future midwife. Jeanine received her B.A. from Fisk University, and an M.P.H. from George Washington University. She has worked for reproductive justice organizations in South Africa, DC, and Chicago. Jeanine lives in Chicago with her husband and daughter. Anayah R. Sangodele-Ayoka writes and speaks about breastfeeding, maternal health and personal empowerment. She also develops campaigns to promote breastfeeding-friendly communities through policy and public awareness campaigns with MomsRising.org, including Black Breastfeeding Week. Anayah writes for the corresponding blog (http://www.freetobreastfeed.com). She earned a B.A. from Vassar College and is currently a student in the Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner program at Yale University School of Nursing. She is married with two children.
Praeclarus Press is a small press specializing in women's health located in Amarillo, Texas. It was founded by health psychologist, Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC, FAPA, and produces books, webinars, and other materials on all aspects of women's health. The mission of Praeclarus Press is to produce materials that change women's lives.
Scott Sherwood, Praeclarus Press, http://www.PraeclarusPress.com, +1 8066733901, [email protected]
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