#DearCinnaMoms May 21'

We welcomed the New Year with hope after showing great resilience during the worst pandemic in modern history. Now in the merry month of May, we begin to turn the page for a new chapter to begin. The light at the end of the tunnel seeming ever closer, Indoor dining a common place again and California theme parks are welcoming returning employees and guest.

Doors open once more and families come together for the first time in what has felt like an eternity. Quickly we continue moving towards a normalcy that now feels somewhat alien and how anxious are we really to jump back into maskless crowds?

This pandemic brought to light many discrepancies in our health care system and so many of our loved ones have paid the ultimate price. The sad truth is, long before 2020 have we lived with the injustices that plague our Black and African American siblings. COVID was not our only threat and it can no longer be ignored. Not only are we talking about greater rates of dying at the hands of police but higher infant and maternal mortality rates.

That’s not even considering the adverse emotional, mental and physical health risk that stem from inter and transgenerational trauma?

It takes a village

But what happened to the village?

The village was destroyed, families separated, mothers torn from their infants and then forced to nurse the children of the slave owners. Our support systems were nonexistent and the knowledge on the brink of being forgotten. The adage, “It takes a village to raise a child” is as, if not more true than when they were first quoted.

During our May CinnaMoms gathering led by Brandi Nicholson RDN, IBCLC from our sister City of Long Beach WIC agency, talked about the atrocities suffered, endured and how we are striving to overcome.

We are strong, we are resilient and you are special!

You are the fighters, the survivors, the legacy keepers and protectors of your birthright. The right to feed and raise your babies the way you’ve desired. Breastmilk is magical and chest feeding a gift. We know of the wonderful benefits that lie in giving your baby your milk and how much harder it can be to do it alone. Support has been growing and small groups have been working hard to reach families like yours in an effort to turn the tide and spread the word.

As our fearless facilitator Brandi Nicholson put it,

“We are here to rebuild the Village!"

CinnaMoms, in partnership with Kaiser Permanente has been coming together twice a month; though only once this May to connect, support and continue to empower. CinnaMoms will continue inviting Registered Dietitians, Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants, Peer Counselors and community leaders form our very own PHFE WIC and our sister WIC agencies to lead our group discussions and share their knowledge with a goal of truly moving forward.

It has been a privilege, an honor and truly my pleasure to join you and share in this space.

So come and join us at our next CinnaMoms meet up happening each 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.

Let us take this journey together, help us rebuild our village and change the world for our little ones.

So see you there, we’ll be saving a place just for you.