DR. STANFORD IS (not so far from being) IN THE HOUSE! Final Education Score: Master’s, 2, PhD, 1 #JustCallMeProfessorHIJKLMNOP

“Last July, I walked on stage in front of a large audience. I was an invited speaker, asked to share my perspective at a summit at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, organized by ROSE (Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere), a grassroots coalition founded to raise awareness of breastfeeding among Black and African American women. My objective that day was to give a 30-minute presentation on ways to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among this group, who statistically continue to rank lowest of any demographic in our nation, and whose increase could effectively help thwart the staggering infant mortality rate that plagues this community. As I stood behind the podium and looked onto the crowd, which consisted of lay and professional healthcare advocates, community activists and many other officials from local and nationwide, including the 16th U.S. Surgeon General, I told them that in order to eradicate the lengthy list of health disparities linked to these low breastfeeding rates we must cease focusing on Black women who breastfeed. Instead, look past these protagonists, and recognize the unique and complex history of Black women in this country and enlist the help of anyone interested in challenging socio-political inequity, structural violence and cultural insularity, all which are situated at the center, and all hinder an infant’s access to its mother’s breast. This was a significant shift in the way breastfeeding advocacy and promotion has been viewed as a tradition.”

Remember a little while back when I said I was busier than life and I’d let on to what was going on around here soon enough? Well, I was engaged in what felt like an unyielding application of school and fellowship applications, (the first paragraph of my Statement of Purpose is above, because I just thought I’d share. I used my experience speaking at ROSE Breastfeeding Summit, to set the tone. And I’m sure the fact that the Surgeon General was in the audience didn’t hurt with the decision). But without further ado…..

I GOT IN!

Just the other day I received notification that I was accepted into the renowned Sociocultural Anthropology PhD program, after I opened my email and viewed the fancy schmancy letter – well, here, let me read it to you:

Ahem – *Clears throat*

Dear Acquanda Y. Stanford (that’s me ;)

Dear Acquanda Y. Stanford:

We are pleased to inform you that the Sociocultural Anthropology Graduate Program in the Department of Anthropology has admitted you…. Our faculty, staff and students join me in welcoming you to one of the most prestigious, progressive universities in the United States…. This is a very competitive program and many applicants with impressive backgrounds apply…. Please contact me if you have any further questions…. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Anthropology Department is well-known for its rigorous curriculum, which I am SO thankful for. I love challenging environments, and being worked in school. And not to boast or anything, seriously, but it is an extremely difficult program to get into. But I still think it’s crazy insane I am about to enter a PhD program, since I initially never ever planned on it. When I was in community college I remember my instructor one day said to me (though I don’t really remember the exact subject at hand) “You’ll see when you teach anthropology….” This is the same one who gave me the extra push to actually apply to this program, and the one who previously introduced me to the idea of a concurrent PhD and Master’s of Public Health degree, which I will also be pursing, along with a certificate in Feminist Studies.

I want to teach – to transform – and create a reciprocal learning environment that opens up the doors for radical social change. That’s my goal. And pursuing a doctoral degree will qualify me to do so at the university level, which is my ultimate endeavor. But I also want to continue to engage people in the public sphere. This is also the reason I feel my education is a double-edged sword. In some ways I believe it may hinder my access to the communities I most want to serve. Yet my reasons for even attending school is that I recognized that in order to ‘use the master’s tools to dismantle the master’s house’ I would need to equip myself with what it takes to combat these issues – in various ranks. That’s why I’m here.

What will my research focus on? Bet you’d never guess in a million years, right?! As far as I know I am the only Black woman in this country with an anthropology background who focuses on this area and the Black experience. Using the tools of anthropology, I want to construct the larger framework around Black breastfeeding. Breastfeeding extends far beyond a baby on a breast, and it requires critical attention to areas of gender, race, class, geographic location, history and much, much more. I want to delve deep into the issues of power and dominance, culture and biology, female and community agency, language and our knowledge of the past and present and view this area through various lenses that encompass critical social theories. I believe that “this biological site can serve as a gateway to underpin a new set of theoretical questions that can complicate our thinking and allow for the expansion of knowledge on ideas of community engagement, globalization, global health and disparities, maternal-infant health and various others with research that will evolve and syncretize local, national, and global processes, expanding perspectives not previously explored.” Sorry, that’s just another small clip from my Statement of Purpose. *smile*

I also am ready to continue transforming this discipline. I absolutely believe that an anthropological approach is key to addressing many issues that face our society, and its tools can be used to create radical and revolutionary change and positively transform. But I also know that it has a long and sordid history of participating in colonialism and exclusion and racial and gender exclusivity, but there have been many who have worked effortlessly to challenge this legacy. I'm thrilled to carry the torch.

When all is said and done, where I always urge people to disregard the hierarchy and ensure everyone has a say, and used a string of letters of the alphabet to mock our reliance on formal education, which I believe can too often keep people from truly engaging each other, I really will be Professor HIJKLMNOP. I will have a zillion and one initials behind my name that if you ask me, is actually kinda creepy. But still not so bad for a H.S. dropout, eh?! Thankfully this area is one that allows for academic activism, and using education to lift and liberate because I really do love what I do. And I’m so, so thrilled about what lies ahead.

This image provides an excellent depiction of the type of educator I aspire to be!
#powertothepeople

FOUR Conferences, THREE Presentations, two babies on my knee, and a Black HERstory Twitter Party #BlkBfing

I think this will read like more of a newsletter-type-ish post than an actual 'post' 'post'. Partially because well, I'm a bit busy these days -- I'm slammed with projects I need to work on, plus my little sister is out of town visiting family, so I have her three children which I'm helping to get off to school, making lunches, helping do homework, etc, while their dad is at work. My one-year-old great nephew is also over for a Valentine's visit, and since my sister usually babysits her sister-in-law's baby -- another one-year-old, while his mom goes to work, I'm helping watch him, too. And they are both sitting - one on each of my knees as I try and type this =D. I did, however, want to put some updates out there just to let on with a few things happening in my world and in the Black breastfeeding world around.

ROSE Breastfeeding Coalition just sent out their 'Save The Date' email for their 2013 Summit in Atlanta, to address Black women's breastfeeding disparities. It will be held on August 8-9, and the theme this year is Organizing for Action: Building the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Address Disparities and Strengthen  Support Systems, though I'm not sure what venue it will be held in. I want to make sure you can mark your calendar. I hope I'm able to attend this year. I had such a great time speaking at the last one. ROSE has also partnered with Moms Rising and the United States Breastfeeding Committee for a Blog Carnival in honor of Black History Month. If you missed that post, which was published last week, just scroll down for all of the details. I really hope you can submit something.

A few days after that, on the 27th at 9 pm EST, these organizations along with Sojourner Marable Grimmet, co-founder of the breastfeeding advocacy organization Table for Two, and daughter of the late and fabulously great Manning Marable (whose wife is anthropologist, Leith Mullings, btw), will be hosting a National Breastfeeding Making HERstory Twitter Party to 'discuss the importance of breastfeeding and increasing African American rates.' The flyer is above (click on the image to enlarge), and if you're on facebook, you can RSVP. Make sure you use the hashtag #BlkBfing. I'm @LactationJrny.

Also, a flyer about a conference in Detroit, MI, just came through my email. Innovations in Breastfeeding Support Seminar 2013 is hosted by Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association (BMBFA), and is 'to inform healthcare professionals on innovative solutions that address the cultural road blocks in breastfeeding support for African Americans.' Here's the event page, where you can register. You can contact the founder of BMBFA, Kiddada Green via email or you can call her:  (800) 313-6141 ext. 2, to get more info.

I'll be presenting at the Inequity in Breastfeeding Support Summit -- aka the racism, white privilege and power conference happening here this June. I think the really good thing about this is that it is open to anyone -- lay and professionals and anyone else interested in supporting breastfeeding. I'll periodically post info about it so keep an eye out, but also know that you can join the Summit's Facebook Like Page, if you want to stay in the know.

And lastly, I'm preparing for the Breastfeeding and (Black) Feminism Symposium in North Carolina. I'm really looking forward to this, not only because it's specifically a conference on breastfeeding and Black Feminism, a couple of my favorite subjects, but I've seen the agenda, and the other workshops and what others are presenting on, and I can't wait to hear them. At first I thought I was giving my presentation only one time, but as it turns out I'll be giving two 20-minute presentations. I'll be presenting the same content, but at two different times, so it's twice as nice. My presentations are called Reorganizing the Village: Viewing Black Breastfeeding Support Through a Black Feminist Framework, and I'll be giving a short account on the history of Black Feminism, and the ways to get more community members involved in with advocacy -- the greater community. I love any chance I get to discuss this. My bestie also lives over there so I'm super duper excited about seeing her, her family and a few others, who I haven't seen in over four years.

I created a chip in for this event -- at the UNC. As of yet, I don't keep a static 'donate' button on my site, but my spiel is the same when I'm responsible for the tab -- I created the chip in to allow anyone interested in helping to offset the charges from this event. I'm not hooked up with a large organization, and I don't receive grants from the government. My breastfeeding work is done largely independently, so the help of my community is only what will allow me to continue this important work. Please consider supporting these great efforts by chip(ping) in, and maybe sharing the link. Anything helps, and thank you for consideration.

Through the remainder of February, anyone who donates $20.00+, will get a free seat to May's Radical Breastfeeding Webinar!

And now to tend to my children. Over the next two weeks, I'll have two one-year-old babies, a pre-teen, one nine year old, and a seven year old.

#muthahoodaintforsissies

Happy Valentine's Day. ♥

I LOVE BEING A (RADICAL) DOULA: Radical Doula Profiles - Me!

I'M OFFICIALLY A RADICAL DOULA! The Radical Doula has a series that profiles those who identify with the term. Even though I'm a brand spanking newbie here on the birth scene, and for a longest time even refused to label myself a 'radical,' I couldn't escape the inevitable, so I submitted my Info. Here's an excerpt from the profile that came through my facebook feed:

"I identify with ‘radical’ because it means that I work to dismantle a system of injustice instead of simply recycling the power structure, and spitting it out as progress...I see the injustice in breastfeeding and birth and countless others, that are infused with racism, white supremacy, and various interlocking forms of oppression that have shaped the way Black women, women of color, and many continue to be marginalized and I’m not afraid to challenge them."

But I don't want to spoil it all for you. So I'll just give you the link and you can visit the full profile. Go on. Read it!

By the way, that picture is sideways because it was copied like that from another place I had it online, and I have been meaning to get around to rotating it for forever. I may do so one day before it gets copied again. Or maybe I won't. Perhaps we can just call it 'character'. =D

“If indeed we wish to be radical in our quest for change, then we must get to the root of our oppression. After all, radical simply means grasping things at the root.” - Angela Davis

HERstory, Breastfeeding Blog Request #BlkBFing

In honor of Black History Month, ROSE (Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere), United States Breastfeeding Committee, and Mom Rising are hosing a blog carnival. I haven't decided if I'm going to submit a post yet. I've already got some serious writing to do.... But I want to put this out there for anyone who may be interested. 

Below is a repost from the ROSE Breastfeeding Coalition website, and there are others floating out there as well. I think it will be so great to see what everyone has to say regarding breastfeeding. Even if I don't submit, I'll definitely be reading along, so let me know if yours is one of them!

Happy Black H(er)(is)tory Month.

HOW TO SUBMIT A POST:

Please email the following to Jane by Friday, February 22nd and copy Anita.

• Your name and email address
• Your headshot
• Your Twitter handle if you have one
• The title of your post
• The text of your post
• If possible, consider adding a photo or image to accompany your text with the photo’s credit. We find that photos and images help blog posts get shared around the Internet.
• If your blog post has been published previously, please include the URL to receive credit. Also please include a few sentences about why you want to share this post for this particular blog carnival.

Please feel free to visit this link

The more blog posts, the merrier (and the bigger the impact we’ll have overall). So in addition to submitting your own blog post, if you know anyone else who may like to participate, feel free to share this invitation with them.

TIMELINE: The blog carnival will be published on Tuesday, February 26th. We are accepting blog posts starting now – the earlier the better.

The deadline for submitting your blog post is Friday, February 22nd at 5:00 p.m. PST. Blog posts submitted after the February 22nd deadline may be added to the blog carnival slightly later. We are happy to tweet a link to your post anytime!

MomsRising will promote your blog post, as part of our blog carnival, via Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. In addition, numerous other partners will be tweeting and re-posting on their respective organizations’ blogs or social media pages/accounts. We estimate that our blog and social media reach alone extends to more than 3.5 million readers. Below this email, you’ll find more information on blog carnivals and how you can participate. However, even if you can’t participate at this time, feel free to forward this email to friends you think might be interested.

TWITTER CHAT: Also on February 27th, the co-organizers will hold a Twitter chat at hashtag #BlkBFing to highlight this multifaceted conversation about breastfeeding and Black History month. Please join us!

************************************************************************************************

WHAT’S A BLOG CARNIVAL? A blog carnival is an online action that aims to utilize the growing power of our combined reach on social media (blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) to jumpstart – and jump into! – a national conversation. This “Blk BFing: Making HERstory” blog carnival will have blog posts ranging from the personal to the political, in a range of mediums, from text to video. MomsRising and co-organizers will collect and publish the individual blog posts. The links to all posts will then be gathered into one overarching post that will serve to host and introduce the blog carnival. In addition, MomsRising will amplify all posts on our Facebook site and with tweets from the MomsRising Twitter account @MomsRising using the hashtag #BlkBFing

BLOG PROMOTIONS – When the blog carnival is published on February 26th, each post will be tweeted with the hashtag #BlkBFing. Selected posts will be published on the hosting organizations’ Facebook pages. We encourage all blog carnival participants to join our members in retweeting our tweets and re-sharing our Facebook posts.

WHAT’S A TWITTER CHAT? A Twitter chat is a scheduled gathering of people on Twitter to discuss or promote a mutual topic of interest, using a #hashtag to keep track of the conversation. On Wednesday, February 27th, the “Blk BFing: Making HERstory” Twitter chat will take place with the hashtag #BlkBfing. To participate, search for #BlkBfing and join in the tweeting!

Past blog carnival example: Making School Foods Healthier

Angela Davis's Advice on Breastfeeding Advocacy! Well, in a Former Black Panther, Social Justice Activist, Civil Rights Icon, prison abolitionist and once an FBI's top 10 most-wanted, MLK Celebration sort of way (Video)

Yes, that's my reflection taking the picture :O)

"Remain cognizant of the struggles which have carved out a place for you. Also, be willing, in turn, to add your own contribution to the ongoing quest for justice and equality." -Angela Y. Davis

I had the awesome experience of going to see Angela Davis last week. Twice! (If you are in the unfortunate situation and have gone this long unsure of who she is, please cancel out of this blog, Google her, and come back later once you've done a good amount of learning-up on this amazing and revolutionary woman. They don't make 'em like this anymore). Just a month earlier while at doula training, I was talking to a fellow student and telling her how I would love to see her -- a conversation I completely forgot about until the morning I was getting dressed and ready to go and see her. By a fluke just days before the event I found out she was coming to town to give a lecture at the Community College, and then the keynote at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, so I attended both. Obviously! For as long as I can possibly remember I have wanted to see Dr. Davis, hear her speak and just vibe from her years of wisdom, political activism, resilience and resistance (in reality, I want to take her out for a drink and pick her brain.... but I guess I'll settle for hearing a lecture and a speech). The talk discussed the legacy of Dr. King -- where we were then and where we are now, recognizing even though we have made great strides, we still have a long way to go -- the ongoing struggle. This also encompasses community organization, and patience.

At the end of the lecture, during the Q&A (from my front row seat ;)), I got to ask the very last question. I asked Professor Davis what type of advice she has to activists and advocates to keep going. That when you just want to throw in the towel, what can people do to continue on? This is an area that I don't really see anyone talking about, and I think it needs more discussion; it's sort of like 'everyone wants to have dinner, but no one wants to talk about doing the dishes.' At least that's the way someone from the audience equated what I asked, when I was approached after the event about my question. I wanted to know from someone who has been on the front lines of political activism for decades, and has, no doubt been through it all -- how to go on?

I know I'm not alone and there are plenty others who feel this way and wonder the same. My question comes from a place where even though I love what I do, I've been looking for some type of inspiration. I know my frustrations often come from what I feel is so much general apathy and a lack of interest in social change – from too many -- you know, the ones who don't do anything at all, yet try to silence you?! I find the bulk of people aren't concerned with most things unless it directly affects them, and then are then only interested in 'saving' themselves. There are too many who can do something and don’t – to really challenge racism, class issues and white supremacy – and all other forms of oppression and domination. And recognize we are all to blame and can all do something. Confronting these types of sentiments from others while I'm in this 'struggle for justice and equality,' I sometimes feel these are overwhelming, and drain my energy and at times make me wonder why I even give a care.

I think her response was also something she talked about in her lecture on Dr. King's legacy. Professor Davis said that in addition to creating change in a way that does not wear us down and practicing self-care -- she does yoga three times per week, that we 'need a combination of urgency and patience' -- and to recognize what we're looking for won't happen overnight. When Dr. Davis was talking about activism in her lecture, she emphasized that the struggle is ongoing -- what we're wanting won't happen tomorrow, and we must 'imagine things beyond our immediate scope' and work with future generations in mind. She mentioned the latest Presidential election, and suggested there actually is organization and interest among the people. All of this really touched a soft spot for me. I think that often times I do work to 'get the message in our DNA' -- that will transcend generations – but I also know that there's definitely times I've found myself looking for a 'fast food' type of solution' that Ms. Davis referred to –  suggesting everyone wants things to be automatic. I think that plays a part in my frustration.

The messages from Angela Davis –  from the lecture and the keynote, and the sentiments of the MLK Holiday, reminds me that even though there were significant strides made then and that we are ‘living a reality we may not have imagined a generation ago,’ something else she emphasized, the focus is on continuing. A friend of mine said recently that we must understand that even though we want change and dedicate our time and energy, we may not see the fruit of that labor it in our lifetimes. That's something else to think about.

What I've also thought about is that 'ongoing reservoir of inspirations' for me, means surrounding myself with people who have the same vision -- or a similar one, who are also working towards a similar goal. I've been giving this a lot of thought, and I will continue to do so. I'm not one who is quick with letting people off the hook and not holding them accountable for creating change I know is possible, but I'm slightly less frustrated, somewhat - at least for the moment anyway. But I'd love to hear from you all out there, who work to create positive social change and radical transformation. What happens when you feel this way, because I know you do. What's your opinion? I'd love to hear your take.

"It's not going to happen tomorrow. But act as if it were possible."

Here is the video from the lecture at Edmonds Community College. You can see the back of my head in much of it. LOL. I wish there were one also from the keynote address at the Convention Center later that night. If I happen to come across it, I'll post it.

An MLK Commemoration with Angela Davis

"As part of the community's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration feminist and writer Angela Davis speaks on campus. Through her activism and scholarship over the last decades, Davis has been deeply involved in our nation's quest for social justice. Her work as an educator both at the university level and in the larger public sphere has always emphasized the importance of building communities of struggle for economic, racial, and gender justice. Davis has lectured throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. In recent years a persistent theme of her work has been the range of social problems associated with incarceration and the generalized criminalization of those communities that are most affected by poverty and racial discrimination."

'Breastfeeding: It's More Than About Nutrition' – Especially for Black People #RealTalk (Video)

When I was a guest on the Queen Ifama Show a few weeks ago, she and I discussed the politics of Black breastfeeding, and why it is so important for our community to take a special note on the reasons we need to support each other. They are countless, of course, but she and I focused more on the political aspects. Throughout that hour she continued to mention the 'psychological bond' that is built between a woman and her child, and said she wanted to 'keep re-iterating that!' I mentioned that a friend of mine who spent time as a social worker and interacting with women and their children, said while visiting these clients a pattern emerged among Black and Native women --  that they did not want to breastfeed because they didn't want to get 'attached' to their baby.

I have always looked beyond the practical and mechanical aspects of breastfeeding to delve deeper into the social issues, but I hadn't explored the areas that Queen Ifama discusses in bonding to this extent. I asked her if she wouldn't mind sharing her thoughts on this through a video, which is the one she made below, and even though all of it is supportive of this tradition, my emphasis is on the second half -- after the practical aspects. Queen Ifama says there is a complete lack of information on nursing -- beyond nutrition -- and that the comfort that is experienced between mother and child can act as protection throughout our lives. She emphasizes that everything 'starts at the breast,' and suggests that bonding is a way to 'incubate our children,' and can serve as an agent in helping to restore centuries of psychological damage and other remnants of slavery -- like that 'fear of attachment,' which I'm sure stems from this era, and I'm just as certain was used as a self-preservation method in the face of being indiscriminately bought and sold. This is all very significant for Black people given our history, and the fact that we continue to live in this racist and oppressive society.

Keep Calm And Read :: Birth and Reproduction Texts by Black Women Anthropologists (Video)

I recently updated my bookshelf with texts I'm currently reading, plan on reading, what I recommend, and I even put a few that are on my wishlist from amazon.com on the page. I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks -- about a woman I think every living soul should learn about because we have all been impacted by her and her immortal cells that were taken without her knowledge and transformed the medical field -- and has saved many of our lives. Also, because I'm working towards Doula Certification, I just started The Doula Guide to Birth,  in order to give a report/review, which I'll post here once I'm finished and I'm also flipping through The Radical Doula Guide.

I try and find as many texts as I can that are written by Black women anthropologists, to add to my library, and to highlight their work. I believe the tools of this discipline provide ways of viewing culture and society and are phenomenal in exploring new ideas and possibilities. For example, because anthropology means 'the study of humankind in all places and all times,' and is concerned with all aspects of humanity now and in the past, it offers a holistic perspective and goes below the surface of what many are used to seeing. Also, because one the primary tools of cultural anth is ethnography (writing culture), it usually means living among or deeply interacting with a group for a specified amount of time, participating in their ways of living (participant observation) and learning the intricate details. Much more in-depth than a regular study. It adds another dimension.

The awesome thing that's been happening for me, is that not only do I notice more and more texts by Black women anthropologists, but I'm finding more and more who have produced work on breastfeeding and birth -- well, at least birth, but breastfeeding comes up at some point in the conversation, of course. I know I'm newer to exploring the reproductive realm than many, but from the looks of things it doesn't appear to be a lengthy history of us writing on the topic. And I have yet to find a text dedicated exclusively to breastfeeding -- except for the one I'm working on. I've mentioned before that the last time I heard there are only about 600 practicing Black anthropologists in this country. And a Black woman anthropologist is rare. So I'm so happy to come upon whatever I can. 

The first two are ones I'll be reviewing on this blog in the near future and the last two are on my wishlist. They're not focused on mechanics, but look at underlying areas of culture, reproduction, health and politics, and are, well. . . . ethnographic. The first is written by a local right in this town, who I had no idea even existed until more recently when someone named her a 'Shero'. I think it's the craziest thing that I can search high and low for Black women in this discipline, and someone else points to one who's practically my neighbor. How does that happen?

Family Secrets: Risking Reproduction in Central Mozambique, is the ethnography of Rachel Chapman, PhD, from her research site, and one I'm so excited about. Dr. Chapman is a Sociocultural Anthropologist and professor at the University of Washington, who focuses on medical anthropology, racial and ethnic disparities in reproduction along with others -- and who also teaches Global Health. I spoke with her recently, and talked about breastfeeding, anti-racism, anthropology, and about some thoughts I have about my work in this field, and had a fascinating time discussing these topics with her. And from someone whose work is closely aligned with mine, and who understands what it's like being only one of a handful in this discipline, she was very encouraging, and of course I savored the many things she said.

I took a peek inside of Family Secrets, and read a small, fascinating section: "When My daughter, Solea, was born seven months earlier in a clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe, the two Shona midwives assisting my birth had gently tried to dissuade me from putting her immediately to my breast to nurse. They advised me to have a shower first because I was "dirty" from the birth. By 'dirty' they meant unclean not so much from the bodily fluids of my exertion as from the liminal, potentially dangerous journey to motherhood I had just come through. I was "hot" from this sacred and highly charged rite of childbirth and might pass that heat through my milk to my infant, making her sick."

Here's the excerpt from Amazon:

Behind a thatched hut, a birthing woman bleeds to death only minutes from "life-saving" maternity care. Chapman begins with the deceptively simple question, "Why don't women in Mozambique use existing prenatal and maternity services?" then widens her analysis to include a whole universe of cultural, political, and economic forces. Fusing cultural anthropology with political economy, Chapman vividly demonstrates how neoliberalism and the increasing importance of the market have led to changing sexual and reproductive strategies for women. 

Pregnant herself during her research, Chapman interviewed 83 women during pregnancy and postpartum. She discovered that the social relations surrounding traditional Shona practices, Christian faith healing, and Western biomedical treatments are as important to women's choices as the efficacy of the therapies.

I'm filled with anticipation.

Next, is another ethnography by Spelman Alum, Khiara M. Bridges, who just so happened to also be valedictorian of the university (after she finished a four-year degree in only three, that is). She is also an anthropologist and lawyer -- Associate Professor of both, a professional classical ballet dancer, and speaks fluent Spanish and some Arabic. Yep. Wow! I just happened upon this book recently, along with a video that provided the details above about Dr. Bridges, while researching and I'm so glad I did.

Reproducing Race: An Ethnography of Pregnancy as a Site of Racialization was published in 2011, and her research site was here in the U.S. -- in New York at an 'Obstetrics clinic in a public hospital in Manhattan.' Dr. Bridges says the issues around reproduction and race are far more complex than simply focusing on skin color. Here is the blurb from Amazon:

"Reproducing Race, an ethnography of pregnancy and birth at a large New York City public hospital, explores the role of race in the medical setting. Khiara M. Bridges investigates how race--commonly seen as biological in the medical world--is socially constructed among women dependent on the public healthcare system for prenatal care and childbirth. Bridges argues that race carries powerful material consequences for these women even when it is not explicitly named, showing how they are marginalized by the practices and assumptions of the clinic staff. Deftly weaving ethnographic evidence into broader discussions of Medicaid and racial disparities in infant and maternal mortality, Bridges shines new light on the politics of healthcare for the poor, demonstrating how the "medicalization" of social problems reproduces racial stereotypes and governs the bodies of poor women of color."

Risking Reproduction and Reproducing Race are highlights of this month for me. If you're considering looking into these, reading ethnographies are usually very accessible, and an in-depth knowledge or social science background is not necessary at all. I'll be super excited if you decide to read along, so let me know if you will be doing so. I am looking forward to exploring these, and can't wait to publish their reviews.

These are on my wishlist.

African American Midwifery in the South: Dialogues of Birth, Race and Memory by Gertrude Fraser, says that "Starting at the turn of the century, most African American midwives in the South were gradually excluded from reproductive health care. Gertrude Fraser shows how physicians, public health personnel, and state legislators mounted a campaign ostensibly to improve maternal and infant health, especially in rural areas. They brought traditional midwives under the control of a supervisory body, and eventually eliminated them. In the writings and programs produced by these physicians and public health officials, Fraser finds a universe of ideas about race, gender, the relationship of medicine to society, and the status of the South in the national political and social economies."

Stress And Resilience: The Social Context of Reproduction in Central Harlem is by Columbia Professor, Leith Mullings, and is a 'ground-breaking volume [that] chronicles the unique experiences of black women that place them at higher risk for morbidity and mortality - especially during pregnancy.' I won't go too much into this work of critical medical anthropology, because Leith Mullings appears in the video below speaking at the Scholar and Feminist Conference at Barnard College about 'Race and Stratified Reproduction'. It is only a a short one, but if you follow the YouTube link you can find more on her work about Stress And Resilience, and others.
                                         
                                                                                A short video by Dr. Mullings




Far from being anywhere excited about hearing of even more inequity among Black women, I am happy that these will undoubtedly provide information that will allow for a new way to see things, and add an additional tool to use in challenging social issues that weigh heaviest on Black women and communities of color, and once I get them, I will be sure to let you know.