Lactnet Friends: Friday's Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign radio show had the highest online listenership of any one hour in the station's history, and the on-air listeners were ringing the phone off the hook. Thanks to Lactnetters for getting the word out; please encourage the conversation to continue in your communities, as a grassroots resistance to the control and censorship of the multibillion dollar formula corporations. There were four wonderful women who came together at the last moment to make this show happen. Most Lactnetters are already well acquainted with Lactnet luminaries Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC, member of the Leadership Team of the US Breastfeeding Committee and Executive Director of the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy's Research, Education and Legal arm; and Katie Allison Granju, investigative journalist, television producer, and author of "Attachment Parenting." Here are the other two wonderful women for all of us to get to know, who are movers and shakers in the lactation field: Kathi Barber, Executive Director of the African American Breastfeeding Alliance: Kathi says, "It was my pleasure to be on the air. Thank you for the opportunity and the insight to get the view from an African-American perspective." My contact information: African-American Breastfeeding Alliance P O Box 117 Joppa, MD 21085 877-532-8535 [log in to unmask] Many blessings, Kathi B. Bio: Katherine Barber, a 31-year-old entrepreneur from Baltimore, Maryland, received her Bachelors degree in Political Science in the mid-nineties. Born with the spirit of entrepreneurship, Katherine started her own professional writing and editing company, Aminah Writes, in 1995. She then quit her job at a Baltimore newspaper, in 1997, to pursue her passion for writing and editing full-time. Her clients have included several publications, non-profit organizations, a medical journal, a greeting card company and numerous websites. On March 8, 1997, Katherine’s life was changed with the birth of her son, Amyhr. Breastfeeding became such a part of her life that she was soon known as that breastfeeding lady to her friends and family. After reading everything she could find on breastfeeding, Katherine decided to take classes about breastfeeding. As a Certified Lactation Educator and Counselor, Katherine found tremendous joy in providing breastfeeding counseling to African-American women. After learning that the breastfeeding rates for African-American women are astonishingly low, Katherine decided to do something about it and started the African-American Breastfeeding Alliance (AABA). As Founder and Executive Director of AABA, Katherine travels from the east to west coast to educate women and professionals about the importance of breastfeeding—especially as it relates to African-American women. AABA offers breastfeeding support, Peer Counselor training courses and a host of other services. On September 30, 1999, Katherine welcomed her daughter, Jayde into her life, and added to her breastfeeding prodigy. She is currently working on her first book to be published in the spring of 2005. Her priorities are simple, God, family and making a difference in her community. Kim Durdin-James: IBCLC, Doula, LLLIL (Leader) National President of African American Breastfeeding Alliance (AABA) Program Manager/DCWIC/Loving Support (Using Loving Support to Build a Breastfeeding Friendly Community), --using social marketing to create a culture which is breastfeeding friendly Lactation Consultant, Howard University Hospital BLESS Initiative (Breastfeeding Lactation Education Support Services) Washington, DC [log in to unmask] As a final note, let me say that Dr. Suzanne Haynes and Christina Pearson from the Office of Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services, expressed a desire to be on the show but were unable to make arrangements for this last-minute opportunity. Also Dr. Jay Gordon definitely wanted to be on the show, but we were unable to get him on the phone. I have asked Dr. Gordon if he would be willing to make the sound file available on his website. If Lactnetters know anyone who would be willing to make the interview available on their website, please have them email [log in to unmask] Thanks again to everyone who participated. Arly Helm, MS, IBCLC In the golden rolling foothills of California's Sierra Nevada mountains *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html