A Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community in the Making
Tuskegee, Alabama, is home to a growing movement for maternal health equity and breastfeeding support, led by community advocate and midwifery student E’Licia Herndon. Though originally from Birmingham, E’Licia fell in love with Tuskegee’s rural charm and deep-rooted history in Black maternal health. As a doula, mother, and breastfeeding educator, she is now spearheading efforts to establish Breastfeed Tuskegee.
Our Vision
Tuskegee once had three thriving hospitals and was a hub for Black maternal and infant care. Today, it is a maternity care desert—one where families must navigate birth and postpartum recovery without the support they deserve. E’Licia and her community partners are committed to changing that by implementing the Ten Steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community, bringing together families, healthcare advocates, local leaders, and institutions to normalize and support breastfeeding and human milk feeding in every corner of Tuskegee.
Community-Led and Rooted in Care
E’Licia works with The Wellness Coalition as a breastfeeding community liaison, creating lactation-friendly spaces, advancing policy, and supporting culturally relevant education for Black and Hispanic communities. Her work is grounded in lived experience—she breastfed her daughter until age two, birthed at home in Tuskegee, and continues to serve as a volunteer doula and midwife-in-training.
This grassroots movement is deeply personal and truly local. While still gathering additional committed members, E’Licia has a network of interested individuals—neighbors who once shared a farm, fellow doulas, and local elders—ready to build something lasting for Tuskegee’s future.
Key next steps include:
- Securing a mayoral proclamation in support of breastfeeding,
- Hosting the first community interest meeting,
- Expanding lactation spaces at Tuskegee University,
- Building visibility and trust through outreach, storytelling, and presence.
Get Involved
If you’re in Tuskegee or nearby and want to support the breastfeeding movement, reach out to E’Licia Herndon directly. Whether you’re a parent, student, healthcare provider, or someone passionate about maternal and infant health, your voice matters.
Contact:
📧 E’Licia Herndon
📧 shezealtoempower@gmail.com
“We are going to get these folks breastfeeding.” — E’Licia Herndon