CALL FOR BOOK SUBMISSIONS
UPDATE: SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO October 1, 2011
Please send submissions to: liquidgoldbook[at]gmail[dot]com
Liquid Gold: Black Mothers on Breastfeeding
Mother’s Day 2011, two mama bloggers swarmed the internet with intimate and loving images of Black Women Breastfeeding. It’s powerful message, creating community and demanding space in the discourse of maternal and child wellness specific to Black women. These images were shared in hopes to encourage and validate our choice as Black mothers to parent our babies as we choose. Something that was once legacy and inherent to Black culture has thus become such a revolutionary act.
With the bombardment of free formula samples given to us at our prenatal visits, delivered to us in our mail, offered to us in our social service offices, pushed at community events, breastfeeding has become and been deemed more “complicated” than ever. The message that is being sent to Black women is that when it comes to breastfeeding it is simply too hard, takes too much time, is unclean, and unnatural. All of these ideas (and more) have perpetuated the myth amongst health care providers and professionals that BLACK WOMEN DO NOT BREASTFEED. With only 110BabyFriendlyhospitalsintheUnitedStates (out of over 10,000 hospitals total) where can Black mamas reference to receive the love, support and encouragement to fulfil their breastfeeding destiny?
This book/anthology will be an extension of the viral Brown Mamas Breastfeeding Project. We aim to create discourse on Black women and breastfeeding, to display how breastfeeding is a part of our culture and legacy, to examine the social, emotional, and physical barriers to breastfeeding, to exhibit examples of perseverance when the breastfeeding gets tough, and to provide tips on how to maintain the breastfeeding relationship if you and baby are separated, while simultaneously sharing stories, images and creative works of and by real breastfeeding, Black mamas.
Submissions to be considered:
*Photos (must be 300 dpi or greater–most digital cameras satisfy this request. Please no cell phone pictures.)
*Written reflections on breastfeeding (extended breastfeeding, multiples, etc.)
*Poetry, songs & other creative writings (no longer than 2 pages in 12 pt Times New Roman, please)
*Original Breastfeeding art
Consider these topics for your submission(s) (no longer than 2 pages in 12 pt Times New Roman, please):
*relactation
*breastfeeding for another mama’s baby
*bf despite what doctors, nurses, midwives told you
*bf in public spaces
*family legacies of bf
*how you’ve dealt with bf difficulties (engorgement, mastitis, sore/cracked nipples)
*seeking support
*mother-child bond
*examples of perseverance in bf
*bf and physical challenges
*text messages or phone call transcriptions of black mamas supporting each other with bf
*anything we haven’t included or thought of!
Submissions should be mailed to liquidgoldbook@gmail.com.
For more info about the project visit:itsbetterathome.wordpress.com or soulvegmama.com
Get to writing breastfeeding, Black mamas!! We want to hear from you!
I have some great stories to write about extended breastfeeding (pics too) and teaching two newborns to get back on the breast after being bottle feed for weeks. I am going to enjoy my holiday, then when I’ll be submitting. Yay! Glad you are doing this project.
Aooow! We’ll be looking forward to it. We’ve already started getting a few submissions that have us calling and texting each other overjoyed and amazed.
I am still proudly breastfeeding my 20-month old son. I am not that savvy when it comes to technology and uploading pics, but I will try my hardest because I REALLY want to be a part of this wonderful, amazing project!!
Latanya, that would be so great! Also, keep in mind submitting a creative or reflective piece – you may not even need to scan anything.
Hello! I was forwarded info about your upcoming project from a good friend of mine and I would love to be apart of it! I am a mother of 2 who were breastfeed to almost 2 years and I am also a postpartum doula
…So I will get started asap! Peace
Thank you for taking the time to put this incredible project together. I can not wait to read and see the selected submissions. We need this as mothers, breastfeeding is beautiful and as women of color we need to see successful examples of it.
)
Also, thank you for extending the deadline! I thought I was going to stay up late tonight and finish mine. (reminds me of college
Totally and absolutely love this! I weaned my 2 year old at 21 months, and I have been looking for ways to continue to give in the breastfeeding community. What a great project…I will definitely be submitting!
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Thanks Rya and Brandi!
I’m glad we extended the deadline, too. The more I read about breastfeeding controversies and myths about it, the more clearly I can see how this book will fill needs. Plus, there have been a significant number of women who let us know that the book has encouraged them to write. So, we really wanted to honor that as well. So, here’s to October 1st!
Very valuable post, Thank you for taking the time to put this incredible project together. I can not wait to read and see the selected submissions. Keep up it.
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I think the blog post has a lot to offer in the subject of breast feeding. I hope it creates awareness for every woman out there.
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Is it too late to submit for book?