Soul Milk 2024: Brunch y aprendizaje

Agenda:

11:00 AM - 11:45 AM / Check-in registered guest, open resource share with venders

11:45 AM / Welcome, housekeeping, brunch

12:15 PM - 1:00 PM / Panel discussion, Q&A

1:00 PM - 1:30 PM / Black lactation consultant highlight, Aphrica Farrow of Womban Evolved speaks

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM / Closing, thank you (s), giveaways, and more.

*Please note although we will not be providing childcare for this event, we will have a children's station setup and children are more than welcome to accompany their parents to the event.

This event is in collaboration with Black Mamas ATX, Womban Evolved, MIOP,  and Mama Sana Vibrant Woman.

Meet your Coordinators 

Tiek Johnson- 

Tiek Johnson is a doula, advocate, and creative. After working in the social services field supporting local artists and unhoused individuals for years. Tiek was drawn to reproductive justice after having a traumatic experience with the birth of her child. In 2022, Tiek became the Interim Executive Director of MSVW I. At MSVW, Tiek works to lead and inspire the team, and dream big for the organization at large. Tiek believes that we can solve 90% of the world’s problems if we uplift the Earth and the marginalized folks on it. One of her core values is uplifting the people around her so that they can feel loved, supported and valued. In her free time, she sleeps.

Ebony Cherrelle

Ebony Cherrelle is a Mother, a holistic childbirth doula, herbalist, placenta encapsulation specialist and the owner of June & Sage. Co - herbal apothecary. Ebony began studying herbalism 5 years ago and has been a practicing community herbalist for 3 years. She believes that plants are wonderful allies, giving us the ability to connect deeper to our roots and be in control of our own healing/wellness. When she is not supporting birthing families, she is crafting herbal wellness products or teaching her community about herbalism.

Aphrica Farrow & Womban Evolved

Aphrica Farrow is an IBCLC, certified DONA doula, birth assistant, placenta encapsulation specialist, and mother of four. In the lactation field since 2013 and an IBCLC since 2022, she works PRN at Breastfeeding Success, is an active doula with Black Mamas ATX, and is the founder of Womban Evolved. Aphrica educates and empowers parents on their birthing journey, aiming to instill confidence during this significant time. For six years, she has focused on supporting and educating pre and postnatal families of color, demonstrating that culturally aligned care positively impacts Black maternal health outcomes and experiences.

Aphrica has been a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor at WIC and Mom’s Place, served on a COVID research advisory board at the University of San Francisco, and is a board member for the Mother’s Milk Bank of Austin. She has collaborated with doula agencies like Mama Mia, Coco Life. Black, Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, and Delivering Unto You, spreading breastfeeding knowledge. Her mission is to save lives, reduce Black maternal health disparities, and promote breastfeeding as a cultural norm. Aphrica has supported over 90 families as a doula and many more with lactation. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, participating in her kids' school events, and PTA activities.

Klarque Denman

Klarque Denman is a mother, birth doula, certified childbirth educator, and currently hold the role of program coordinator at Mama Sana. Klarque has been a doula for 6 years and has attended over 100 births. She believes that support through community is the key to generational healing and success. Being in birth work is her passion and she enjoys public speaking in regards to Black Maternal Health Care and Disparities. In her free time she enjoys: yoga, pilates, communing with friends, spending time with her daughter, cooking vegan food, and reading a good book. 

Sunayana Weber

Sunayana Weber is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and mother of two. Her own difficult breastfeeding journey resulted in a passion for lactation advocacy and support. Her practice, It’s More Than Milk, focuses on providing lactation care focused on informing, supporting, and empowering families. She and her team work to help families meet their lactation goals through 1:1 consultations, peer support groups, and parent education. It's More Than Milk's clinical practice philosophy is to empower all families encountering lactation struggles with evidence-based, judgment-free, and compassionate support. Sunayana and her family live in south Austin.

Kevina Daniel

Kevina Daniel is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist and founder and owner of Pelvic Power Physical Therapy and Wellness, LLC. She currently provides in-home, concierge Physical Therapy services virtually and in person. Kevina has a passion for helping women with various pelvic and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is a wife and a mother of two beautiful daughters and enjoys outdoor activities, reading, traveling, and good food!

Black Mamas ATX - www.blackmamasatx.com

Black Mamas ATX’s goal is to reduce and ultimately eliminate the alarming maternal mortality and morbidity rates among Black women. Through programs, increased awareness, training, outreach, and research, Black Mamas ATX is leading the charge in Central Texas to help Black mothers get the education and access to resources needed to have healthy pregnancies and birthing experiences.

MIOP (Maternal Infant Outreach Program) through City of Austin - Maternal Infant Outreach Program | AustinTexas.gov

The Maternal Infant Outreach Program (MIOP) provides peer support and advocacy to Austin’s Black and African American women who are pregnant in efforts to address and eliminate the stark racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality.

MIOP's team consists of DSHS Certified Community Health Workers (CHWs) with direct lived experience who provide psychosocial support to Black and African American women in Travis County. MIOP CHWs are paired with expecting mothers and provide one-on-one support through home visits, navigation of social services, and overall maternal and infant health education through a reproductive justice lens. Their team comes from the very communities they serve which uniquely qualifies the deep understanding of strengths and struggles experienced in Austin's Black and African American communities.