Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Equity work with meaning and impact begins with a personal learning journey. The USBC places a premium on meaningful opportunities for all voices to be heard. A commitment to diversity and equity infuses our work and decision-making. The USBC believes centering racial equity helps us to maximize our impact in this critical work to build a "landscape of breastfeeding support." The USBC offers a selection of webinar recordings to support individuals' learning journeys with a foundation in racial equity. Please access our Learning Opportunities page for more information about the Racial Equity 101 Series and ongoing sessions.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

USBC Diversity Values Statement

The USBC commits to inclusion, diversity, and equity as core values, embracing meaningful participation by diverse stakeholders, and actively soliciting varied viewpoints. We deconstruct all barriers to full participation in the USBC on the basis of identity.

Our definition of diversity includes diversity by position, gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, family status, gender identity, formal education, life experience, religion, communication styles, geographic location, and work-related skill sets and experience. We ground our work in inclusion, diversity, and equity to facilitate the achievement of our mission and vision.
Leading by example, as the national coalition empowered to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in the United States, we model inclusion, diversity, and equity for member organizations, breastfeeding coalitions, and all populations we serve. (original approved 11/3/2011; revision approved 8/6/2015; modifications approved 3/27/2020)

USBC Definition of Equity

Our working definition of equity is compiled from the examples of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Center for Social Inclusion, Collective Impact literature, and others. It views equity as three interwoven components: a lens, a mirror, and an outcome.

It is a lens through which we view the world to inform and guide the design of our strategies and activities to build a "landscape of breastfeeding support."
It is also a mirror through which we view ourselves and our organizations, examining our internal structures, culture, and policies and their impact on how the lens is applied and the outcome achieved.
Lastly, it is the outcome we seek to achieve, i.e., equity is realized when life outcomes are equal, in a statistical sense, regardless of one’s identities.

Equity work can take the form of actions designed to address historic burdens as well as to remove present-day barriers to equal opportunities. It can be accomplished by identifying and eliminating systemic discriminatory policies and practices, but also by transforming structures towards access, justice, self-determination, redistribution, and sharing of power and resources. Above all, it requires an inclusive approach that maximizes the engagement of the communities impacted. The equity journey is a constant work in progress, and as such our definition will continue to evolve as we learn and grow.

Our Ongoing Commitments

USBC & The First Food Field: Awake to Woke to Work

With funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) has been on a journey to assess the baseline status of USBC-affiliated First Food field stakeholders in implementing, integrating, and embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into organizational programs and services.

Urban Metrics Consultants collaborated closely with the USBC to conduct a mixed-method evaluation, actively engaging 258 individuals representing 68 USBC member organizations. The evaluation questions were as follows:

How do coalitions and organizations in the lactation field define DEI?
How is DEI integrated into their infrastructures and efforts?
What DEI-related challenges and/or successes have they experienced?
What are the attitudes, behaviors, and readiness levels related to DEI initiatives?
What do they need to support their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts?

Download the USBC & The First Food Field: Awake to Woke to Work report to read more about our evaluation methods and findings. This report is based on our analysis and provides specific recommendations for the USBC and affiliated member organizations.

Organizational Journeys in Centering Racial Equity: Spotlight by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

"At the USBC, community-based and cultural organizations, breastfeeding coalitions, national organizations and federal agencies work collaboratively to drive efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. As a backbone institution, the USBC uses an equity-centered, collective-impact approach to bring together diverse organizations in multi-sectoral collaborations, also known as constellations."

This spotlight, brought to you by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, "shares the story of the USBC’s decade-long journey to advance racial equity in maternal child health policy and practices, starting with its immediate sphere of influence within the organization, then extending to its member organizations and partners. Told from the perspective of both long-standing and more recent executive staff, the spotlight offers candid learning for other collaboratives and networks similarly navigating the complexity of bringing diverse organizations together on a transformative journey."

Download a copy of the Organizational Journeys in Centering Racial Equity: Part Two to read more about how the USBC is navigating racial equity capacity building within an extended network!

USBC CRASH Committee

In August 2013, the USBC Board of Directors formed the CRASH Committee to enhance USBC governance, membership, personnel, and coalitions' ability to build structures, systems, and a culture of inclusiveness and mutual support for all peoples. The committee's name comes from the name of a cultural competency training program for medical professionals. "CRASH" is a mnemonic for the following essential components of culturally competent health care: consider Culture, show Respect, Assess/Affirm differences, show Sensitivity and Self-awareness, and do it all with Humility.

The CRASH Committee has developed a set of recommendations for the USBC in each of its four areas and is serving as the driver of cultural change within the organization by forging a national-level dialogue with an emphasis towards action on diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is working to prioritize and implement policy and structural changes in each of its four domains: governance/leadership, membership, staff/personnel, and coalitions.

Identity Caucuses

The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee works to bring together diverse stakeholders to advance our collective work to create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. Barriers to human milk feeding are prevalent, but the burden of those barriers is not carried equally. We all have a role to play in eliminating disparities in access to lactation-supportive policies, systems, and environments, but our individual identities impact how we experience inequities and the work we must do to address them. By connecting in identity caucuses, we can help make the First Food field even more effective. Identity Caucuses are safe spaces for those who have a shared identity. If you are interested in participating or facilitating, please complete the Identity Caucus Interest Form.

Currently active identity caucuses:
- Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI)
- Black Alliance
- Hispanic/Latinx
  - *currently active group operating outside of the USBC
- Indigenous/Native American
Not yet formed (official names TBD):
- LGBTQ+
- White

Want to suggest a new Identity Caucus group? Submit your idea for consideration in the Identity Caucus Interest Form.

USBC Mission Moments

The USBC opens each membership meeting with a "Mission Moment" statement from a member of the Board of Directors, staff, or an integral partner of our network. This is a meeting-opening practice that serves to connect our work to the people we serve and the positive and impactful change we seek. When we are grounded by our ethos, we gather hope about what is possible, and are able to visualize the work we can do right now. Read a "Mission Moment" statement below!

Dr. Kimarie Bugg: We are Stronger Together!

"I was one of the first African American people on the Board of Directors for USBC. Back then it was not easy at all. It just makes my heart sing now as I am able to see what USBC has become and is continuing to become. And you know that's a wonderful word that we all use a lot now: “becoming.” I'm so glad to see the innovation and all the wonderful things that are continuing to happen.

Someone has already talked about “from the treetops to the grassroots.” That is just an amazing analogy that includes us all. This organization has brought us out of our silos and has taught us that we are stronger together." Read Dr. Kimarie Bugg's full transcript.

Petrichor Kneeland-Campbell: Embracing Pride Month and Celebrating Progress for Inclusion in the Field of Lactation

"In my 6 years in this field, I have been fighting alongside those who have been fighting for much longer than that for inclusion of queer families. We've done this while facing violence and harm from those who don't feel the same.

There are providers who want to learn and who understand the value in including everyone in their lactation practice. While sometimes I can get discouraged and frustrated with setbacks, I celebrate every win. Because every win is one step closer to equitable care for all families." Read Petrichor Kneeland-Campbell's full transcript.

Lourdes Santaballa: Valuing Every Voice and the Importance of Working Together to Achieve Change

"I want you all to know that USBC is not just the staff. USBC is not just the board. USBC is not just the coalitions. It's not the member organizations. It's you. And more so it is the families who are receiving equitable care and policy because of the work that we do. So, I want you to continue to feel invested in this organization. And I want you to know that USBC has grown and will continue to grow. We may have boulders that we face in the interim, and part of that is that the powers that be want us all to be fighting with each other so that Mead Johnson, Abbott, Nestle, Danone, and everybody can keep doing their thing." Read Lourdes Santaballa's full transcript.

Dr. Scott Hartman: Using the USBC Collective Impact Model to Support Families in Future National Emergencies

"As the USBC, we are a network that respects the voices of all stakeholders, and especially aims to center those of the most marginalized. We’ve spent the last few years in a state of transformation into new ways of thinking that center equity, and NOW - USBC is moving into a phase of renewal and rebirth.

In this NEW phase of the USBC we will envision and work for a world that embodies justice and liberation for all – without exception!" Read Dr. Scott Hartman's full transcript.

Nikia Sankofa: Renewing the USBC Commitment to Equity as we Seek to Grow the USBC Membership Network

"While continuing to center race, it's essential that we consciously expand our efforts to include other social categorizations, such as class, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, etc., as these are people and communities who also experience systemic discrimination. In our work, we must be especially mindful of fostering an environment with our words, actions, and policies where people and organizations representing groups and communities that have been oppressed, forced to the margins, or made invisible are made to feel safe and welcome, as if they belong." Read Nikia Sankofa's full transcript.

Monica Esparza: Continue Moving Forward with Intention, Because Together we are Stronger!

"The mission of the USBC is to drive collaborative efforts for policy and practices that create a landscape of breastfeeding support across the United States. This can only happen with each and every one of us at the table, working together and making change together. As part of this collaborative work, we need to continue to look around this virtual table and ask ourselves who is missing, how are we lifting the voices of those most impacted, and how can we do better as a collaborative effort, a national effort, and also within our own individual organizations." Read Monica Esparza's full transcript.

An Equity Approach: It's a Journey