Dr. Natashia L. Conner is an ally, advocate, and activist dedicated to raising awareness about Black breastfeeding inequities and advancing maternal-infant health equity. As Founder of Racial & Health Equity Services (RHEcorp) and The BLACK Collaborative Inc., Dr. Conner leverages research, storytelling, and media advocacy to challenge systemic racism and amplify the voices of Black families disproportionately impacted by infant mortality and breastfeeding disparities.

Guided by the principle that health advocacy is a process to bring about social and organizational change (Galer-Unti, Tappe, & Lachenmayr, 2004), Dr. Conner’s work prioritizes three key areas of advocacy in health education:

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1. Promoting health equity policies, programs, and practices that address social, economic, environmental, and systemic barriers to optimal health.

2. Advancing policies that increase health literacy, ensuring families and professionals have the tools to make informed decisions about breastfeeding and infant care.

3. Seeking opportunities for third-party reimbursement for trained health educators and lactation professionals to expand access to equitable breastfeeding support.

 

As an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), health equity strategist, and internationally recognized speaker, Dr. Conner blends scholarship with lived experience to shift the narrative around breastfeeding in Black communities. Her work emphasizes that advocacy is not only about changing policies, but also about transforming the social and political climate (WHO, n.d.) to create systems that affirm, protect, and normalize breastfeeding for Black/African American families.