Milky Mommas is proud to announce this Black Breastfeeding Week the founding of the Karissa Guillory Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is for up to $1,000 per calendar year for one individual towards the costs associated with a professional lactation accreditation of their choosing.
Karissa was a Milky Mommas team member, a breastfeeding mother, a peer lactation counselor, a mentor, a lactation scholarship recipient, a Woman of Color, and a beloved friend. She left this world unexpectedly in February 2019 at the age of 26. She left behind a husband and three young daughters. Her love of breastfeeding and helping others are two things she is most remembered for.
Birthing and lactating Black parents face unique challenges, suffer from significant disparities in health care, and have the lowest breastfeeding / chestfeeding rates, as well as the least representation in professional lactation support. This requires creative solutions in the drive for systemic change and additional support and resources for these parents and their community. In service of our mission to impact these disparities as Karissa was working so diligently to do, the recipient of this Memorial Scholarship will be a Person of Color. We honor Karissa’s legacy of dedication, passion, and love through this memorial scholarship.
Application will be open from 8/25–9/15 and the honoree chosen will be announced by 10/1. To apply, please follow this link: http://bit.ly/MM_KarissaGuilloryMemScholarship