The Village Held Me — Black Milk & Motherhood Story Archive
Presented by Gaia Nurture House™. During National Breastfeeding Month and Black Breastfeeding Week, we’re collecting stories, memories, photographs, and symbolic artifacts for Milk Is Memory™, a community archive celebrating Black motherhood, infant feeding, community care, resilience, and joy. Participation is voluntary, and you may choose how your story is shared.
About You
Name
*
First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Preferred Name
Email
*
example@example.com
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Format: (000) 000-0000.
City & State
*
Which best describes you?
*
Mother
Birthing Parent
Expectant Parent
Grandmother
Father/Partner
Lactation Professional
Doula
WIC Staff
Community Health Worker
Family Member
Other
Your Feeding Journey
Which best describes your experience?
*
Breastfeeding
Exclusive Pumping
Wearable Pump
Combination Feeding
Donor Milk
Relactation
Induced Lactation
NICU Feeding
Formula Feeding
Weaning
Pregnancy (planning)
Other
Approximately how long did your feeding journey last?
*
Please Select
Less than 1 week
1–4 weeks
1–3 months
3–6 months
6–12 months
More than one year
Still feeding
Prefer not to answer
The Village
Who helped you most?
Partner
Mother
Grandmother
Friend
Doula
Midwife
Lactation Consultant
WIC
Hospital Staff
Church
Neighbor
Nobody
Other
Finish one (or more) of these sentences
My body remembers...
The hardest part was...
The person who held me was...
I almost stopped or did stop because...
I continued because...
My baby taught me...
I wish someone had told me...
Every Black mother deserves...
Every milk story matters. Tell us whatever you'd like future families to know. There is no "right" story.
To the next parent I want to say...
Quilt Participation
Would you like your story represented in Gaia's community quilt?
Yes—I would like to create my own square.
Yes—please create one using my story.
Not at this time.
Uploads
Would you like to contribute photographs or artifacts?
Upload files
Drag and drop files here
Choose a file
Examples: Baby picture, Hospital bracelet, Pumping journal, Milk storage labels, Baby blanket, Artwork, Fabric, Voice recording, Video, Letter, Other memory
Cancel
of
How may Gaia use your story?
I give Gaia permission to:
*
Display my story during Milk Is Memory™
Share my story on Gaia's social media
Include my story in educational presentations
Include my story in future exhibits
Include my story in printed publications
Include my story in reports to funders
Include my story on Gaia's website
Include my story in future books or archival projects created by Gaia
Create artwork or quilt pieces inspired by my story
Preserve my story permanently in Gaia's historical archive
How would you like your story credited?
*
Use my full name
Use my first name only
Use initials
Anonymous
Contact me before publishing
If you upload photos, how may Gaia use them?
Gaia may publish my uploaded photographs
Gaia may use my photographs only in educational materials
Gaia may archive my photographs only
Please contact me before using photographs
Acknowledgment
I understand:
*
My participation is voluntary
I own or have permission to submit the materials I'm sharing
I understand Gaia may preserve my submission as part of its historical archive according to the permissions I've selected
I understand I may request removal of future public use of my story by contacting Gaia, though materials already printed or exhibited may not be able to be recalled
Granting permission is optional and declining broader permissions will not affect participation.
Electronic Signature
*
Date
*
-
Month
-
Day
Year
2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
Date
Share Your Story
Share Your Story
Should be Empty: