SAVANNAH, Ga. () — A 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) revealed that 75% of Black infants were introduced to breastfeeding compared to 86.2% of non-Hispanic white babies. Healthy Savannah is aiming to boost these numbers by hosting a screening of the film, ‘Chocolate Milk.’

Elsie Smalls, PhD, serves as the Breastfeeding Program Manager at Healthy Savannah. “Healthy Savannah is a long-standing nonprofit, community-centered organization that’s been active for about 18 years. Our primary strategy stems from a CDC grant known as the ‘Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health’ (REACH). The breastfeeding initiative is part of these strategies, focusing on education, access, awareness, and fostering a breastfeeding-friendly environment.”

Smalls notes that Healthy Savannah selected this particular date for the film showing to align with National Breastfeeding Month, celebrated every August, and specifically Black Breastfeeding Week, which takes place from August 25 to 31. “We hope that both the film and this observance will help raise awareness about breastfeeding’s significance within the Black community and spark conversations to tackle challenges and bolster support systems for Black breastfeeding mothers.”

The 90-minute film is available to the public free of charge. After the screening, there will be discussions on strategies to enhance breastfeeding rates among Black women. For Black mothers in Chatham County, breastfeeding rates fell from 76% in 2019 to 60.3% in 2023 before climbing to 80.8% in 2024.

Nandi A. Marshall, DrPH, MPH, CHES ®, CLC, CDE®, serves as the associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of Health Policy & Community Health at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. She emphasizes the significance of presenting this film to Savannah families as a crucial step in providing breastfeeding support for Black mothers. “The film effectively narrates the experiences of African American women with breastfeeding, excellently advancing its goal of normalizing breastfeeding in the African American community.”

Marshall asserts the importance of Black mothers considering breastfeeding being encircled by a supportive network of partners, relatives, workplace colleagues, and communities. “We wish to extend an invitation to these supporters to see the film as well, enabling them to better comprehend the crucial nature of this support.”

Earlier this year, Healthy Savannah launched a “Breastfeeding Welcome Here” initiative, providing door decals and certificates of recognition to local organizations that offer reasonable accommodations for breastfeeding and pumping, including break time and private, clean spaces. The program is funded by a CDC Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant administered by Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia.

In Georgia, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act (also known as Charlotte’s Law) requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a private space, other than a restroom, for employees to express breast milk. This legislation applies to both private employers and state and local government entities, including school districts. (Employers with 50 or fewer employees can request an ‘undue hardship exemption’ from the law.)

Again, the screening of ‘Chocolate Milk’ is free and open to the public. It’s happening Sunday, August 24 at 3 p.m. in the Student Union ballroom (11935 Library Drive) on the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University in Savannah.