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August 2026 Newsletter
National Breastfeeding Month, Black Breastfeeding Week
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National Breastfeeding Month & Black Breastfeeding Week
Join us as we recognize two important public health celebrations this month for equitable support of breastfeeding and chestfeeding:
Black Breastfeeding Week (August 25–31) raises awareness of the inequities Black birthing families face and highlights the importance of equitable, culturally responsive lactation support to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
National Breastfeeding Month (August) recognizes breastfeeding and chestfeeding as important public health strategies that support the well-being of infants, parents, and families.
Read the list of events below to learn, connect, and celebrate!
| | Black Breastfeeding Week Events | |
South Bay Community Celebration
Breastfeeding rates in the Black community remain lower compared to other communities, emphasizing the need for increased awareness, support, and education.
Celebrate Black Breastfeeding Week with a series of events from Roots Community Health in San Jose, California that highlights the importance of breastfeeding while honoring Black families, culture, and community:
Monday, August 24:
Kick-Off & Welcome (Virtual)
Wednesday, August 26:
Brown Table Talk: Nurtured Minds, Nourished Babies
Saturday, August 29:
Community Resource Fair (In-Person)
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Community Baby Shower & Resource Fair
This free community event supports expecting and new families (up to 1 year post-partum) with education, resources, and connection.
Attendees will receive free diapers, wipes, and other baby essentials while enjoying food and refreshments, learning about breastfeeding and other infant feeding options, and entering raffles for gifts and prizes.
Meet and connect with Black doulas, midwives, and therapists who are dedicated to supporting healthy pregnancies, births, and postpartum journeys.
When: Wednesday, August 26, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Where: Humanist Hall
390 27th St, Oakland, CA 94612
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Breast Friends Summer Boob-e-Que
Enjoy a delicious barbecue, connect with local resources, and participate in games and activities for all ages, all in a joyful, affirming space that centers Black families and builds community power.
This is a free community picnic for Black breastfeeding families and anyone who loves and supports them, held in celebration of Black Breastfeeding Week.
Bring the whole family out — we even have something for the dads! Come ready to eat, connect, and celebrate
When: Friday, August 28, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm PT
Where: Mosswood Park
3612 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94609
| | National Breastfeeding Month Events | |
SF Breastfeeding Walk 2026
Show your support by walking and discover the support and assistance available on your breastfeeding journey. Hosted by the San Francisco WIC Program in partnership with the San Francisco Breastfeeding Coalition!
Expect music, games, free t-shirts, and WIC swag while supplies last
When: Wednesday, August 5, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PT
Where: In Front of SF City Hall
335 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102
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Indigenous Milk Medicine Week
The Indigenous Milk Medicine Collective (a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting Native first food experiences, healing, wellness, and equity in Indigenous milk practices) is organizing Indigenous Milk Medicine Week.
This year, gather around the theme "We Keep the Fires Lit: Rising Through Milk Medicine," honoring the brilliance, continuity, and cultural strength carried through Indigenous lactation and community care.
When: August 8 - 14
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The Gift of Milk as Medicine Webinar
UCSF Family Services and the UC Health Milk Bank are hosting a webinar highlighting the vital role of donor human milk in infant care. Established in 2020, the UC Health Milk Bank provides equitable access to safe, high-quality donor milk for medically fragile infants across the community.
In this session, UC Health Milk Bank Executive Director Alison Wolf will explore how donor milk improves infant health outcomes, the impact of milk donation as a community gift, and opportunities to increase awareness and connection to donation efforts.
When: Wednesday, August 12, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm PT
Where: Virtual (Zoom)
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Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Milk Drive
Help a baby in need! The Birthing Department at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) is partnering with Mothers’ Milk Bank of California to host a “Milk Drive.”
All birthing parents with extra breast/chest milk to donate are encouraged to drop off their frozen milk on the day of the event.
When: Wednesday, August 26, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm PT
Where: ZSFG
1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
Can't make it? There are milk drives across the state throughout the month: get the complete list.
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SF Pregnancy Family Village
This free event for Black pregnant residents and families in San Francisco provides a reliable one-stop shop of offerings built around the community’s stated needs and engaging within environments that are uplifting, supportive, and dignified. Every second Saturday of the month from 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm.
A complementary lunch is served at noon with music, free maternity clothes, yoga, and more!
When: Saturday, August 8, 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm PT
Where: Bayview YMCA
1601 Lane St., San Francisco, CA 94124
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Open Positions at Kindezi Black Perinatal Wellness
Kindezi Black Perinatal Wellness is a perinatal behavioral health program at Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS) focused on increasing the use of racially and culturally congruent practices and interventions for Black/African American birthing families in San Francisco. Join a mission-driven team dedicated to culturally responsive care, community wellness, and impactful public health work.
The current roles they are looking to fill are:
Clinical Program Manager
Mental Health Counselor
Program Assistant
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Ancestral Echoes: Reclaiming Family Histories
Demetri Broxton: Ancestral Echoes explores the fragile process of reconstructing ancestry through family photographs, oral memory, and incomplete histories.
Using screen-printed textiles, bead-work, cowrie shells, and sequins, Broxton re-imagines unnamed or partially identified ancestors as sacred figures, transforming absence into spaces of dignity, protection, and possibility.
When: Now through August 16
Where: Museum of the African Diaspora
685 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105
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Celebrating Mildred Howard’s Five-Decade Career
Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory is the first major museum exhibition celebrating the acclaimed Bay Area artist’s five-decade career. Featuring collages, found-object sculptures, immersive installations, and new works, the exhibition explores memory, identity, and the African American experience through personal and collective histories.
Drawing on archival materials from Howard’s Oakland studio, it offers an intimate look at an artist whose work has helped shape the Bay Area’s cultural landscape.
When: Now through October 18
Where: Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94607
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Breezy Powell
Doula, Healer
Getting into birth work after witnessing her mother's hospital birth experiences, Breezy has dedicated herself to helping Black women feel joy and celebrate their bodies—as a revolutionary act.
Read Breezy's Story
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Catherine Porchia
Mom, Doula, and Postpartum Doula
Catherine guides new moms, offering support, and lets them know what they are experiencing is normal. Most of all, she helps them find the joy in motherhood that they may have lost.
Read Catherine's Story
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