By Tonya Kubo
California Breastfeeding Coalition
The California Breastfeeding Summit is an annual example of how the California Breastfeeding Coalition amplifies the voices and experiences of those who have been historically ignored.
One way we do this is by highlighting your accomplishments and efforts through our awards program. However, we find each year that the nominations we receive reflect only a sliver of the work being done to protect, promote and support lactation throughout the state and beyond.
We get it. Nobody enters the field of lactation because they have big egos or like to take center stage. Your work with breast, chest and human milk feeding families comes from a place of service. You put the families you help and the communities you serve at the heart of all you do. 
But nominating yourself or a colleague for an award is the ultimate form of service.
By celebrating your accomplishments, you offer an example for others to follow. And that’s why we encourage you to submit a nomination today for any of the following awards:
- The Rising Star Award recognizes exceptional new and emerging leaders for outstanding contributions to their community, local breastfeeding coalition and to recognize local lactation advocates who are change agents in their communities.
- The Changemaker Award is for Breastfeeding Peer Counselors, supporters and educators who are actively engaged in the birth and chest/breastfeeding fields. The award provides registration and technology support to attend the Summit.
- The Golden Nugget Award celebrates the accomplishments of local breastfeeding coalitions, collaboratives, consortiums and organizations. This award recognizes efforts in supporting National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) The Continuity Of Care In Breastfeeding Support Blueprint and the California Breastfeeding Coalition’s vision that “all families in California have access to quality lactation support, breastfeeding and chestfeeding resources and donor human milk.”
The 2023 Rising Star, Zoraida McNulty of the Latina Chicana (LatCh) Lactation Taskforce, was recognized for her commitment to supporting culturally affirming community lactation services and the professional development of Spanish-speaking lactation professionals.
The 2023 Changemakers — Kim Jarrett, Alisha Brown, Rhonda Clayton, and Vanessa Morones — were all peer counselors from Alameda, Merced and Los Angeles counties.
And the 2023 Golden Nugget Award went to three organizations who successfully initiated solutions in the following categories:
- BreastfeedLA — Family-Centered Care, Implicit Bias Awareness and Cultural Humility Approach
- A More Excellent Way Health Improvement Organization — Breastfeeding as a Community Health Improvement Strategy
- CSU Northridge — Public Health, Allied Health and Healthcare Workforce Education
Receiving a Summit Award doesn’t require you to change the world in a year, only that you demonstrate a commitment to doing your part to protect, promote and support lactation in your community.
Please take time today to review the requirements of each award using the links above and think of at least one person (yourself included) who you could nominate for recognition. The deadline is Oct. 31, and scheduling prevents us from being able to offer any extension. Need help? Email us at summit@californiabreastfeeding.org.