VOICES Feature:
Ericka Dorsey and Tamesha Valverde
The Stockton Younger Women’s Task Force works to amplify and uplift the voices of women in Stockton. We share interviews with amazing women who are making a difference in our community on our website, social media, and in our email newsletters.
To nominate a woman to be featured (or yourself!), complete this form!
Ericka Dorsey and Tamesha Valverde
Co-Founders, Flourishing Families, Inc.
Interviewed April 27, 2021
What do you do?
We are the co-founders of Flourishing Families, Inc., a non-profit organization helping Black Families in the community to grow and flourish in a garden of support.
We are two mothers who are concerned about the well being of Black mothers in our community. Far too often our pregnant and post partum mothers are given inaccurate support or none at all, leaving themselves and their babies at risk. What we hear from moms is simple, listen to us, value us, and give us the optimal maternal care that we deserve. Flourishing Families, Inc. is here to listen, provide resources, and be an advocate for black mothers and their families in Stockton, CA.
What inspired you to do the work that you do?
Seeing the need of black women and mothers and realizing that not much had changed since my (Ericka’s) mother grew up in Stockton in the 60s/70s.
What are some of the barriers, challenges, or issues that women in Stockton face that you want to highlight?
Black women are still experiencing suboptimal health and birthing care in hospital clinics and systems. They are also still dying at anywhere from 2-12x times the rate of white women depending on the city in the US.
Black mothers in Stockton have the lowest rates of breastfeeding of any group of women and continue to say that while the majority had hopes of nursing their babies, they often did not feel supported. Many Black women are simply not being listened to and need the help of family, friends, and their community.
At Flourishing Families Inc. we are on a mission to increase lactation and birthworker support to Black mothers to make sure they have the resources they need to bring their babies into the world with love, care, and guidance during their motherhood journey.
What do you do to treat yourself? Any self-care recommendations to share with other women?
Go on hikes, schedule massages, grow a garden in your outdoor space, go to sleep and wake up early!
What can people do to support and get involved in your work?
Please follow us @flourishingfamiliesinc on Instagram.
You can also check out our website at www.flourishingfamiliesinc.org. Donations can be received by Paypal or Venmo.
Anything else you want to share with our newsletter list?
We look forward to collaborating with other local organizations to amplify the voices of Black mothers and raise awareness about their stories and how providing doula, lactation, and peer breastfeeding care will increase breastfeeding rates and lower poor maternal health care!
More about Ericka Dorsey
Ericka is a proud fourth-generation, former breastfeeding mother of three and has a deep desire to listen to and find solutions to increase breastfeeding rates for Black women and other vulnerable populations. She is also committed to amplifying the voices and stories of black women to both advocate for and inform local policies to ultimately foster improved maternal and child health outcomes and build stronger, holistically supported families. Ericka holds a master’s degree in Health Promotion and Education, a BS in Biology from Spelman College, and is a Certified Lactation Education Counselor.
As a maternal and infant health consultant, she has contracted with organizations such as the California Breastfeeding Coalition to curate educational news and advocacy content through the Coalition’s social media platforms and Narrative Nation to assist in the development of a national promotional campaign for the Irth App, a new digital birth tracking app for birthing women of color. She is currently the president of the San Joaquin County Breastfeeding Coalition and enjoys participating in breastfeeding advocacy opportunities with several organizations at the state’s capitol.
More about Tamesha Valverde
Tamesha is the proud mother of two breastfed sons and an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). A 4th generation Stocktonian, Tamesha has over 18 years of experience working with expectant and young families providing direct Lactation services through Delta Health Care’s WIC. The only African American Lactation Consultant in San Joaquin County, she specializes in group education and advocacy for African American pregnant/breastfeeding women and their families. She is known for her passion for Black breastfeeding, collaborating with the local Black organizations and has a unique perspective having navigated the healthcare system as a teen mother in San Joaquin County.
Tamesha has used her expertise as an IBCLC to consult with organizations on multiple projects to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, especially in the Black community. She has served as a mentor and educator for aspiring Lactation and Birth Worker Professionals across the state. She has fostered partnerships with the Black Infant Health Program, UCSD Lactation Education Extension program, California Breastfeeding Coalition, Public Health Advocates and recently Bebo Mia. She was recognized in 2018 by the California State Legislature for her work with African American Women in the San Joaquin County community as a Lactation Consultant and Health Advocate in Women’s and Children’s Health. She believes that Breastfeeding starts with cultivating a true village of support.
Thank you for everything you do for our community, Ericka and Tamesha!
Get Email Updates