Why We Exist

The Obsidian Milk Collective is a Black-led, Alabama-based initiative committed to closing racial gaps in lactation support. We center Black families — birthing and non-birthing — who feed, support, and care.

Grounded in healing justice and cultural power, we are building a future where every Black family feels sustained throughout their lactation journey.

A Civil War-era print of an African-American wet nurse - google images.

"I wish I dried up

I wish every drop of my milk slipped passed those pink lips and nourished the ground

Where the bones lay

Of my babies

Starved while I feed their murderer

I wish I dried up

So the missus babies would dry up too

And be brittle

So I could crumble them to dust

Return them to the ground

Where all children of my bosom lay equal"

— Hess Love

The Alabama Breastfeeding Equity Hub

The Alabama Breastfeeding Equity Hub is our signature initiative — the first Black-led effort of its kind in the state. We gather data and stories from Black families to shift how care is delivered, how policies are made, and how communities are heard.

community data.

〰️

cultural storytelling.

〰️

systemic change.

community data. 〰️ cultural storytelling. 〰️ systemic change.

  • Host healing circles and story sessions

  • Archive stories and lived experiences

  • Use community-centered data to advocate

  • Create briefs, visual reports, and shift systems

Our vision & Mission

Vision Statement

We envision a future where every Black family in Alabama experiences breastfeeding and infant care as a liberatory act — supported by community, affirmed in their choices, and free from systemic barriers. In this future, nourishment becomes resistance, and Black thriving is the measure of success. Guided by the spirit of Black abolitionists, we work to create a world where care is collective, and liberation begins at birth.

Mission Statement

The Obsidian Milk Collective exists to advance Black breastfeeding equity across Alabama by centering care, creating community, and dismantling barriers that deny Black families the right to nourish their children in freedom. We approach this work through a liberation framework, understanding that lactation care is not only a health need but also an act of healing justice. Our mission is rooted in abolitionist principles: replacing systems of neglect, exclusion, and exploitation with structures of support, dignity, and love.

  • We believe that those most impacted by breastfeeding disparities must be the ones leading the solutions. We honor and uplift the wisdom, voices, and lived experiences of Black families.

  • We are grounded in the principles of reproductive justice — the human right to maintain bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent in safe and sustainable communities.

  • We believe that data is a tool for liberation when collected ethically and shared responsibly. We are committed to transparent, community-informed data practices that illuminate disparities and drive systemic change.

  • We affirm and celebrate the traditions, practices, and identities of Black communities in the South. Our work is rooted in cultural humility, ancestral knowledge, and collective care.

  • We are committed to building trust by operating with transparency in our goals, partnerships, and decision-making. We are accountable to the communities we serve — not just funders or systems.

  • We prioritize equity by recognizing and addressing the unique barriers faced by Black birthing people. We reject one-size-fits-all approaches and design solutions that meet people where they are.

  • We believe in the power of collective work. We build alliances across organizations, sectors, and movements that share a commitment to maternal and infant health justice.

  • We are working not only for immediate impact but for long-term transformation. Our work honors those who came before us and paves the way for future generations of Black lactation leaders.

Meet the Leadership Circle

Rooted in care. Guided by community.


  • Founder

    Jasmine Hammonds is a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, Certified Childbirth Educator, Certified Fertility Doula, Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, Certified Nutrition Educator, and Certified Babywearing Educator. She is currently completing her clinical hours as a Pathway 3 IBCLC. A wife and proud mom of four, Jasmine has spent over a decade working in healthcare and community spaces and currently serves as Co-Director of a nonprofit focused on reproductive care. She also sits on the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) committee for Region I in Alabama.

    Her work is deeply rooted in reproductive justice, liberation, and Black joy, with a focus on making birth and lactation care more accessible, affirming, and equitable—especially in the South. Jasmine is passionate about supporting families through every stage of their journey, from fertility and pregnancy to postpartum and beyond.

    She brings a wide range of training to her work, including serving as the North Alabama Count the Kicks Ambassador, labor doula training, pregnancy and infant loss advocacy, and perinatal mental health. She’s also CPR/AED certified and a former Certified Medical Assistant. Her dedication has been recognized with the Terry Jo Curtis Award from USLCA and a CHAMPion of the Week spotlight from CHEER.

  • Operations Director

    Al-Nisa is a Certified Lactation Consultant and mother of three girls with over seven years of experience in the maternal, infant, and child health field. Al-Nisa’s professional background includes healthcare compliance and risk management, which has strengthened her ability to provide safe, evidence-based, and family-centered care. She is passionate about equipping mothers with the knowledge, resources, and confidence they need to navigate breastfeeding and early parenthood.