Being a Black Breastfeeding Researcher in a White Research World: Speaking With One Voice

The lactation field is laden with cultural narratives that depict the Black community, particularly Black women, in a negative light. For example, “Black women don’t breastfeed,” “Black women don’t have family support to breastfeed,” and “Black women are welfare queens and lazy.” These negative and demeaning views of Black women are not only directed toward the lay community, but they are also pervasive in academic institutions. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion in the breastfeeding research world about best practices for achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion. These recommendations consider not only the research team, but also the research environment, which includes the following: (1) favoring a diverse research team composition; (2) proactively addressing systemic barriers in the recruitment process; (3) providing equitable access to training and development opportunities to research team members; and (4) fully supporting and integrating all research team members to contribute to the work of the team. As Black breastfeeding researchers and mentors, we agree with these best practices; however, we continue to face many hurdles, which often make the research world an abusive and hostile environment. Our generation of Black researchers face a different form of racism and discrimination than those who came before us, which was more overt and easier to point out. Today, certain comments and actions can be more difficult to confront due to their subtle nature. In many predominantly white institutions, Black faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students experience a gambit of microaggressions, lack of recognition, inequitable support, and, in some instances, the outright blatant dismissal of our research ideas from our colleagues (both senior and peer), advisors, and mentors. Their dismissive comments and responses alienate and invalidate our lived experiences as Black researchers, and exacerbate our unique challenges and inadequate support structures.

Microaggressions are the subtle verbal and nonverbal insults directed at someone because of their membership within a stigmatized or culturally marginalized group, and which are rooted in stereotypes and demonstrate cultural insensitivity and unawareness (Williams, 2021). Even though experiencing microaggressions and feeling alienated are not new phenomena to Black people, we are oftentimes hesitant to share our stories because of possible reprisal or retaliation from our superiors and peers. However, in the wake of the 2020 protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, individuals took to the streets demanding an end to racial injustice and calling for the eradication of racism. This vigor spread from calling out police brutality to other sectors, like academia, where scholars Shardé Davis and Joy Woods started #Blackintheivory on Twitter, and within 24 hours it began to trend nationwide, further underscoring the pervasiveness of these concerns. This platform allowed faculty members and graduate students of color to confront the racialized, alienating, discriminatory, and dehumanizing experiences they face at their institutions. It is with this strength and support that we share our experiences as early career breastfeeding researchers and committed mentors.

In many institutions, Black doctoral students’ research ideas are dismissed or overlooked by their dissertation committees. When discussing research topics and questions specifically related to Black breastfeeding, we were told, “that cannot possibly be it,” but, to us, our lived experiences and those of our communities drive our research questions and ideas. Yet, in so many instances, we are asked by our white superiors and colleagues, “Well, what does the literature say?” or “You know the literature says that Black women don’t breastfeed, right? So, you can’t possibly find enough Black women to meet your study criteria. And you need a comparison group, so you will need to interview white women as well.” This dismissive demeanor is problematic because not everything has to be in the literature to be conceptually valid or worthy of initial or further study. Often, the reality is that the right research questions have not yet been asked. Black doctoral students often face the added challenge of the fear of retaliation and of compromising the completion of their degrees if they speak up or otherwise disagree, but they should not be punished for asserting their intellectual agency. Rather, this should be celebrated as—given the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in doctoral programs and among nursing researchers in general—these students, and the ideas that they pose, will find themselves at the cutting edge as we push the field to ask the questions that will help fashion solutions to real world problems impacting African Americans (in our case), and other marginalized communities.

The dismissive rhetoric from many white researchers is not a phenomenon that is isolated to the graduate research world: it extends far beyond these crucial years. The lack of awareness and lived experience from white researchers is a consistent and ongoing problem in lactation research. Breastfeeding disparity research studies are being conceptualized and implemented in communities of color by all-white research teams that claim to be diverse, equitable, and inclusive. To the marginalized communities, this seems like common sense, but when researchers come from privilege they seem to have no issues with these scenarios. Additionally, many publishing houses and major academic journals are comprised of white publishing staff, review staff, and literary agents; they are the gatekeepers and determine which research and stories are magnified in, and which are excluded from publications (Low, 2016). This issue leads to fewer early career publications for Black researchers. Coupled with the fact that white people dominate review panels for grant applications, this further exacerbates the racial gap in funding between Black and white investigators (Ginther et al., 2018). Consequently, our transition from doctoral student and postdoctoral researcher to independent investigator becomes unnecessarily difficult without a sustainable support system.

More must be done to ensure diversity than maintaining the check the box type of mentality. To truly exhibit diversity, equity, and inclusion in research that focuses on lactation in the Black community, we recommend the following: (1) White and non-Black researchers should not be defensive or take offense when Black researchers interrogate their methods or scholarship. Words alone are not always enough, and neither is passive allyship. These researchers must actively use their privilege to confront racist epistemologies and practices and challenge others to do the same; (2) Research teams should have more African Americans that serve as PIs or co-PIs or in other roles where they can make meaningful contributions. Culturally diverse leadership teams are more likely to be objective, outshine homogeneous groups in decision making, and produce better outcomes (Rock & Grant, 2016); (3) Those with adequate research experience must mentor and guide new researchers of color. This will help address the reality that many times, researchers of color are given funding to conduct their studies but receive no guidance. Thus, changing this practice will enhance opportunities for success. If truth be told, it may not be that a study was not good; rather it may be that the researchers needed mentorship and guidance through the process; (4) Lastly, there are enough unanswered research questions for everyone to have a seat at the proverbial table. We are doing research the same way and the disparities are getting worse. It is time to think creatively and get everyone involved to see a different outcome, which is to decrease health disparities in all communities.