As a mother and a nurse in LA, I’m tired of feeling invisible.
asserted
I → ’m → LA
Yet even in Los Angeles — one of the most cosmopolitan cites in the world — I’ve struggled to choose between feeding my baby and being seen and present in my community.
asserted
I → struggle → community
It sounds like a fashion revolution — and perhaps it is.
asserted
it → sound → revolution
Last month, we hosted “Breastfeeding on the Runway” at the historic Leimert Park in South LA.
asserted
we → host → LA
Four mothers walked the runway with their babies and breastfed them as part of the celebration.
asserted
mothers → walk → celebration
I am a board-certified lactation consultant, a nurse of more than a decade, a nonprofit CEO, a Black woman and a mother of four.
asserted
I → certify → four
I have breastfed all four of my children, including my twins, who recently turned 1.
asserted
who → breastfe → 1
I know firsthand that breastfeeding is beautiful, exhausting, empowering, inconvenient, emotional and deeply personal.
asserted
breastfeeding → know → ?
It’s also something to celebrate.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Los Angeles, an epicenter of fashion, constantly celebrates women’s bodies.
asserted
Angeles → celebrate → bodies
We celebrate pregnancy.
asserted
We → celebrate → pregnancy
We celebrate curves.
asserted
We → celebrate → curves
We celebrate confidence.
asserted
We → celebrate → confidence
We celebrate individuality.
asserted
We → celebrate → individuality
But when a woman uses that same body to feed her baby, suddenly there can be discomfort.
asserted
woman → use → baby
I want to change that.
asserted
I → want → that
That is where the idea for Breastfeeding on the Runway came from.
asserted
idea → come → Runway
I run a nonprofit that helps mothers overcome barriers to care and access the education, resources and support they need to navigate breastfeeding and postpartum life, particularly in underserved communities.
asserted
they → run → communities
I know how invisible new mothers can feel.
asserted
mothers → know → ?
I’ve felt it myself.
asserted
I → feel → it
So I considered: What would happen if we took breastfeeding out of the places where society expects it to remain hidden and put it somewhere completely unexpected?
asserted
it → consider → it
The response was powerful.
When four mothers breastfed their babies while walking the runway, and they were not asked to cover up or step away.
asserted
they → breastfe → runway
Instead, they were celebrated.
asserted
they → celebrate → ?
Several designers and brands supported the vision, showing that breastfeeding and fashion need not exist in separate worlds.
asserted
breastfeeding → support → worlds
The event also happened at a meaningful time: Not only is August is National Breastfeeding Month, but our event landed during Black Breastfeeding Week, making the celebration especially significant to me as a Black mother and healthcare professional.
asserted
celebration → happen → mother
Holding it in LA’s Leimert Park made the moment even more meaningful.
asserted
moment → hold → Park
And then something happened that made the timing even more striking.
asserted
timing → happen → ?
On Sept. 21, London designer Di Petsa presented her “Holy Milk” collection during London Fashion Week.
asserted
Petsa → present → Week
Our Los Angeles event happened first.
asserted
event → happen → ?
That chronology matters to me — not because I believe Los Angeles has to compete with London, but because it shows that mothers here were already challenging the boundaries of fashion.
asserted
mothers → matter → fashion
We pioneered this particular concept in Los Angeles: a nonprofit-led runway where real mothers actually breastfed their babies while being celebrated.
asserted
mothers → pioneer → babies
We simply refuse to accept the idea that breastfeeding mothers should be invisible.
asserted
mothers → refuse → idea
That is the revolution I wanted to start.
asserted
I → want → ?
Because when a mother walks onto a runway carrying her baby, she is carrying more than a child.
asserted
she → walk → child
She is carrying a message.
asserted
She → carry → message
She is saying that motherhood belongs in the room.
asserted
motherhood → say → room
That breastfeeding need not be hidden.
asserted
breastfeeding → hide → ?
And that women should never have to choose between being mothers and being seen.
asserted
women → have → ?
Los Angeles gave us the stage.
asserted
Angeles → give → stage
Four mothers gave us the moment.
asserted
mothers → give → moment
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
