North Carolina Black Alliance Leads the Charge for Health Equity Across NC

Karida Giddings, Access to Healthcare Program Coordinator at the North Carolina Black Alliance, is leading transformative efforts to advance health equity in Black communities across Eastern North Carolina. Through the Lactation Ambassador Training Program, 19 women—including nurses, social workers, and mental health professionals—were trained between 2023 and 2024 to become breastfeeding advocates in seven underserved counties. By focusing on areas with low breastfeeding rates and a lack of Black lactation specialists, the initiative is diversifying the healthcare workforce, empowering families, and closing critical gaps in maternal and infant care.