Black mothers face a unique weight as mothers to African American boys and girls alike, as well as being partners/ wives to our Black men. As a licensed mental health therapist, certified perinatal mental health specialist and trained birth doula and based on some of the research I have done on and with black women, mothers specifically, I saw a need to create a safe and nurturing space for black mothers…and from there The Melanated Mommy Tribe was born. 

I have a strong unwavering passion for African American mothers. African American women are 12 times more likely to die during childbirth or from pregnancy related causes, 1 in 3 black mothers are affected by postpartum depression and there is a lack of research on effective and evidence based treatment interventions. The black maternal health crisis is one of the top health disparities affecting our nation and I am positioning myself to be on the frontlines to help bring awareness and provide support. I have dedicated my doctoral education to addressing these disparities in hopes of joining and educating providers, clients, women, communities and everyone in between on ways to address and alleviate this issue. Furthermore, it was through my own pregnancy and birth experience as well as my journey through motherhood up until this point (as well as those of my friends, family and past clients and patients) that birthed the idea of The Melanated Mommy Tribe a few years ago. The idea was to provide a safe space for African American mothers to transparently discuss the mental impact of motherhood without judgment and no matter the age of the child, etc. and to receive resources and support in attempts to accomplish holistic health and wellness. 

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My hope is through partnering with others in the community and across the nation we will create a tribe of genuine and authentic love and support full of resources to ensure we remain our healthiest from the inside out. The old saying goes “it takes a village…” and it absolutely does. We need one another to lean on, learn from and celebrate our resilience with as we continue to not just survive but to thrive on this journey of motherhood, because no one can truly understand our unique journey like us. So you and all your friends, aunties, moms, grandmas and every black mommy are invited to come join our tribe! We welcome you with open and loving arms.

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Love & Light,

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Dr. Kim LO, DSW, LCSW, PMH-C, BD