Become A Facilitator

What is a Chocolate Milk Café Facilitator?

A Chocolate Milk Café Facilitator is a volunteer who acts as an Ambassador of Chocolate Milk Café National Inc. and their respective chapter/area. They represent Chocolate Milk Café at the local level within their community and are charged with the responsibility of acting on behalf of the organization and their respective chapter when attending community meetings, fundraising, engaging with prospective partners, and promoting the organization and meetings.

As a Chocolate Milk Café Facilitator, you are expected to facilitate monthly support group meetings at the national and local levels. Our national organization maintains multiple virtual meetings centering varying interests; such as expecting parents, new parents, full term, and topic or themed based meetings. Facilitators within our organization are required to sign up to run one of these meetings to maintain their certification within the organization. Facilitators are also expected to be available to host their local chapter meetings (in person or virtually) at least 80% of the year.

Chocolate Milk Café Facilitators are peers within the black lactation community. We identify peers as people who have experienced navigating the world as someone of the African diaspora or Black identity and has either produced human milk from your body, provided human milk to a black infant within the last five years, or have provided support to a lactating person within your community. Facilitators are Advocates of human milk and infant feeding norms that uphold our mission to make sure that we, as families of the African Diaspora, receive lactation and infant feeding support to reclaim human milk as the first food of Black communities everywhere, starting with the United States.

Requirements

By becoming a Chocolate Milk Café Facilitator, you are joining our national network of Human Milk Advocates charged with upholding the mission of the organization and maintaining an active presence in your local community. Facilitators are expected to engage with local resources in their community while representing Chocolate Milk Café AND interact with fellow co-facilitators across our network.

A Prospective Facilitator:

Understands the importance of human milk feeding in the Black community
Is within a 5 year period of infant feeding
or
Has supported a lactating person of the African diaspora
Has attended a Chocolate Milk Café meeting within the last 6 months
Has access to a computer and reliable internet
and
Has the ability to consistently show up for 2 hours on a monthly basis to facilitate a sacred meeting space
Responds to emails regularly, on a weekly basis
Can commit to the full certification process, not to exceed 18 months
Available to join weekly check-ins during certification process
Able to commit to joining a national committee
Is not pursuing a certification as a lactation professional (Pathway 1 guidance coming soon)
Is not currently practicing as a maternal health professional (more to come on our Impact Agents)

CHOCOLATE MILK CAFÉ FACILITATOR Inquiry

Are you interested in becoming a Chocolate Milk Cafe Facilitator? Complete our Facilitator Inquiry form to begin the process. A team member will reach out to you to discuss the next steps in the process, once your inquiry has been reviewed.

Name *

First

Last

If experience

Pronouns

This helps us ensure we are using the appropriate pronouns when referring to you.

Email *

Please make sure this is an email you check often.

City, State *

Your specific location helps us gauge which areas require our focus.

How did you hear about Chocolate Milk Cafe? *

What is your experience with providing human milk to a child? *

Have you encountered judgmental comments surrounding feeding a child human milk? *

If yes, can you share your experience handling these comments.

You can leave blank if you do not feel comfortable sharing.

Do you have experience supporting someone on their infant feeding journey? *

What inspired you to make the decision to become a Chocolate Milk Café Facilitator? *

Were you referred by anyone? *

Please share their information.

How often do you check your email? *

What is your ideal form of communication? *

Email, phone, text, social media, etc.

Do you have any questions about becoming a facilitator? *

Do you understand that, as a peer, Chocolate Milk Cafe Facilitators are expected to uphold the same lived experience and identity as the families we serve? This means that in addition to being an advocate for human milk feeding, prospective facilitators must also identify as part of the African diaspora. *

I understand this requirement and I identify as part of the African diaspora.
I do not understand this requirement.
I am choosing to disregard this requirement.