As a proud Flint, Mich. Native, Dr. Sekeita Lewis-Johnson, BSN ’97, uses her nursing skills to serve as a voice for the “deliberately silenced.” Her days are filled to the brim serving six organizations in various leadership roles focused on community and infant health.

As an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and co-founder of Mama’s Mobile Milk, Lewis-Johnson is bringing her knowledge straight to the source.

“I know what it feels like to not have the means, to feel invisible, to want something but face barriers,” said Lewis-Johnson.

Though unfortunate, she drew inspiration from the barriers faced with the founding of Mama’s Mobile Milk; a grassroots community service model that transports breast milk from mothers to their babies, often separated by NICU hospitalization, temporary foster care and custodial issues, not to mention lack of access to transportation.

Comprised entirely of volunteers who are trained by board-certified lactation consultants, the community-driven project serves the Metro-Detroit area and Genesee County.

Ariel Robinson, who recently gave birth to twins, has been able to take advantage of the service. Her newborns were in the NICU in Dearborn, while her home is in Taylor about 10 miles away.

“I think it’s a good program because breast milk is healthy. It’s not just nutrients, it’s medicine,” Robinson said. “It can help your child while it’s in the hospital.”

Lewis-Johnson is proud to be serving mothers and babies of underserved communities, while promoting benefits of breastfeeding.

“It gives mothers a sense of pride,” she continued, “The benefits include decreased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, childhood cancers, asthmas and allergy issues.”

For mothers, Lewis-Johnson explains that studies have shown breastfeeding reduces rates of post-partum depression, risk of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer and more.

She views her community advocacy as a way of paying it forward. As a child in Flint, Lewis-Johnson was on the receiving end of work done by non-profit groups in her community.

“Having so many people that cared about me ensured that I had certain resources that weren’t available,” she continued, “My mother is also someone who gave a lot, but didn’t have a lot, and she’s a huge source of inspiration.”

The pandemic has exacerbated healthcare inequities in underserved communities. Lewis-Johnson views her work as a way to address bias and disparate care in healthcare systems, which is just one component of a larger issue. Working directly with families in her community and hearing their concerns gives them visibility to identify the types of supports they need.

“The biggest crisis that I’ve seen in healthcare is when providers choose the value of what you say based on what you look like. It’s essential to listen to the patient and to treat them as the expert,” she said.

As the co-founder of Southeast Michigan IBCLC’s of Color, Lewis-Johnson is expanding the scope of her work. Along with providing breastfeeding and childhood education courses for those in her community, her organization sits on an advisory council for State Sen. Erica Geiss, in an effort to pass a bill that will improve treatment of women in the prison system.

While at the MSU College of Nursing, she helped charter the first-ever Chi Eta Phi Sorority, which is a historic nursing organization founded in 1932 by 12 Black registered nurses. The college also played an integral role helping Lewis-Johnson find her voice.

“Drs. Renee Canady and Linda Keilman were instrumental in developing my growth in professionalism and knowledge about inequities that were occurring in the healthcare system,” she noted. “They never tried to quiet me and without them, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.”