Watts, California

I traveled to Watts last week for the first time since moving to Los Angeles in 1994. Yeah, I did say traveled, as if to say journeyed, forayed, ventured forth as if I was headed to some war torn middle-eastern outpost like Libya, or worse. I wasn't afraid, and fear is only worth mentioning based on rampant stereotypes, myths, and legends, blended with, of course, documented facts that Watts is one of the poorest areas of L.A., complete with substandard housing (Nickerson Gardens), high unemployment, dismally performing public schools, fast-food lined boulevards and their partner-in-crime, overcrowded and undermanaged health care facilities and, of course, well-documented violent crime rates, the ultimate plague of inner-city urbanites.

So I was there to drop off a rug at Thomas Riley High School 1524 East 103rd Street. This school is devoted to educating women who become mothers while in high school and (I suppose) junior high school. Instead of matriculating at a traditional high school (which they are legally entitled to do), Riley offers more flexibility in classes, more counseling and emotional support for the inexperienced mother, activities for mother and child (though an on-site child care facility is not available yet), and get this a private (well, semi-private) room for breastfeeding.

This brings me to the rug. In addition to a chair or two, a breast pump, bottles, storage containers, breastfeeding dvds, and breast pads, a non-profit organization called "Soul food for your baby" is requesting help to establish a space that encourages young mothers to breast feed instead of bottle feed for at least the first year of the baby's life. Imagine that. How many 16, 17 and 18 year olds have I seen throughout the city using bottles instead of natural breast milk? What role models do they have to set the tone for feeding babies fresh from the womb the all natural way? If they have to leave the baby (to attend school, go to work), do they know about pumping and storing milk? Will they even care if someone doesn't reveal the benefits and mother-child bond that are to be had through natural feeding?

So off to Watts I went to support this community based organization with a donation of a new rug to make the breast-feeding space a little more cozy and modern for the mothers. Yes, the space (so far) is in the fitness room next to a bunch of stationary bikes and free weights. There is nothing there yet to designate it as a private feeding/pumping area, not even a partition to separate mommies and babies from whoever uses the fitness room. But I wasn't there to judge. a program like this starts with the noblest of intentions and certainly some very happy babies and proud mothers are sure to emerge.