
OK, you all know that I’m no celebrity worshipper. And I’m not even big on them being viewed as ‘role models’ for encouraging more Black breastfeeding because I think it is all just another aspect of a complex structure of power — I’ve shared my thoughts about it before. I still feel this way, but the video below featuring Anita Baker was tweeted by @FreetoBF last week during Black Breastfeeding Week and I had to write about it because I just couldn’t help it — I love it too much. You can’t know how serious I am when I tell you that I love Anita Baker. I’m so serious. I love Anita Baker! So much so that I still got love for her even though in 2012 she canceled her show at the very last minute here in Washington, when I was so excited about it and was going to see her. But I’m not bitter. Each time I hear her music it brings back some memory of mine even as far back as my real early teenage years since that is when I really started listening to her. But usually when I hear her it brings up memories of the early 2000s when I lived on the east coast. This is probably because everyone in my social circle couldn’t get enough and we listened to her all of the time, too. Here’s a little story:
When I lived over on that coast, I was taking adult ballet and one time I decided to take a drop-in on a class at a different school on a Saturday morning and take their course for the day. Well, I ended up getting super lost and even missing the whole class, but I do remember that the song ‘Giving You The Best That I Got’ played quite a bit of the time I was in the car. I know I was frustrated, but listening to this probably kept me from being as frustrated as I may have been from driving all around the place all morning (I actually don’t really remember if this is the case — as far as not being as upset as I could have been — I’m just romanticizing this particular moment of the memory). Even though that was some time ago, when I hear this song I am always reminded of being lost that day, LOL. This may change now.
Who knew that she was in a mini documentary about breastfeeding? I think it’s pretty awesome that this one — that looks like it’s from the early 90s, features her talking about giving her baby the ‘best that she’s got’. I think she definitely deserves points for being in a WIC promotional video. It also has other women who discuss their regard for breastfeeding, too, and they all share different stories. I think it is so sweet when Baker says that she loves music and performing but her baby is the biggest and most perfect production she’s ever been involved in.