Welcome to The Melanated Mommy Tribe
The Melanated Mommy Tribe is a safe space for Black mothers to discuss the mental impact of the unique Black motherhood experience while being supported, validated, liberated and celebrated through connection with other Black mommies and through our services.
We promote mental health & holistic wellness for Black mothers and partner with others to bring more awareness on the impact of maternal mental health and to cultivate more safe spaces for Black mothers.
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Our organization is dedicated to improving the maternal mental health outcomes of Black mothers. We believe that every mother deserves access to the support, resources, and care needed to thrive during and after pregnancy. Through advocacy, education, and community-building, we aim to eliminate the systemic barriers that prevent Black mothers from receiving the care they need and deserve.
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Through our work, we strive to eliminate the racial disparities that exist in maternal health and ensure that every Black mother receives the quality care and resources necessary to thrive. Our ultimate goal is to create a world where Black mothers are able to experience the joy, love, and fulfillment of motherhood without the burden of systemic racism and inequality.
About The Melanated Mommy Tribe
Mission Statement
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Our mission is to create safe spaces where every Black mother can experience a healthy, joyous, and fulfilling motherhood journey surrounded by the support of community.
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Our Vision
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Our vision is a world where every Black mother has access to the care and support needed to achieve optimal maternal mental health and holistic health outcomes. We envision a society where Black mothers are valued, empowered, liberated, celebrated and supported throughout their pregnancy and motherhood journey.
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Our Core Values
The values that guides our actions as an organization:
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Make an Impact
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Increase Awareness
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Advocate
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Support
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Sisterhood
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Service
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Meet Our Founder
Dr. Kimberly M. Lee-Okonya,
DSW, LCSW, PMH-C
Mental & Holistic Wellness Therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Perinatal Mental Health Clinician, Doctor of Social Work, Birth Doula, Gottman Couples Therapist, Black Maternal Mental Health Advocate & Expert, Wife, Mom, Daughter, Sister & Friend
Dr. Kim LO is a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Specialist (PMH-C), DONA International trained birth doula, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Contributing Master of Social Work Faculty member and an Executive Board member of Postpartum Support International Georgia chapter where she serves as the Vice Chair for the Black Maternal Mental Health Summit. She is a wife and mommy to two (son & daughter). She is a mental and behavioral health therapist, and her primary niche includes working with Black mothers, from conception, throughout pregnancy, postpartum to those with adult children and everywhere in between as well as with couples throughout all spectrums of the relationships.
She has completed training in Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Psychotherapy and has a certification in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders through Postpartum Support International.
Dr. Kim LO also works with couples whose relationships range from dating, premarital counseling, newly married to seasoned. She is the owner of a group private mental and behavioral health practice located in Atlanta, GA; Life Begins Here Therapeutic & Counseling Services.
She has been a clinical social worker for over 10 years and her undergraduate degree is a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a minor in Child and Family Development from Georgia Southern University. Her graduate degrees include a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Georgia and a Doctorate in Clinical Social Work from The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) where her research was on Addressing postpartum depression in Black mothers.
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She previously was the prenatal HIV high risk Obstetrician social worker within the Family and Youth clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA. There she primarily worked with pregnant mommies, children and families who were living positive. Prior to starting her private practice she also worked at several other health systems including Wellstar, Southern Crescent Behavioral Health, AbsoluteCARE and Oakhurst Medical.
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She was awarded the Contribution to Scholarship Award by the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama’s (Tuscaloosa) Honors Day 2020 for my scholarly work in the Doctorate of Social Work program relating to this topic. Her work “Addressing racial disparities among birth outcomes in African American women” was also selected to be presented at the 2020 National Association of Social Workers National Conference. She is trained as a birth doula through DONA international and a Gottman Couples Therapy Level 3 trained which has helped to strengthen her skills, abilities and experience in helping mothers, couples and their families.
"Women have birthed nations and have literally populated this earth since the beginning of time and I know firsthand the importance of taking care of the mother mentally, physically and emotionally as the mother needs to be holistically well in order to adequately care for her baby and to maintain healthy relationships."
