Meet the Innovator: BOOB’R
Get to know the Social Innovation Lab’s Accelerator Cohort 2021–22 over the coming weeks. For this interview, we spoke with Kimberly (Kim) Haven, Executive Director of Reproductive Justice Inside and founder of BOOB’R. Kim has an extensive background in community organizing, creating advocacy campaigns and leading legislative campaigns.
Kim is uniquely familiar with the criminal justice system and is adept at organizing in this space. She has a strong passion for all justice issues and is committed to reforming the negative conditions of confinement. Kim has the unique distinction of being the only formerly incarcerated individual who has drafted and gotten passed several pieces of legislation on both the state and city levels. She is a sought-after focus-issue expert and is frequently called upon to speak on issues such as Voting Rights and Democracy, Collateral Consequences, Women in Prison, Mass Incarceration and Re-Entry, Pre-Trial Reform, Women’s Reproductive Justice, and Parole and Probation reforms.
BOOB’R is an innovative program that encourages incarcerated new moms to maintain their breast milk supply, reinforcing maternal bonds and providing health benefits to their newborns. When mom can’t be there, her breast milk can.
SIL: Tell us about your company. What are you working on?
A woman’s right to pump her breast milk is legally protected in the United States, however, the privilege doesn’t extend to incarcerated moms. Just like the ability to deliver with dignity, the ability to breastfeed is a right that prisons constantly violate. For incarcerated mothers who want to breastfeed their children, not being able to do so becomes a cruel addition to their punishment.
BOOB’R is an innovative program that encourages incarcerated new moms to maintain their breast milk supply, reinforcing maternal bonds and providing health benefits to their newborns.
As part of Reproductive Justice Inside (RJI), BOOB’R will work to challenge and erase the stigma for individuals who want to breastfeed while incarcerated, advocate for change within the prison system, and the establishment of lactation support for mothers behind bars.
BOOB’R — for when mom can’t be there, her breast milk can.
SIL: Why did you decide to start this? Where did the idea come from?
The idea for “BOOB’R” has been on my soul since before the pandemic. I was sitting in my office and I was discussing August being breastfeeding awareness month. As Executive Director of Reproductive Justice Inside, it came to me that supporting this was something we could do organizationally, but incarcerated individuals are denied the right to breastfeed their own infants.
We looked at the barriers that would impede breast pumping behind prison walls and realized we could address all of them with one exception: distance. We have one women’s prison in Maryland, in Jessup. When an individual returns to the prison, her infant can go to any number of places but that does not negate both the importance of providing breast milk to the infant if she chooses to. If the breast milk were to be available, how would a caregiver be able to provide the milk? If the caregiver lives on the Eastern Shore or Western Maryland, there is no way they are driving 3 hours for breast milk — if they have access to transportation in the first place.
As these thoughts raced through my head, and I tried to think of how to address this, I blurted out that we need a service that can pick up the milk from the institution and deliver it to the caregiver. The caregivers also should have information on how to give the breast milk.
The word BOOB’R literally flew from my mouth and cracked up everyone around me. To this day, when I say the word “BOOB’R” I love to see people’s reaction — they get it right off — those smiles speak volumes to us.
Hence “BOOB’R,” for when mom can’t be there, her breast milk can be.
SIL: What constitutes success for you?
Success for me comes in a lot of ways but one way that really jumps out to me, especially when I am talking about BOOB’R, is seeing others have the “AHA” moment where they understand not just the how of the work but the WHY.
SIL: What have you accomplished so far?
We have actually gotten good traction. We applied to SIL and got accepted. This was huge, as it took the idea out of the head and started to breathe life into it. Through our involvement with SIL we have:
- evolved from a project to a concept — this opened unique and undiscovered opportunities to and for us. We have started to rethink our model as both a service and a solution.
- engaged a broad range of supporters and interest through our customer discovery.
- created a new work plan for 2022.
- began to retool our distribution channels
- begun to develop our organizational structure and leadership team and to explore business models.
SIL: How can people get involved in supporting you in your venture?
Now is the best time for people to get involved. We are looking for dedicated board members, volunteers, and interns. Additionally, we can use any kind of pro-bono assistance and, of course, we need fundraising and a grant writer.
People can also support our venture by sharing with their networks, participating and promoting events and conversations and staying engaged with us.
SIL: What have been some of the biggest challenges in scaling your venture during the pandemic?
Prisons closed down and populations were decreased, creating a huge disconnect with service provisions and education. Additionally, because everything was locked down, the key corrections officials we wanted to speak with were (rightfully) dealing with the impact of and trying to mitigate the spread of COVID in institutions. We were able to have conversations with potential allies and supporters and build goodwill but moving forward was challenging.
SIL: What do you like most about the Baltimore entrepreneurial community? What would you like to see more of?
I love that Baltimore has an amazing entrepreneurial community. The talents, the skills and passion that is evident of our entrepreneurs is nothing short of incredible. There also is an incredible sense of collaboration and a willingness to be open, authentic and engaged that no longer exists in other spaces. This community is amazing and powerful at creating change in our communities and redefining how we approach contemporary problems.
What I would like to see more of is funding for these entrepreneurs, as well as an increase in opportunities to participate in programs such as SIL and access to the resources that this program offers. I also would like to see more promotion of these incredible entrepreneurs who are real change-makers but are not recognized enough.
SIL: What advice do you have for would-be social entrepreneurs thinking about starting a venture?
Don’t be afraid or intimidated, even if you think your idea is “out there” When I created BOOB’R, it sat in my heart and on my soul. I thought it was a snarky idea which I loved, but I held on to it. DON’T DO THAT.
If you believe in your idea, your product, your service, your organization — step out in faith and know that whether you think anyone else will support you, there are people who will step up with you.
You can and will only succeed if you help others succeed. Part of creating a world that we want to live in comes from learning to give instead of take. When you help others, you are also creating an environment where others will want to help you.
SIL: Why did you apply to SIL? What attracted you to SIL?
I actually applied to SIL a few cohorts ago and was not accepted — it was not the right time, it was not the right fit, and it was not the right initiative.
I applied this year in a “why not?” moment, and the minute I hit “Submit,” BOOB’R became real. It went from my heart and head to a thing. Being in SIL and working with them and my amazing cohort, breathed life into what started as a snarky idea and is now moving fast.
SIL: How have you grown personally during your time in the Accelerator?
I have taken my own advice and stepped out with my project. I have allowed myself to share something that I had held on to with others and embraced their support and feedback. My cohort has helped me be open and receptive. How I view projects, ideas and concepts has been completely challenged and changed and I am better for it.
Are you interested to connect with Kim and learn more about her work at Reproductive Justice Inside and/or BOOB’R? Visit the website here, and social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
