We had the good fortune of connecting with KY LINDBERG and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi KY, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born premature, in a subpar hospital on the eastside of Detroit, in the early 80’s. My parents were full of love but were resource poor and didn’t really have the tools in their toolbox to realize the American Dream. Growing up, I never really thought much about what I didn’t have or even what my parents did for a living. I knew that we didn’t get to wear fancy clothes and that our water and heat wouldn’t work on occasions but it wasn’t abnormal because that was all I knew. It wasn’t until much later in my life when I realized that I grew up in one of the poorest and crime-ridden neighborhoods in the city. Nor did I know how much our family relied on the generosity of my community and public assistance programs. What I did know was that my parents wanted more than anything for me to do well in school, have a fierce belief in God, and to care for my brothers and others. So, that’s what I did. I always got straight A’s, I was baptized 3 times, and I looked after my brothers as if they were my own children. Even when I got teased for smelling weird or being dark skinned, or when terrible people decided to abuse my innocence, or when countless other tribulations arose… I knew that I had a purpose. I had value and my parents, despite their flaws, loved my brothers and me. It was that love and their commitment to the edification of our minds and spirits that made me the woman that I am today.

As cliché as it may sound, growing up in scarcity fueled my unwavering commitment to equity and education. It also reaffirmed my belief in the power of family and the dynamism that can emerge from community when we come together to leverage our gifts to serve one another. Every career choice that I have ever made afforded me the opportunity to realize that commitment in increasingly more meaningful ways. Whether it was solving constituent concerns as a legislative staffer, buying clean uniforms for my students, or helping families with a myriad of issues while working for nonprofits, I knew that I was doing my part to reduce undue burden on others.

Since joining the team at Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia (HMHBGA), I have been able to leverage my lived experiences and professional expertise to demand better for my fellow Georgians, be a better leader for my team, and serve unapologetically with great passion and empathy. As a mom of three, I have an intimate understanding of navigating systematic barriers when attempting to preserve the health and well-being of yourself and your baby. Moreover, I learned that there are far too many stories of birthers and/or supportive partners who go unnoticed, unheard, and unserved which can be detrimental to their lives and the life of their sweet baby. For me, HMHBGA is far more than a simple program or resource that is shared now and again. Our organizational mission and our partnerships are a statement to all who care to listen that moms, birthers, children, and families are critical to our society and we must ensure that we are responsive to their varying needs so that we can collectively survive and thrive.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
HMHBGA was founded after an initial collaborative community response to President John F. Kennedy’s call to action aimed at improving infant health outcomes. A committee at Grady Memorial Hospital, developed a written initiative called “A Proposed Plan to Prevent Mental Retardation Through Improved Maternal and Infant Care.” That plan sparked several initiatives including “Operation Stork,” a collaboration between Jewish Women International and March of Dimes, where they conducted outreach and educational programming for pregnant women at the South Fulton Clinic in the later 60’s. A few years later, a host of women’s organizations such as the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, Jewish Women International, the Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Service Guild, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority/Epsilon Chapter also came together to offer educational programming for pregnant women living in Georgia. The informal women’s consortium of advocates formally consolidated as “Better Infant Births March of Dimes” and urged for the creation of a Maternal Council of Georgia, which was signed into law by Gov. Jimmy Carter in 1972. Once formed, the Council of Maternal and Infant Health called for a statewide conference focusing on quality of life in Georgia. Out of this conference, the “Continuum Alliance for Human Development” was created as a mechanism to allow community citizens to align with the Maternal and Infant Health Council and serve as a voice for Georgia’s mothers, birthers and children. In 1992, and the Continuum Alliance officially changed its name to Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia after affiliating with the national advocacy organization for several years prior.

Although there have been several iterations of our organization, HMHBGA has remained a statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with on a mission to IMPROVE MATERNAL AND INFANT HEALTH THROUGH ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO VITAL RESOURCES. We are committed to promoting health equity, with our work grounded in community, cultural relevance, and inclusivity.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I definitely love the Atlanta staples such as the Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum, and grabbing a bite at Slutty Vegan. But my go-to’s in the Metro area are basically any restaurant near or on Buford Highway . I love to have a good meal so a few restaurants that I will shout out are HiPot, Mamak Vegan Kitchen, Yebisuya, Tea Leaf Creamery, and El Taco Veloz. If we wanted to have a lil nightlife fun, I would take them to the most amazing karaoke spot I’ve ever been to called MICS and maybe go to the Illuminarium. My friends and I nerd out quite a bit so we would definitely visit Medieval Times, game at one of the many arcades, and visit this super cute privately owned bookshop on Clairmont. Other than that, visit Lake Acworth, maybe drive to Savannah or go hiking.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My beloved late fathers, Frank A. Jackson
My beautiful mother, Valeza Sheppard
My amazing husband, Pete Lindberg (s/o to Atlanta Police Department)
My awesome sons, Jae’won, Raymond, and Archer and of course, the entire HMHBGA staff and board

Website: www.hmhbga.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmhbgeorgia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyesha-ky-lindberg-012a45b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HMHBGeorgia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HMHBGA/

Other: https://picklesandicecreamga.org/

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