Born and raised in Sacramento, Tiasha MyChelle Ortiz is 22 years old. She and her husband have one son, Joseph, and are expecting their 2nd child. Tiasha shares with us the role of how family, love, and communication work together for successful parenting.
Tiasha’s hopes and goals for her son and new baby are to grow up and be successful adults that aren’t scared to follow their dreams and be their own person. “I love my son’s fearlessness and his spontaneity,” she says. “The love for my son is indescribable. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love him.” When she thinks of Loving Brown Babies, Tiasha stresses that black parents should reach out to each other in their communities for support and guidance, and making sure our babies know they are loved and valued.
Tiasha’s family support system is extremely important to her. “My husband is my main source of support in everything. My mom dad and brother also play a huge role in my life. They’re always here for us and willing to watch my son while I work.” Her role models are her mother and grandmothers, a solid foundation for loving her own family and being a successful parent. Though she faces challenges that many young mothers face, like financial struggles, balancing working and being pregnant with a toddler, she still carves out time to do the things Joseph likes, such as cooking, reading, and going to the park together. As far at the future, Tiasha hopes our new president does well and helps America stay on its path towards diversity and new beginnings.
*The Loving Brown Baby Social Media Campaign is a part of the efforts led by the Steering Committee on Reduction for African American Child Deaths (RAACD) – Black Child Legacy Campaign. The aim of the RAACD is to reduce African American child deaths in the greater Sacramento region by addressing four critical issue areas for black mothers, fathers, and communities 1) Homicide Related to Child Abuse and Neglect; 2) Third Party Homicide; 3) Deaths Related to Perinatal Conditions; and 4) Infant Sleep Related Deaths. The RAACD is funded by the County of Sacramento, City of Sacramento and First 5 Sacramento, and is managed by The Center at Sierra Health Foundation.
The LBB campaign is produced and managed by the Sac Cultural Hub Media Foundation which is focused on highlighting and engaging families around the pleasures of family, babies, motherhood, fatherhood, and communities raising African American children. For questions about LBB contact call (916) 234-3589 or e-mail contact@sacculturalhub.com.
Contributed by Heather Nieman, Freelance Writer
