Episode # 81

Motherhood So White? Concrete Steps We Can Take, with Nefertiti Austin

Pop quiz: you’re reading an article, and someone refers to “a stereotypical mother.” What image comes to mind? We are betting that the answer is NOT a Black, single, adoptive mother of two young children - which is why we are grateful to bring you a conversation WITH someone who is exactly that.

We are both mothers, and given that our show is called Dear White Women, chances are there are a number of you who are or would think about becoming a mother, so given our way of highlighting narratives you might not have considered before, here it is clearly: motherhood in the United States is intrinsically linked with Whiteness.

And it’s time we confront that stereotype and break it down because there are MANY models of motherhood that are normal - and especially given how much this country is in desperate need of love, nurturing, and the willingness to fight for our children, we need to celebrate all of the mother figures in this country.

Listen in for some concrete takeaways and action items to implement right now, regardless of who you are.

Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com

“It is very important that White mothers, Latinx mothers, Asian moms, and LGBTQ moms all come together because at the end of the day we want the same thing. We want to raise happy, empathetic children. We don't want to see our kids under the knee of an officer.” Nefertiti Austin

What to listen for:

Specific things that White parents can do within the school system to build equity
The difference between Black adoption and “traditional” adoption as White parents often understand it
Breaking down stereotypes around the foster care system, babies born to addicts, and perhaps the biggest stereotypes of all-around Black parenthood in the United States.
Why it’s important to learn about culture in cross-race adoptions, as it will enable you to be the best parent you can be while addressing the race and culturally specific needs of your children.

About Nefertiti Austin:

Author and memoirist, Nefertiti Austin writes about the erasure of diverse voices in motherhood in the critically acclaimed Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and Parenting in America. Her work around this topic has appeared in the "New York Times", "Washington Post", “Huffington Post”, "MUTHA", “Gen Medium”, and many other publications. She was the subject of an article on race and adoption in “The Atlantic” and appeared on numerous shows/podcasts and radio programs, including "The Today Show", "1A with Joshua Johnson", and NPR. Nefertiti is the proud adoptive mother of two children and lives in Los Angeles, CA. Find her at https://nefertitiaustin.com/

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