Contributors: Jamille Fields Allsbrook, Sarah Coombs, Danielle Hosein Johnson, Aimee Peoples, and Gail Zugar
Every day, Black moms are meeting the challenges of raising their children and supporting their families to thrive in a system and country not designed for them. Even while battling racism in all its forms–and shouldering carework that is often overlooked and taken for granted–Black moms still rise, in the words of Maya Angelou, and fiercely claim joy and justice. At the National Partnership for Women & Families, we are highlighting the voices of Black moms on our staff in honor of the 10th anniversary of Black Maternal Health Week and its theme, Rooted in Justice and Joy.
Joy
Joy in Black motherhood centers rest, healing, cultural affirmation, and the right to thrive. These are the aspects of motherhood that bring joy to our moms:
- Aimee: Watching my son grow rooted in pride, curiosity, and the power to affirm his own existence brings me deep joy. And his hugs and laughter are some of my favorite things. Motherhood has expanded my understanding of love, community, and purpose. It has made me acutely aware of and appreciative of the mothers from whom I descend, and of the joy of being in community with other Black moms. Motherhood is hard, but there is so much joy to be found here.
- Danielle: Motherhood is beautifully messy – the elementary school drama, the crumbs in my car, stepping on Lego, planning birthday parties. As an introvert, raising my son has pushed me outside my comfort zone in the best way. He once pushed me to knock on a stranger’s car window at school dismissal just to invite a classmate to his birthday party – now they’re good friends, and so are we.
- Sarah: Watching my son defy all stereotypes about Black boys and seeing him exude Black boy joy as he excels in academics, sports, and the performing arts. Creating a tight bond with my strong-willed daughter and preserving her powerful traits that will serve her well in adulthood. Learning from my children and unlearning inherited parenting styles. The mandatory morning cuddles from my youngest and requests for bedtime kisses and tuck-ins by my oldest.
- Jamille: My favorite thing is to watch my sons’ curiosity grow as they explore the world. The constant questions make me think and pay attention to some of the world’s beauty and complexity that I would otherwise overlook.
- Gail: The laughs I’ve had with my kids over the years — they have been cracking me up since they were babies!
Our moms also shared how they have seen other Black mothers express joy in motherhood–this is what they had to say about building community:
- Aimee: I see Black mothers express joy through intention—celebrating all the things, building villages and loving on each other, affirming our children’s identities, and choosing joy even in the face of hardship. I also love seeing us express joy by making space for ourselves and everything we are outside of motherhood.
- Danielle: I see it in the choices we make — the schools we choose, the spaces we create, the things we share — all in service of raising kids who are proud, empowered, and affirmed before the world tries to tell them otherwise. So many of us are reparenting ourselves, giving our kids what our ancestors only dreamed of. Showing up in ways our mothers may not have had the flexibility to. And I see joy in the sisterhood we build with other Black moms, too.
- Sarah: I’ve seen other Black mothers express joy by building community and creating spaces that center joy, fellowship, healing, and care—the kind of spaces for connection, shared experiences, and navigating the highs and lows of motherhood.
Justice
Black women and communities have long rejected stereotypes and systems designed to harm Black people and families, while focusing squarely on the fight for autonomy and liberation. To thrive, our Black moms clearly articulated that Black moms need respectful maternity care free from bias and discrimination, as well as resources to make autonomous decisions for the health and well-being of their families.
What Black families need to thrive during pregnancy and postpartum care:
- Aimee: Justice looks like healthy moms and babies and Black birthing families being respected and cared for without bias or discrimination. It looks like access to culturally competent care, safe and affirming birth experiences, and policies that support maternal health before, during, and long after birth. Black birthing families thriving requires genuinely investing in and supporting Black mothers–community-based care, adequate resources, and hearing and being responsive to what we say we need.
- Gail: For me, justice is about hospital and medical staff (doctors, nurses, midwives) leading with treating every pregnant Black mom as an individual, not a number or a piece of an algorithm, and working together in a partnership to ensure that a healthy baby is born. I also think of communities that are peaceful, where Black babies can grow into children, then young people, then adults who are loved…
- Danielle: Justice starts with giving birth safely, without the risk of preventable death. It means providers who listen without dismissing, and systems that support us in showing up fully for our families.
What Black families need to thrive beyond pregnancy and postpartum care:
- Sarah: Respecting their autonomy and letting them be unapologetically themselves without judgment, discrimination, punishment, or death. Black families will thrive when Black bodies are no longer dehumanized and when their communities are safe and well-invested in, with affordable, quality housing, affordable, nutritious foods, high-performing schools, adequate jobs with paid leave, reliable public transportation, universal health coverage and child care, affordable, quality health care, accessible parks and playgrounds, and community-based policing.
- Jamille: Justice would be true freedom with financial support and resources to make their own birthing and parenting decisions without stigma, shame, or discrimination. In short, the freedom to make decisions best for them and their families.
Together, justice and joy shape a liberated future where Black moms, families, and communities are supported, protected, and valued. “The most radical thing a mother can do is raise her children with love in a world that tries to deny them humanity.” – Angela Davis.
If you are a Black mom reading this, please know that…
- Jamille: You are doing great.
- Aimee: You are powerful, and your love is shaping generations. Choosing joy for yourself and your kids is an act of resistance. Be gentle with yourself — you deserve rest, love, and care, too.
- Danielle: Motherhood changes you at every stage. Be patient with yourself—you’re meeting a new version of you right alongside your child.
- Sarah: The greatest gift you can give your children is a mother who is happy and loves herself. Give yourself grace; you don’t have to be perfect.
For more from Moms and their pregnancy and childbirth experiences, visit Listening to Mothers.
