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Dear Mamas & Magic Makers What if I told you the "Black single mother problem" might not actually be about Black mothers?  What if everything you thought you knew about Black single motherhood came with a side of patriarchy, poverty, politics, and somebody else's agenda?  And what if the "nuclear family" isn't the only family structure worth defending? Those are the questions we explore with our guest writer, cultural critic, and author Jamilah Lemieux, whose book Black Single Mother: Tales of Longing and Belonging, the book she spent years bringing into the world, takes a sledgehammer to the stereotypes surrounding Black moms.  The book is an exploration of Black motherhood, identity, and the stories we inherit about what a "good" family is supposed to look like.  And underneath all of it is a bigger question: What becomes possible when Black mothers no longer have to prove that their families are worthy of respect? Jamilah was our very first guest on the podcast, so this is a full-circle moment for us.  And in her return to the podcast, she discusses why she initially rejected the idea of writing about Black single motherhood, what she discovered during her writing process, and what she learned from 21 Black single mothers whose co-parenting experiences ranged from truly equitable arrangements to fathers who were essentially absent. But this conversation isn't just about dismantling old narratives. It's about imagining something better. Jamilah talks about Black family structures, matrilineal traditions, Black love, healing between Black men and Black women, and what could happen if Black women's struggles were understood as Black people's struggles rather than problems women are expected to solve alone. We dive into: ✨The history behind the stereotypes and how ideas about Black families have been repeated, reshaped, and weaponized across generations. ✨The difference between sharing custody and sharing the labor of raising a child  ✨Unlearning "baby mama" shame & the cost of making mamas the villain when children struggle  ✨Media, the meaning of family, and what if Black single mothers stopped treating their families as something they have to explain PLUS - Stick around till the end for our signature 'Black Mama Say' segment, where we put our own twist on phrases from Black Mamas. This episode, the phrase we're twisting is "At the end of the day." ABOUT Jamilah Lemieux Connect with Jamilah Lemieux: Book | Instagram | Threads | Website  A renowned cultural critic and writer focused on issues of race, gender, and motherhood, Jamilah Lemieux is a leading millennial feminist thinker, social influencer, and game-changing media maverick.  Lemieux's written work has been featured EVERYWHERE via a host of print and digital platforms, including the LA Times, Essence, Playboy, the Cut, the Guardian, Colorlines, Wired, Self, Refinery 29, the Columbia Journalism Review, the Nation and Vanity Fair. She penned the foreword for the 2015 anniversary of Michele Wallace's Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman and the 2017 re-release of Ann Petry's Miss Muriel and Other Stories. She was also featured in the 2019 anthology How We Fight White Supremacy. Currently, she pens a weekly advice column for Slate's 'Care and Feeding' parenting section. She serves as the Editor-in-Chief for Still Here, a special single-issue magazine about Black women and HIV/AIDS, which will be released in 2026.  She has appeared as a commentator on various news programs for CNN, ABC, CBS, BET, Buzzfeed, MTV2, and MSNBC, as well as Comedy Central's 'The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore' and 'The Daily Show with Trevor Noah'. After years of calling for accountability for the famed R&B singer known for his mistreatment of underage girls and women, she was prominently featured in Lifetime's critically acclaimed docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly (2019) and Surviving R. Kelly 2: The Reckoning (2020.) She served as both a producer and commentator for Time of Essence (2023), a 5-part docuseries about the history of Essence magazine. ​​Lemieux served as the Vice President of News and Men's Programming for iOne Digital, where she helped spearhead the creation of CASSIUS, a progressive digital lifestyle platform. Prior to that, she worked as the Senior Editor for EBONY magazine, where she played a key role in launching the publication's website in 2012 and modernizing the brand voice and identity. She served as the Communications and Engagement Strategist for Cynthia Nixon's campaign for governor of New York and as a Communications Strategist for Girls for Gender Equity, a leading grassroots organizing, advocacy, policy, and service delivery organization dedicated to centering youth of color within the racial and gender justice movement of the 21st century. She resides in Los Angeles.  About the Book - Black Single Mother: Tales of Longing and Belonging . With her signature candid, humorous, and sometimes biting takes, Jamilah Lemieux suffers no fools while also courageously revealing the scars of her own parenting journey and search for self-acceptance in a world that hates "baby mamas." With particular verve and relatability—honed over many years among Black Twitter's most prominent voices—Lemieux centers the complex reality of Black single motherhood: uncertainty and fierceness alike. Black. Single. Mother. combines riveting personal essays, infused with whip-smart cultural and historical analysis, with twenty-one intimate first-person testimonies from a spectrum of Black single mothers. A long-overdue offering in celebration of the American matriarch most often maligned, Black. Single. Mother. sets out to inspire a new cultural and community dialogue about this powerful figure as one profoundly deserving of love, support, and respect. IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Thursday, September 3rd: YOUTUBE LIVE "We Are The Ones: The Good News in Black Maternal Health September 14th - September 20th: National Birth Center Week: Birthing Love. Birthing Power. June 24th - June 30th - Black Mama Creative Week: The Weight & Wonder of Black Motherhood 💗 Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #24 "Time is always divine"  💗 Episode Playlist:  Black Mama Magic Election Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 21: Black Feminist Mama - A Conversation w/ Jamilah Lemieux 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: YouTube | Email List | Instagram 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mamas & Magic Makers,  What if I told you we don't just want elected officials to speak truth to power? We want elected officials to put power in the hands of the people. What does that mean? What does that look like? And "what good is decorum when democracy is being destroyed?"  That was the first pause for the cause our guest dropped on us within the first 2 minutes of the conversation. In this episode, we welcome Florida Representative and U.S. Senate nominee Angie Nixon inside the Black Mama Magic room, and she came in HOT! We're talking Black political power, Black motherhood, voting rights, reproductive justice, corporate money, and what it really means to leave no power on the table. From being nine months pregnant when she first ran for office to building people power as a community organizer, Angie makes the case for something we don't talk about enough: We don't need permission to build political power. We need to organize. Because organized money is winning right now—but organized people can beat organized money. And if the people making decisions about our families, wages, schools, healthcare, reproductive freedom, and democracy don't look like the people living those realities…well, we have some organizing to do. And for the Black mamas in the room? Consider this your reminder: you were never meant to do this alone. We need villages, communities, and policies that actually support mothers—not just speeches about how much we "value families." Democracy needs Angie Nixon! And we truly believe she can win, but she can't do it alone.  SHE NEEDS US!  Learn how you can give you time and your treasure. We dive into: ✨Organized people vs. Organized Money ✨How corporate cash influences policies that impact everyday lives ✨What Angie Nixon in the Senate would mean for reproductive justice & democracy  ✨Why we can't leave Florida out of the South ✨How corporate cash influences policies that impact everyday lives PLUS - In our Black Mama Say segment, where we put our own twist on sayings from Black Mamas, and this episode we're putting a twist on "I Got Time Today". ABOUT ANGIE NIXON Angie Nixon is not a career politician. She is a union organizer, mother, small business owner, and proven fighter born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. In the Florida State House, she has built a reputation for taking on the fights that matter: expanding childcare access for families stretched thin by rising costs, pushing back against corporate price gouging when Floridians could least afford it, and leading the resistance when Governor DeSantis advanced voting maps designed to silence Black and working-class communities. Before Tallahassee, Angie served as Executive Director of Florida for All, where she registered tens of thousands of new voters and built people power across the state. Back home in Jacksonville, she runs a bookstore and community hub dedicated to healthy food access, education, and civic engagement. Because for Angie, real change doesn't start in Washington. It starts in our neighborhoods. Her commitment to this fight is deeply personal. She watched her mother work two jobs to keep food on the table. She was bused across town because her neighborhood school lacked adequate resources. And she carried the devastating loss of her favorite cousin to gun violence into every room she has ever fought in. These experiences shaped her belief in what government should do: open doors, not build walls. Now she's running for U.S. Senate because Florida families are being squeezed from every direction. Housing, insurance, groceries, wages, while corporate special interests continue to write the rules. Angie Nixon is running because Florida deserves leadership that stands up to corporate greed, defends civil rights, protects our democracy, and invests in our children's futures. With Florida's extraordinary people and rich resources, she believes every family deserves not just to survive, but to thrive. Connect with Angie Nixon & Her Campaign: Instagram | Angie Nixon Campaign IG | Website IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: September 2nd & Every 1st Wednesday: We Are the Ones: The Good News In Black Maternal Health YouTube Live @ 7pm September 14th - September 20th Black Birth Center Week: Birthing Love.  Birth Power. June 24th - June 30th Black Mama Creative Week: Sign up for our email list for details. 💗 Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #24 "I Allow Motherhood to Expand Me" 💗 Episode Playlist:  Black Mama Magic Election Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 75 107 Days, Kamala Harris & Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Ep 77 Electoral Politics & Black Motherhood w/ Reecie Colbert of The Reecie Colbert Show on Sirius XM 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: YouTube | Email List | Instagram 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mamas & Magic Makers What if I told you a campaign was a story?  And if Black women are the heroes of elections, how come we're never the main characters in the movie?  It's Black Healing/History Month here at Dem Black Mamas, and today we're holding space for a conversation that feels both urgent and ancestral: electoral politics and Black motherhood. Black motherhood has never been separate from politics.  It has always been policy and protest.  From the plantation to the PTA meeting; from the ballot box to the budget sheet at the kitchen table, from protecting our babies in school hallways to protecting our rights in voting lines.  As Audre Lorde said, "Survival is not a theory."  It is strategic.  It is practiced.  It is passed down. Today, we're joined by someone who understands both the strategy and the stakes, Reecie Colbert.  SiriusXM host. Political strategist and Author.  When disinformation moves in whispers, she answers in clarity.  When narratives twist, she straightens them.  She doesn't just talk politics, she translates it.  Together, we're unpacking messaging and missteps; silence and strategy;  weight of being the base but not the priority. We dive into: ✨Loyalty, leverage, labor and when does devotion become depletion?  ✨What does it mean to be the foundation of a house that rarely calls your name? ✨When your Blackness is debated in public, is silence strategy… or surrender?  ✨How do you raise a Black child steady and sovereign when the ground beneath democracy feels like quicksand? PLUS - NeKisha & Crystal discuss our inability to recognize white people, a show made us proud to say "THE BLACK MAMA DID IT" Stick around till the end for our signature 'Black Mama Say' segment where we put our own twist on phrases from Black Mamas and in this episode we'll be revealing the word that will guide us through the year. ABOUT Reecie Colbert Reecie Colbert is a dynamic SiriusXM host, bestselling author, fearless advocate, and trusted Democratic political strategist known for her signature unbossed, unfiltered delivery. A credentialed White House press member and national political commentator, she demystifies complex issues and debunks disinformation while blending sharp political analysis with smart pop culture commentary. From interviewing leaders like Governor Wes Moore to moderating panels with top mayors and hosting *The Reecie Colbert Show*, her live call-in talk show on politics and culture, Reecie brings insight, energy, and authenticity to every platform — including frequent appearances on MSNBC, Revolt TV, and NewsNation. An Amazon bestselling author and sought-after speaker, she's also a proud LA girlie, concert connoisseur, and the self-proclaimed First Lady of Upper Marlboro, living in the D.C. area with her husband and daughter. Connect with Reecie Colbert: Instagram | Website | Games | SiriusXM IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: March 29th - April 1st: Community Doula Week "Nuture Joy | Honor Community | Hold Power" April 11th - 17th: Black Maternal Health Week "Rooted In Joy & Justice" June 24th - June 30th: Black Mama Creative Week "The Weight & Wonder of Black Motherhood" Sign Up for our email list for details. 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #52 "Soften" 💗 Episode Playlist:  DBM Episode 77 Companion Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 75 107 Days, Kamala Harris & Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Ep 76: Thea Monyee's Farewell Episode: Podcasting for a Decade, Evolution & Black Motherhood 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Instagram | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mamas & Magic Makers We're celebrating a significant milestone: 10 YEARS of podcasting. In this episode, we reflect on our journey, share personal stories, and bid a loving farewell to our co-host, Thea Monyee. We delve into our experiences and growth over the past decade, shedding light on the transformations in our personal lives, spiritual journeys, motherhood, and creative ventures. From humble beginnings on Skype to creating a nurturing space for Black motherhood and magic, we've shared it all. Thea's Sunset Episode is a tribute to friendship, resilience, and the transformative power of storytelling. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the ride, this episode encapsulates the essence of what Dem Black Mamas is all about. Dive in with us as we honor the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future with hope and excitement. In this episode, we talk: ✨Where were we 10 years ago & did we think we'd be where we are right now ✨What surprised us over the last 10 years ✨What we're excited & curious in the next decade ✨Thank Yous To Thea 💗Black Mama Magic Card: Card #11 - Magic Is Real.  You Are Proof.💗 Episode Playlist Curated By Us: Spotify | YouTube EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 1: Meet The Mamas Apple Podcast | Soundcloud 🎙️DBM Ep 4: How I Made It Ova 🎙️DBM Ep 27: The Upper Room ✨THEA MONYEE EVENTS/EXPERIENCES✨ Joy Emersion LA 2.28.26 Joy Emersion Atlanta 4.25.26 Hold Us Sacred Retreats 3.21.26-3.30.26 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas Instagram | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us or email us at [email protected]. For full show syllabus & transcript, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama, I'm a simple girl from South Carolina whose mother was a union leader in an anti-union state, so politics was a part of the day-to-day conversations in my home.  I am a Black artist, interrogating, reflecting, and expressing new possibilities in the world. I'm a Black mama who desires a free country for her Black children.  I'm a Black birth worker who wants Black women to go into birth looking forward to life, not fearing death.  I'm a Black woman, a Black mother, a Black artist who wants to be free.  These are all the intersections I brought with me when I began to listen to "107 Days", Kamala Harris' book about her 2024 presidential campaign.  Fresh off the heels of an awe-inspiring episode with Loretta Ross, Thea Monyee, and I unpack how the book impacted us. In this episode, we dive into: ✨How the layout of the book impacted our experience ✨Performative and respectability politics in the current political climate ✨Disappointments, darkness & moments of hope ✨Where we are now vs where we were in 2024 PLUS - We sprinkle in some church announcements, share wisdom from June Jordan, and, of course, we stay on our Blackest behavior. Stick around till the end for our signature 'Black Mama Say' segment, where we put our own twist on phrases from Black Mamas, and the phrase we're twisting this episode is "But what I do know is…" So thanks for coming inside the black mama magic room, and if you're looking for links to things we mentioned or referenced in this episode, check out our syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris-Perry) for this episode, which is a list of references and sources for our listeners to explore for this episode. This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective.  If you're a new listener, welcome to the mothership. If you're a newbie or an OG, here are 2 simple ways to support us: Sign up for our newsletter.        Share this episode with at least one person.                                                                                  💗BLACK MAMA MAGIC CARD DECK PULL: Card #37 "It's a Moment.  Not a Lifetime." 💗 Episode Companion Playlist curated by Dem Black Mamas: YouTube | Spotify  EPISODES MENTIONED/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 74: A Conversation w/ Loretta Ross - Abortion, Reproductive Justice & Black Motherhood 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: BluSky | Instagram | Patreon | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected].

Dear Mama & Magic Makers,  What if we told you there is an elder alive today who has the blueprint for this moment? Mamas & Magic Makers, if you don't do nothing else before the end of the year, sit at the feet of an elder and LISTEN.  Keyword LISTEN.  Find an elder or make yourself available to one who is willing not only to share their wisdom but also to be vulnerable, sharing their mistakes, regrets, and healing journey.   And this is why we're grateful for our conversation with the brilliant, brave, and vulnerable Loretta Ross, one of the architects of the reproductive justice framework and one of the founders of the reproductive justice movement, about her new book, Abortion & Reproductive Justice: An Essential Guide for Resistance.  With sobering honesty, she shares how her personal journey mirrored the evolution of her role in the feminist movement and why, after retiring from the frontline, she's chosen to focus on HOW we do the work. This is the quietest we have ever been in an episode as Ms. Ross shares: Motherhood, aging out of the front lines, and the necessity of matching radical analysis with radical love How Black women's care and solidarity have literally kept her alive Fear of a Black Planet & how American feminism began with enslaved Black women  Why we can't afford for fights within movements to be fatal PLUS, we give a praise report to Vanessa Baden Kelly, who wrote a Black ass episode of The Morning Show that touches on Black Maternal Health and Black women's relationships in the workplace. In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas, and the saying we're twisting this episode is "Keep Livin."  ABOUT LORETTA ROSS Loretta J. Ross is an activist, professor, and public intellectual. In her five decades in the human rights movement, she's deprogrammed white supremacists, taught convicted rapists the principles of feminism, and, as National Co-Director, organized the second-largest march on Washington (in April 25, 2004, March for Women's Lives in Washington D.C., surpassed in size only by the 2017 Women's March).  Loretta was one of the first African American women to direct a rape crisis center in the 1970s, launching her career by pioneering work on violence against women, as the third Executive Director of the D.C. Rape Crisis Center. As part of a 50-year history of social justice activism, she retired from community organizing in 2012. She was the National Coordinator of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective from 2005-2012 and co-created the theory of Reproductive Justice in 1994.  Her many accolades and honors include a 2022 MacArthur Fellowship and a 2024 induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Today, Ross is an associate professor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, and is the founder of LoRossta Consulting, with which she runs "Calling In" training sessions online and for organizations around the country. Loretta is a rape survivor, raised her child born of incest, and is also a survivor of sterilization abuse at age 23. She is a model of how to survive and thrive despite the traumas that disproportionately affect low-income women of color.  Loretta is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Connect with Loretta Ross: Read Loretta Ross's Latest Book: Abortion & Reproductive Justice: An Essential Guide for Resistance Upcoming Events w/ Loretta Ross: Calling In Conversations: Action for Human Rights, Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 7:00 PM  9:00 PM Loretta Ross Other Books  Website | Instagram  💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #32 "Bliss Awaits" 💗 Episode Playlist:  Ep 74 Companion Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Episode 24 Birthing Freedom w/ Chauntel Norris co-founder & Director of Alabama Prison Project 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Instagram | YouTube | Website 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris-Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com

Dear Mamas & Magic Makers What if I told you your child was born a sexual being?  What if I told you that when it comes to sex and our children, we should focus on preparation instead of prevention? What if I told you intimacy and pleasure for your child were on the other side of your fear of them making a mistake?  What if I told you resting in that fear erases a part of your child's humanity and as Black mamas we MUST provide space for our children's full humanity to be embraced.  Those were the aha moments Kim Baker guided me to, cause ya girl has been struggling to talk to my sons about pleasure and intimacy, and I had real questions like how to support my child who, if they start losing their mind behind sex, cause it's happened to the best of us. So in this episode, we DIVE DEEP into topics around sex education, intimacy, and empowerment with our special guest, Kim Baker, a sexual health educator and founder of Own Every Piece, which works to resolve the inequities women face in their reproductive journey.  We discuss cultivating an open dialogue about sexual health. Kim shares her insights on how parents can navigate these conversations amidst the overwhelming data and misinformation our kids are exposed to.  We dive into: Teaching your kids the sign that sex has them in a chokehold cause we know it's happened to the best of us Understanding consent and the complexity of preparing our children for healthy relationships The importance of intimacy beyond sexuality Positive parenting approaches The profound impact of early sex education  PLUS - Our LISTENER LOVE EPISODE RECORDING, where we invite our listeners to come on to the podcast, will take place on November 13th. I explain why The Wiz soundtrack was made to carry us through this moment. In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas, and the saying we're twisting this episode is "Watch Yo Neck." ABOUT KIM BAKER Kim is a woman of many talents and roles—a Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor, and Assistant Dean of Practice. A leader in the sexual health space, she's been a well-known advocate for accessibility and equity. When she's not advocating for reproductive health, she's a leading voice on racial injustice. She is the founder of Own Every Piece, a multi-partner system-level intervention to increase access to contraception for women. She has also developed sexual health interventions informed by community needs, targeting males, faith institutions, and health providers. She is the co-founder of Full Circle Strategies Consulting Group, a firm that works with agencies across the nation to facilitate anti-racism change within their teams through strategic planning, training & coaching.  She also serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Jacob & Terese Hershey Foundation. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Hampton University, a Master of Public Health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. From leading teams dedicated to advancing reproductive health to teaching graduate students and training them in public health practice skills, she does everything with grace, a steadfast vision, and fortitude.  When she's not doing all the things, she's helping her kiddos with last-minute pre-K and Elementary school projects or watching the latest episode of Love After Lockup. We love a guilty pleasure. Connect with Kim Baker: Instagram  Own Every Piece: Instagram | Website IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Join Us For A Live Recording on Thursday, November 13th>>>Complete This Form 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #10 "Lay Your Burdens on the Altar of Love" 💗 Episode Playlist:  Ep 73 Companion Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 71 Black Keisha, Black Mamas, & Forever 🎙️DBM Ep 72 Back To School & Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Ep 65 Marriage Hot Topics & Black Motherhood 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Instagram | YouTube | Website 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris-Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com

Dear Mamas & Magic Makers What if I told you the collision of declining birth rates in the U.S., the rise of anti-intellectualism, and the rollback of reproductive rights are having a profound impact on your child's potential college experience?  How do we help prepare our children for the future when the world we know is crumbling before our eyes?  In this episode, we talk with one of our favorite kiki partners and Associate Vice President for Equity & Community Inclusion at San Francisco State, Dr. Frederick Smith, about the changing landscape of higher education, the challenges, and strategies for Black families navigating the college experience for their teens. We discuss the importance of support systems, financial literacy, overcoming barriers like making friends and advocating for oneself, and we explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted students' social skills. AND MAMAS what you should be thinking about if you're considering returning to college. We dive into: Parental transitions & creating critical thinking opportunities for our children Importance of the college experience beyond the classroom Anti-intellectualism, mental health & the impact on higher ed The number one challenge new college students face PLUS - Our LISTENER LOVE EPISODE RECORDING, where we invite our listeners to come on to the podcast, will take place on November 13th.  In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas, and the saying we're twisting this episode is "I Ain't Forgot." ABOUT DR. FREDERICK SMITH Dr. Frederick Smith's research and professional interests focus on higher education and include: co-curricular learning experiences; the role of ethnic studies and cultural centers in student identity development and confidence building; campus climate experiences of historically marginalized and minoritized communities; retention and graduation of students of color in higher education; and collaborations between student affairs and academic affairs units for student success.  Smith has served twice as president of the California Council of Cultural Centers in Higher Education (CaCCCHE) and he is active with the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE). Outside of higher education, Fred enjoys reading and writing fiction. He's written and published several novels – In Case You Forgot (2019), Play It Forward (2015), Right Side of the Wrong Bed (2009), and Down For Whatever (2005) – that focus on queer people of color characters. He earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at Loyola Marymount University. Connect with Fred Smith: Instagram | Website IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Listener Love Episode Recording: Thursday, November 13th, 1pmET  If you'd like to join us complete this form: https://bit.ly/dbmbeourguest 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #22 "My motherhood is rooted in creativity" 💗 Episode Companion Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Episode 26 In Case You Forgot with Chad Lamar & Frederick Smth 🎙️DBM Episode 51: When It All Falls Down, Finding Freedom & Transitioning to Conscious Parenting w/ Domari Dickinson 🎙️DBM Ep 61: Joy & Black Motherhood 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Instagram | YouTube | Email List 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama,  What if I told you much of the growth our children may need to show up in the ways we're nurturing them to show up comes through falling in love? When we tell our children not to focus on love, are we parenting out of fear?  What message does that send to our children about the priority to place on intimate relationships, and what generational impact does that have on our culture?  How do we raise children who know how to love? In this raw and reflective episode, we take a deep dive into the Netflix series 'Forever,' using it as a powerful springboard to unpack the complexities of Black motherhood, teenage love, and generational parenting.  We're talking parenting fears, the tightrope between nurturing and protecting our babies, and the real-life challenges that come with raising Black teens in a world that doesn't always love them back. Y'all know us! So honest storytelling, aha moments, and of course, plenty of laughter and love. We also get into: ✨The roots of catastrophic parenting styles and the fear of raising f**k boys ✨How generational trauma shows up at the dinner table (and in the group chat) ✨Teaching our children vulnerability & letting go ✨Why was Keisha's Daddy so triggering PLUS - Crystal gives a s/o to Mara Brock Akil for putting text on the screen, NeKisha questions Crystal is good at training real dogs or Ques, and Thea offers advice on how to live like we'll survive this moment in time.  In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas, and the saying we're twisting this episode is "Let Me Hush Though." EPISODE PAUSE FOR THE CAUSE: "Imma keep it 100.  I don't raise f*c? boys.  I don't wanna raise men who women have to manage." - Crystal Tennille Irby IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: JOIN US for Talk Back: Black Keisha, Black Mamas & Forever - We'll be watching & discussing the scenes that made you TALK BACK to the screen. REGISTER NOW! 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #15 "F**k Fear. An Affirmation." 💗 EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 51 When It All Falls Down, Finding Freedom & Transitioning to Conscious Parenting w/ Domari Dickinson DBM Ep 71 Companion Playlist  🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Join Our Email List | Instagram | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama, What if I told you the saying,  "real gs move in silence is killing your dream?  What if I told you to tell everyone and anyone you know what you want to do?  What if I told you your notes app and Evernote are the keys to the manifestation of your dreams?  What if I told you every time we tell our stories, we reclaim what was stolen? Every time we create, we declare: We are still here.  These are our takeaways from our conversation with prolific children's book author, Alliah Agostini, who wrote The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States & one of my favorite children's books, Great Idea Malia.   In this episode, we explore the intersections of Black motherhood, creativity, community, and freedom. Alliah provides invaluable insights for other Black mama creatives, encouraging them to trust their journey and to navigate the world of storytelling with authenticity and courage. Her experience is a testament to the power of community and culture as a treasure trove of inspiration.  We get real about: ✨Complexities of Black culture ✨The importance of always telling our stories, but especially right now ✨Handling critique and nurturing creativity  ✨Building community and managing ideas PLUS - If you're looking for some hope right now. We got you.  In our Black Mama Say segment, where we put our own twist on sayings from Black Mamas, we talk about what's giving us hope while this country is on fire.  ABOUT ALLIAH AGOSTINI Buffalo, NY native Alliah L. Agostini has marketed everything from iconic brands to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children's literature. She writes to spread joy, truth, and to help more children see themselves reflected on the page.  Alliah is the author of 10 books for children including Junior Library Guild Selection BIG TUNE: Rise of the Dancehall Prince (starred reviews, Kirkus and Publisher's Weekly, NYPL and Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book of 2023), Black KidLit Award-winning The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States, Great Idea Malia, and recently released Scarecited on the First Day of School.  She and her work have been featured on Oprah Daily, Essence.com, TODAY with Hoda + Jenna, Morning in America, Good Housekeeping, CNN, and NPR. Connect with Alliah: Instagram | Website IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Collection Plate Cause: Learn more about & donate to Creators Well, a nonprofit founded by Crystal for Black girls living in South Carolina intersted in writing and performance.  💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #19 "I Honor My Child's Divine Path" 💗 Episode Playlist:  Black Mama Creatives Episode Playlist 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Instagram | YouTube | Email List 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama, What if I told you your mess tells a story, and your clutter can block your clarity?  What if I told you to reframe cleaning as a way to express gratitude, practice self-care, and create a sacred space where your spirit can operate effortlessly and creativity flows freely?  What have you put down that you need to put away?  What items are you holding onto that no longer serve you?  These are the questions our guest professional organizer, Kendra Littlejohn of Organized by Kendra, brought to the forefront.  In this episode, she gently stepped on our toes and helped us reframe our approach to organizing our creative space. We dive into: ✨Accepting and honoring the season you're in ✨Clarity and how Mamas can reclaim or create space for themselves ✨And the plot twist we didn't know we needed, how reducing laundry ✨PLUS Kendra is offering a free, yes FREE Virtual Space Audit to the first three people to sign up & use the code: demblackmamas ABOUT KENDRA Kendra Littlejohn is the founder and Chief Organizing Officer at Organized by Kendra, a premier home organizing and styling firm based in Southaven, MS, and serving the greater Memphis metropolitan area, and beyond. With her background in corporate finance experience, Kendra brings a unique blend of business acumen, creativity, and passion for helping ambitious professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives cancel clutter, optimize space, and create systems that seamlessly balance aesthetics with practicality. Being laid off after 20+ years in corporate finance became the catalyst for Kendra to lean into what had always come naturally—turning disorganized spaces into peaceful, functional environments.  Since launching OK, Kendra's insights have been spotlighted in prominent publications like ESSENCE, REAL SIMPLE, and SOUTHERN LIVING. Kendra specializes in customized organizing solutions that create ease and enhance both function and beauty.  Connect with Kendra Littlejohn: Instagram | Website 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #13 "Black Mama Creative = Dream Doula" 💗 EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 68 All About Annie, Sinners and Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Black Mama Creative Episode Playlist 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: Instagram | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website: demblackmamas.com

Dear Mamas & Magic Makers, Lissen yall Sinners was all about Annie for us!  We ain't gon hold you with our normal intro. In this episode we dive into: Annie, power, and Black motherhood Loss, longing, and sex Black humanity, spirituality, and grief in Ryan Coogler's films Black migration & the resurgence of Southern Roots PLUS - we have social proof that a Black mama would have made a COMPLETELY different decision than Grace. And we're excited to have some listeners on The Muthaship, live inside the Black Mama Magic room for this episode.  We welcome: Clem the Doula, doula and creator of The Gift: A Breastfeeding Journey in Black, a cultural care circle for Black families navigating feeding, healing and identity. Stacey Allen, founder of Nia's Daughters' Dance Collective  Stephanie Ghoston Paul, founder of Cultivated Sense, where she helps movement makers embody their joy while operating as their freest selves.  💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #4 "Take Up Space Boo" 💗 Episode Playlist: All About Annie, Sinners & Black Motherhood Companion Playlist IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Black Mama Creative Week: June 24th - June 30th One-on-One Joy Immersion Sessions with Thea Monyee In an effort to expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry) which is a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our full syllabus, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 61 - Joy and Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Ep 62 Grief and Black Motherhood ✨PATREON BONUS CONTENT - Pre-Show Shenanigans✨ 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas Email List | BluSky | Instagram | Patreon | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us or email us at [email protected]. For all links, full show notes & transcript, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama,  What if I told you Black mamas aren't superheroes, that the cape is choking us, and our backs are brittle?  What if I told you motherhood ain't killing us, though, but the narratives we buy into hook, line, and sinker are? What if you had the option not to be the primary custodial parent?  Would you decline out of obligation to the belief that a good Black mama would never choose to leave their children in the care of others, even the other parent?  How does a Black mother respond when what's best for her or her destiny clashes with cultural norms?   In this Mother's Day episode, we speak with Erica Michelle Freeman of Sisters In Loss Podcast about the complexities and challenges of non-custodial parenting and Black motherhood. When Erica and her husband decided to divorce, they also agreed to shared custody.  Each parent would have primary custody for 3 years of their son Maxwell who was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy 10 years ago. We dive into: ✨Confronting societal norms and cultural stigmas ✨Navigating health and care decisions for children with special needs as a noncustodial parent ✨Historical trauma and Black motherhood ✨Renegotiating Black motherhood PLUS - Crystal and perimenopause are NOT friends, especially under the current administration, and Thea is in search of Jill Stein.  In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas, and the saying we're twisting this episode is "Oh, you got time for dat." ABOUT ERICA M. FREEMAN Erica M. Freeman is the Founder and CEO of Sisters in Loss, is a savvy, creative engineer, known for her results-based, no-fluff approach as a podcaster, grief educator, and motivational speaker. Sisters in Loss provides pregnancy, birth, postpartum, bereavement doula, and grief services to help women step beyond anxiety and fear and into trust and peace after loss.  Its self-titled award-winning podcast spotlights resilient Black mothers who share  intimate details of their journey to motherhood through painful, but inspirational loss and infertility stories.  Sisters in Loss has been featured in Forbes, BBC News, Black Enterprise, Women's Health, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and The White House.  Connect with Erica M. Freeman: Instagram | Website IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Black Mama Creative Week: June 24th - June 30th Sign Up for our email list for details. 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #8 "Share Your Inspiration" 💗 Episode Playlist:  Black Mama Magic Playlist EPISODES MENTIONS/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 56: Menopause, Black Women & Spiritual Ritual with Omisade Burney Scott  🎙️DBM Ep 33: Haitian American Mama w/ Stepha LaFond  ✨PATREON BONUS CONTENT - Pre-Show Shenanigans✨ 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: BluSky | Instagram | Patreon | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus (s/o to Melissa Harris Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our complete syllabus, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama, How do we resist the urge to rescue when we've been taught our whole lives to be saviors?  How do we set boundaries when the world is burning? What do we do when we've been deemed the backbone of the community, but our backbones are brittle and breaking? Since the election, these are the questions and conversations black women have been having online and, especially, in group chats.  So, we decided to explore what this line in the sand means for Black mothers in the midst of state-sanctioned brutality.   In this episode, Thea and I explore the parallels between domestic violence relationships and Black mothers' relationship with America.   We dive into: ✨Why it's more important than ever that Black mothers set boundaries  ✨The role cultural coping plays in Black mothers ignoring their needs ✨Vulnerability & why Black mothers feel we must do it all ✨What Stevie Wonder songs reflect this moment PLUS - Thea shares a testimony about getting a new mattress, and I'm excited to share the details of our next virtual event, Down By the Riverside, during our Church Announcements, Praise Reports, and Prayer List Requests segment.  In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our own twist on sayings from Black mamas, we do something a little different this time.  Instead of a Black Mama Say, we're choosing theme songs to carry us through this moment. IMPORTANT CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS: Black Maternal Health 2025 kicks off on April 11th REGISTER NOW for Down By the Riverside Sunday, April 13th, noonPT/3pm ET. Space is limited. To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a syllabus for each episode (s/o to Melissa Harris-Perry), a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into.  This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc., that we've mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. For our full syllabus, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com 💗Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #21 "My Motherhood Is Rooted In Liberation" 💗 Episode Playlist: The 92%, Boundaries & Black Motherhood Companion Playlist EPISODES MENTIONED/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 61 Grief and Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Ep 54: Birth Justice, Liberation & the Power of Black Midwives w/ Jamarah Amani & K.Sanderson ✨PATREON BONUS CONTENT - Pre-Show Shenanigans✨ 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: BluSky | Instagram | Patreon | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Please share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. For all links, complete show notes & transcript, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com

Dear Mama, What do Telvin Osborne, Black marriage, generational wealth, Altadena, data as currency, the TV show Paradise, and white women in Idaho have in common?  We cover them all in this episode.  Yup, it's hot topics, and we got hot takes well, not hot takes.  We got Black Mama takes on all the above.  In this episode, we talk: ✨How Telvin Osborne is relevant to Black women resting ✨The real problem when it comes to  marriage & Black folx ✨Why Paradise gets kudos & white women in Idaho don't PLUS - we talk all things Black Maternal Health,  Roberta Flack, Thea taking on individual clients, and I share a big praise report regarding my nonprofit Creators Well during our Church announcements, praise reports, and prayer list requests segment.  In our Black Mama Say segment for this episode, where we put our twist on sayings from Black mamas and the saying we're twisting this episode is "Let me put it to you like this." 💗Black Mama Magic Deck Card: Card #25 "Motherhood Is Not the Graveyard of Dreams" 💗 Donate to Creators Well.  Founded by Crystal Tennille Irby, Creators Well is a series of FREE interactive writing retreats and writing and performance classes for Black girls/ femmes/ non-binary/gender-expansive youth ages 12-21 that teaches and affirms the power of their voices, pen, art, and individuality. Thea Monyee, aka the Secretary of Joy, has nine spots available for one-on-one joy exploration and three spots for couples.  Contact Thea for more details.  EPISODES MENTIONED/RELEVANT TO THIS EPISODE: 🎙️DBM Ep 61 Joy and Black Motherhood 🎙️DBM Ep 54: Birth Justice, Liberation & the Power of Black Midwives w/ Jamarah Amani & K.Sanderson ✨PATREON BONUS CONTENT - Pre-Show Shenanigans✨ 🔗 Connect with Dem Black Mamas: BluSky | Instagram | Patreon | YouTube 🗣️Engage: This is a conversation.  Speak back to us!  Share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us, or email us at [email protected]. AND share this episode with at least one person.  Sharing is not only caring; sharing builds community. For all links, full show notes & transcript, check out our website:  demblackmamas.com