Episode 5 - Black Motherhood and Overcoming Fear Raising Sons
Happy July guys!
If you are still sitting tight in the house (like I’ve been) then you are on day one hundred and something of this quarantine. I feel like the world flipped upside down at the end of May through the entire month of June and for the better. While living and trying to literally fight for our lives through a pandemic, we are now witnessing and participating in a modern day civil rights movement. So badly I wanted to make an episode in the month of June just getting candid and very raw about my emotions and truth but I was so raw and emotional about everything going on, it was difficult to find the words that would speak to the time without it just being more noise to the chaos. So I spent the month of June signing petitions, calling officials, sharing information and reading (listening to) books.
In the month of June there was a lot of dialogue surrounding black motherhood and what that looks like in a country where racism continues to be woven into the fabric of the identity of this nation. Also, many mothers asked, at what point does my son go from being cute to being a threat? It’s a question I often asked after Trayvon Martin’s murder. My son was 1 at the time and wore little jackets with hoods the “attire” of suspicion. As my boys grew and (white) people would always compliment how cute they were, I would wonder when will that change. When will you start to clench your purse or unnecessarily call the police? I thought I had time to find out the answer but unfortunately I didn’t.
In this episode of A Woman With A Story, I share a difficult motherhood moment from my sons second grade year where he experienced being considered a threat. My friend Morgan Knight, a creative herself in the photography profession, wanted to take some time in the month of June to #amplifymelanatedvoices and share different stories surrounding racism mirroring the format of Humans of New York. I shared this story with her and she took these amazing pictures of me and the boys to go along with the story I shared. It’s a very difficult story to share but one that I feel is relevant to the work we’re doing as black mothers— using our voices and our activism to protect our children and reflect to them the importance of standing up for the right thing in all spaces.
The book I mentioned in the podcast is Breathe: A Letter To My Sons by Imani Perry. If you are a boy mom or you have nephews or young male cousins, I encourage you to check it out!
I hope you guys enjoy and I pray love, light and peace over you and your families in this season. We are doing the best we can with what we have and our best is more than enough.
A Woman With a Story is a podcast for women who want to feel less alone as women, mothers and wives. Women who want to feel seen and connected. It’s for women learning to embrace and believe in the beauty of the journey. Women who need to know that they aren’t alone on the curve balls of life. As a mother, wife and woman after God’s own heart I have my share of interesting and hilarious moments as well as profound revelations that have encouraged me and continue to strengthen me on my journey. These are my lessons and the beautiful stories of my life.
Social Media Info
Caneeka Elleanor - @caneekaelleanor
#StoriesWOVEN
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