While the work of mothers can seem laborious and even overwhelming, it is also filled with joy, love, and fulfillment. Organizations and groups have come alongside Black moms, offering support and encouragement. Mothers of color look to several platforms to provide resources of knowledge, along with solidarity and strength.
African American Homeschool Moms
This group offers support to Black mothers who are homeschooling their children. Moms share resources, homeschooling ideas, and other educational opportunities via Facebook and their website. They also offer understanding and support from moms who can relate to the homeschooling journey. Black homeschoolers are a burgeoning group. Census data shows that in April 2020, just over 3% of Black families homeschooled their children. Just a few months later, in October 2020, that number shot up to 16%.
Black Career Women’s Network
Black Career Women’s Network strives to help Black women succeed professionally. With mentoring services, community support, coaching, and workshops, women can learn the skills they need to excel in the workplace. Research states that Black women are only paid 64 cents for each dollar that white, non-Hispanic men receive; this network offers valuable support.
Black Mamas Matter Alliance
This alliance focuses on empowering mothers to advocate for their families. The organization raises awareness for cultural activism and justice while championing Black women’s maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy. Black Mamas Matter Alliance also seeks to help women develop and grow as leaders, providing technical assistance and training.
Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association
The benefits of breastfeeding your baby are numerous—it can protect babies from illness, strengthen an infant’s immune system, and even reduce a mother’s risk of certain cancers. But the percentage of Black moms breastfeeding their babies pales in comparison to white moms who breastfeed. Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association strives to encourage and support Black moms in their quest to breastfeed by offering education, support groups, programs, and training. Although “fed is best,” the organization wants Black moms to have the help and support they need if they make a choice to breastfeed.
Black Wallstreeter
Focused on encouraging financial literacy, wealth, and independence, Black Wallstreeter offers consultation services, investment clubs, and middle school and high school financial curriculums. The group also has financial camps, information on cryptocurrency, and real estate investing. The goal is to provide financial knowledge that can help close the wealth gap for future generations.
Black Women for Wellness
Black Women for Wellness started as a group focused on the health of Black babies. It has grown and evolved, and now offers programs on topics ranging from healthy cooking to diabetes prevention. The group is also involved in policy work and deals with reproductive justice, environmental justice, and healthy hair initiatives.
Brown Mamas
Brown Mamas is a group focused on supporting the entire family. Their mission is to support Black moms who in turn will help support Black dads, with the ultimate goal of helping children become better adults and building stronger communities. Noting that they want to build a village of support, the network of moms, located in the Pittsburgh area, leaves a national footprint with programs, mentoring, and support.
GirlTrek
On a journey of healing and self-care, GirlTrek says it is a “life-saving sisterhood.” With over one million members, it is more than a walking group. Members are focused on fighting systemic racism, healing past traumas, and helping women take care of their mental and physical health.
Jack and Jill of America
Through service projects and civic advocacy, Jack and Jill of America helps to mold the leaders of tomorrow. The organization has over 250 chapters nationwide and offers programs and events in the areas of cultural awareness, social and recreational activities, and educational development.
MOBB United (Moms of Black Boys United)
MOBB United and MOBB United for Social Change are sister organizations focused on improving the way Black boys and Black men are perceived by law enforcement and in society as a whole. They are striving to make “the talk” Black parents must have with their sons a thing of the past. Through influencing public policy at local, state, and national levels, as well as programs and initiatives, the organizations encourage community engagement, self-care, strategic advocacy, and vocal involvement to help elevate the public narrative of men of color.
Mocha Moms
Mocha Moms supports women of color on their journey through motherhood. With local chapters nationwide, the organization offers web-based support, newsletters, and a community of encouragement and support. There are also programs for entrepreneurs, teens, and homeschool moms.
National Black Women’s Justice Institute
This group has joined with The Children’s Partnership to become a youth-led collaborative, The Hope, Healing, and Health Collective (H3 Collective). Their goal is to focus specifically on the mental health needs of Black girls. Resources they provide include training, research and evaluation, and policy initiatives. The National Black Women’s Justice Institute also amplifies the voices of Black women and girls who have been affected by the criminal justice system and seeks to be a bridge of healing and hope.
The Black Marriage Movement
The Black Marriage Movement has a single goal: to decrease the number of divorces in the Black community. Research states that there were still 7.6 new divorces per 1000 women ages 15 and older in 2019. In light of those statistics, the movement seeks to strengthen marriages byproviding education and resources and celebrating the institution of marriage.
The Budgetnista
Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche wants financial education to be available to every woman worldwide. Her podcast, Brown Ambition, offers a safe space for women of color to talk about building wealth. She offers resources on building credit, buying a home, savings, and understanding your net worth. A former preschool teacher, she has also written a children’s book on financial education.
Therapy for Black Girls
This website dismantles the stigma surrounding Black women seeking therapy. It states it is a forum where Black women can be seen, have their voices heard, and be understood. In addition to offering the ability to find a therapist, Therapy for Black Girls also offers resources including a blog, a podcast, and a community forum.
United States House of Representatives Black Maternal Health Caucus
Black women are three times more likely to suffer a pregnancy-related death than white women. The goal of this congressional caucus is to support the rights, health, and well-being of Black mothers and their babies, before, during, and after pregnancy. By providing resources through education and funding initiatives, the Black Maternal Health Caucus hopes to increase the odds of mothers of color delivering healthy babies and decrease the number of maternal deaths among Black moms.
A Word From Verywell
Feeling seen, heard, encouraged, and understood makes a world of difference. As numerous organizations of like-minded individuals seek to uplift Black mothers and their children, these moms are receiving the support they need to care for their families physically, mentally, and emotionally.
