Work for black women has been an important and valued dimension of Afrocentric definitions of black motherhood.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the significance of black women's work in defining black motherhood from an Afrocentric perspective.
Patricia Hill Collins highlights that the contributions and labor of black women are integral to understanding black motherhood within the context of Afrocentric values and definitions. By acknowledging this, she asserts the importance of elevating these experiences and perspectives in discussions about motherhood and cultural identity.
In practice
In a discussion on the roles of women in cultural identity, one could reference this quote to highlight the unique contributions of black mothers.
Oppressed groups are frequently placed in the situation of being listened to only if we frame our ideas in the language that is familiar to and comfortable for a dominant group. This requirement often changes the meaning of our ideas and works to elevate the ideas of dominant groups.
To maintain their power, dominant groups create and maintain a popular system of 'commonsense' ideas that support their right to rule. In the United States, hegemonic ideologies concerning race, class, gender, sexuality, and nation are often so pervasive that it is difficult to conceptualize alternatives to them, let alone ways of resisting the social practices that they justify.
The role model approach to social change is no substitute for challenging unjust employment practices, educational policies and housing.
Challenging power structures from the inside, working the cracks within the system, however, requires learning to speak multiple languages of power convincingly.
Under the color-blind ideology of the new racism, Blackness must be SEEN as evidence for the alleged color blindness that seemingly characterizes contemporary economic opportunity.
If the day ever came when we were able to accept ourselves and our children exactly as we and they are, then, I believe, we would have come very close to an ultimate understanding of what 'good' parenting means.
My mother told me once that she had her talk with God whenever she started a new sweater: 'Please don't take me in the middle of the sweater.' And as soon as she finished knitting a sweater, and it was blocked and put together, she already had the wool to start the next sweater so that nothing bad would happen.
Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.
There isn't a dude outside my dad who had greater influence on my life.
Mothers support certain illusions about their children, and one of my illusions was that I liked who I was, because she did. When she passed away, so did that idea.
A Message to Children Who Have Read This Book - When you grow up and have children of your own, do please remember something important: a stodgy parent is no fun at all. What a child wants and deserves is a parent who is SPARKY.
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