ingridsturgis.com Blog

I don’t know what did it for you but I was perfectly content doing my
happy dance in my living room on Election night until I saw the image
of the Obama family walking out onto the stage of Grant Park. That’s
when I lost it and the waterworks came swiftly into town. That regal
image–which none of us will soon forget–said something and did
something so profound that words can’t do it justice.

Lately, we’ve been having a honest and robust conversation in our Mocha Manual Movement emails about the negative stereotypes and misconceptions about Black moms. We’ve lamented our seeming invisibleness
and not being understood as intentional, nurturing mothers who simply
want the best for their children. We’ve debated how we can change our
perception and be seen for who we truly are as Black mothers.

Ladies, in the image of our First Family I saw that hope. In Michelle
Obama I saw that hope. When she declares that her most important job
will be Mommy-in-Chief, gives her man a pound, a hug, and that real
‘I-got-your-back’-kiss (not that mechanical crap John McCain liked to
pull!), we know that the world won’t look at the Black family in the
same way ever again.

The world has been forced to see who we really are, and see our
children in a new light. When President-elect Obama said Michelle was
the “rock of the family” and “his best friend,” I got goose bumps. He
declared to the world what we’ve known about our role in our families
and communities for generations. He told the world that our
relationships are more than baby mama drama.

Years ago, Claire Huxtable was our role model. We
glued our eyes to the TV on Thursday nights dreaming about our
high-powered career, our brownstone or other dream house, our man that
rubbed our feet even though he too had a long day at work. She was the
original strong black woman with a professional career, beautiful kids
and a successful man who adored her. We looked to fictional characters
on the television to remind us that we could have what white women had
been enjoying for years. Now, we can look to the White House. Now we
can look to our First Family.

This has given me new faith. And just when perhaps our own hope in
Black men, the future of Black families, and our ability to “have it
all” as women seemed in question, our own faith in ourselves and our
dreams is reaffirmed. Our faith in the power and steadfastness of love
is reaffirmed. My faith in myself as a Black mother, especially one
raising a Black male against incredible odds, is reaffirmed. And it is
to that, I said, Yes We Can! And it is to that, I say to all Black
mothers, I know we will!

In motherhood,

Kimberly