Parenting For Liberation

Parenting for Liberation had the privilege of interviewing Mia Birdsong a powerhouse Mama-activist doing big things to shift the stories being told about Black families! During our interview with the Mia Birdsong, Co-Founder/Director of Family Story, we discussed the limitations and false narratives that exist about the make up of the Black family such as: extending beyond the traditional nuclear family and paying homage to our African cultural traditions of raising children in a village and naming the ways that racist housing policies have intentionally separated Black families. In addition to being a story shifter and narrative expander in her work, Mia is also committed to expansiveness in her parenting. When she couldn't find enough books for her daughter with people of color, she curated literature and created Canerow so her daughter could see herself reflected in books.  From books to the streets, Mia shared  the ways to she engages her children in social justice, through conversations on Charlottesv

Shifting from Tough Love to Liberated Love with Ambreia Meadows-Fernandez. During our interview, we discussed her recent articles featured in On Parenting in the Washington Post, and reflect on slavery and the historical traumas that lead to fear-based parenting styles and explore that there is no safe place to raise Black children given the context. We share how we are breaking through our families generational inability to show love and affection, and how we are resisting tough love and physical discipline approaches. To learn more about Ambreia's work check out her site: https://onekoo.wordpress.com/ and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onekoolknitta

In this mini-podcast, Parenting for Liberation teamed up with Chicana M(other)work to debrief our session Mothering the Revolution session at the 2017 Allied Media Conference. Cecilia and I discuss why our work centers mothers of color, our experience of holding space in a mixed race group, and also share reflections from conference attendees, recorded live from the AMC!

On the eve of Father's Day, we share an interview with Neil Irvin of Men Can Stop Rape, where he reflected on Black fatherhood and parenting for liberation, gender equity in the house-hold , the responsibility of Black keeping Black children safe, the role of Black male role models, and much more. This Father's Day, we here at Parenting for Liberation, honor, acknowledge, and celebrate Black fathers and male role models who are parenting their children for liberation!

While participating in a California Network Weaver Lab, we had the opportunity to chat with Dia Penning, live from Earth Rise Retreat Center, about liberated schools and liberated discipline practices. #parentingforliberation visit us at www.parentingforliberation.org About Dia Penning Dia Penning is an Inclusion Facilitator, Yin Yoga Instructor, and founder of the Equity Collective. She has worked with a diverse group of clients, from the National Parks Service to various yoga teacher training programs, from city departments to tech executive coaching. Dia supports clients in investigating limiting assumptions and expanding their ideas of what is possible. Working one on one or in large groups, clients examine blockages in their bodies and minds, parallel them to external structures in interpersonal relationships, accumulated history and policy. They then investigate new possibilities, use the breath and mindful attention to challenge long held habits and create change. www.theequitycollective.com

We had the honor of interviewing Jacqueline Roebuck Sakho who recently launched Black Activist Mothering. Jacqueline performs #BlackActivistMothering as a conceptual framework that is a capturing and both shedding of what it means to be a black mother who engages problems of practice unfolding in urban school settings as community work. A #BlackActivistMother herself, Jacqueline has been trailblazing in the fields of Restorative Justice, Community Based Educational Leadership, and of course Radical parenting six children for over the last 20 years. During our conversation we explored the following: Creating counter narratives to the dominant narrative about Black women and Black motherhood The role of inter-generational dialogue How Black Activist Mother can be used a tool for nation building Next steps for collecting Black mothering stories of liberation. To learn more about BAM visit www.BlackActivistMothering.com

During our interview with Mikala Streeter, Founder, Principal, and Lead Teacher of The LIFE School, we explored: -how The Life School provides an alternative environment to interrupt school pushout, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the need for more African American children being home-schooled because of the toxic educational climate; -the impact of positive adults on campuses (https://parentingforliberation.org/2016/08/19/kids-interactions-with-adults-may-affect-their-education/) -the role of teachers and educators in parenting and/or nurturing children through education The Life School is an independent, progressive Atlanta high school where students develop their own vision of success through interdisciplinary, experiential learning. It's innovative approach connects student interests, the real world, and traditional academic subjects through projects, internships, and travel experiences. To learn more about The Life School visit: http://thelifeschool.co

During our discussion with Cecilia Caballero of Chicana M(other)work, we explore: 1. being a parent in academia and the organizing taking place on campuses throughout Los Angeles and Chicana M(other)work 2. anti-blackness in brown communities including personal experiences with colorism and internalized oppression 3. the victim blaming of local state-violence victim Jesse Romero (http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/08/10/boyle-heights-deadly-officer-involved-shooting/) 5. ideas for how to engage Brown communities for Black Power www.parentingforliberation.org

I've heard many parents ask, how do I talk to my kids about racism--well sometimes it isn't the parents leading the discussion. In this candid convos with my kid while cooking dinner, my step daughter and I were just talking as usual--she calls it "History 101" learning about "Racism" and "Stereotypes" and the discussion turned to recent murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. I didn't know that she had a seen the videos of the murders (ones that I couldn't bring myself to watch). In about ten minutes we explored stereotypes of good cop/bad cop, "bad" black folks; we discussed how to recover and heal from that trauma; and we discussed what parenting for liberation means----all while preparing dinner. I'm not sure I handled every question right--but I'm practicing parenting for liberation.

I had the honor of chatting with Monalisa Oluko Diallo--mother, educator, activist from Baltimore who has raised 3 children. During our exchange, she reflects on her experiences as a child experiencing blatant, overt racism in early education--and used that experience to inform her own parenting choices. She shares amazing tips on how to raise knowledgeable, well-rounded, globally sound Black children. parentingforliberation

With Father's Day just around the corner, I connected with my fellow gender-violence against and brother in the movement, Quentin "Q" Walcott, Co-Executive Director of CONNECT to learn about CONNECT's 7th Annual Father's Day Pledge to End Violence. During our exchange, we explored the following: -the role of men in ending violence against women -how Black boys are conditioned toward stereotypical notions of masculinity, and how can we shift to new behaviors and attitudes -the buffers that parents provide to protect against the impacts of -systemic violence on Black male behaviors and attitudes -tips for parents to challenge traditional gender roles in our homes with our children For a special treat, Q blessed us at the conclusion of the call with a spoken word piece entitled "ManCHILD" in addition to reciting pieces from the Father's Day Pledge Against Violence. To learn more about the Father's Day pledge and how you can engage boys and men in your community please visit www.connectnyc.org or on twitte

During this podcast for Parenting for Liberation, we had the unique honor of being in conversation with Mai'a Williams, contributing editor of Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front Lines. In our discussion, we explored segments of her writings and Mai'a shared her radical mothering principles when it comes to safety, boundaries, resiliency from trauma.

Show: D Report Topic: "Parenting for Liberation" conversation with Trina Greene-Brown What is Parenting for Liberation? How do we parent without fear? Is possible to raise critically aware children that are also happily care free? Air date: 05 /20/ 16 on KUCR 88.3 FM. Time: 5:15 pm Simultaneously streams online on www.kucr.org

James Baldwin "The Fire Next Time" Inspiration by Parenting for Liberation

Saying Yes to My Son by Parenting for Liberation

Black Parenting Matters: Raising Children in a World of Police Terror. Thursday, 01 October 2015 By Eisa Nefertari Ulen, Truthout My child's breath is a freedom song. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. The rhythmic pulse of air he powers is love, is life, is liberation. In. Out. In. Out. My child is breath. "I am here," his body says with each inhalation. "I am alive," his body offers with each exhalation. Each breath is a life force and each life force is a gift, is Holy. He is Divine. He is more than mere existence. He is complex sinew, meat, blood, mind, matter, running, laughing, playing, smiling, healthy. He is boy in motion, chasing balls, jumping rivers, leaping meadows, climbing trees. He is an idea made flesh. He is a rebellion. A riot. A rage against the machine. http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/33040-black-parenting-matters-raising-children-in-a-world-of-police-terror