Dreaming Beyond Boundaries: Reimagining the Role of Black Mothers in Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Reimagining Black Parenting in School and Community

Abstract

As Black women, we seek to recognize and honor the labor of Black women. Motherwork, is the “reproductive labor” that Black women engage in to ensure the survival of family, community, and self. Motherwork centers Black children by asserting their knowledge and experiences as primary to teaching and learning. In this paper, we explore Black mothering as culturally sustaining pedagogy and share autoethnographic examples of how our own mothering aligns with culturally sustaining pedagogies. We also reimagine and dream about our Black children’s possibilities for learning and center Black mothers as knowledge bearers and guides for building and sustaining Black children’s brilliance and culture. We contend that Black mothering should be of foremost consideration in developing culturally sustaining pedagogy.

Authors

• Chonika Coleman-King, University of Florida

• Taryrn T.C. Brown, University of Florida

• Latoya Haynes-Thoby, University of Florida

• Tianna Dowie-Chin, University of Florida